“Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruin?” Haggai 1:4

Recently, we moved into a new home, and this is an exciting time because it was an incredible provision which the Lord had given to us in our time of need.  And yet even in the midst of teaching a new series I have written called “12 Women/12 Weeks/12 Destines” to 12 incredible women with the intention of inspiring them to their greatness and to not use excuses,obstacles …

Do you have a dream which has not been fulfilled?
Is there a vision you have received from the Lord which has not come to pass?
Are you ready to quit and walk away from God’s perfect will for you?
Before you do, read this.  I want to encourage you to keep believing, not in the dream or vision, but in the One who planted it in you before the beginning of time!
I have a big vision, and  I am a big thinker.  In many ways this is a blessing from God, but …

I was excited to review “Gigi’s Big Break” by Sheila Walsh.  Probably because I have a little princess living in my home who reminds me so much of the gregarious Gigi, but also because I am a bit tired of the trite entertainment available for little girls today which seems to be built around vanity and self adulation.   This DVD was refreshing, humorous and memorable.
To start, I was impressed with the page illustrations.  They were vibrant and alive.  The animation seemed awkward at first to me until I realized that …

Most of us have experienced pain in our lives at one time or another. For some, that pain has been beyond what many of us could even imagine. We live in a fallen and sinful world which has a tendency to cause us pain. What makes it worse and even harder to accept is when the pain we experience is caused by someone we love and trust. Instead of being there to protect us, they turn into someone who hurts us. …

As little girls, we dream of being Cinderella.  We long to find our Prince Charming and to live happily ever after.  What we seem to forget in our daydreams is all that poor Cinderella had to experience in her life just to get to the place where she could live happily ever after.
As a young child, Cinderella lost her mother.  After her father married a woman who hated her, he himself died.  This poor young girl went from a Princess to a pauper overnight as she became a servant to …

I have admired the work of Charles Stanley for years. He is a man full of Godly wisdom who is able to present the truths of God in a way that makes you feel like your  Daddy has just lovingly admonished you. In his latest book, How to Reach Your Full Potential for God,  Charles Stanley has stuck with his usual loving exhortation while sharing the truths so many overlook as they seek out God’s will for their lives.
I appreciated the fact that in a culture which prefers …

When it comes to sweet melodies, there are few which can compare with the sound of an old friends voice.  Just a simple “Hello” and you are transported back in time.  The wrinkles disappear from you face,  your crown of glory returns to youthful shades of brown, the challenges of life seem to fade into the abyss because on the other end of the phone is someone you love deeply and miss much.  That sweet sound, that link to days gone by is one to be cherished and valued far …

Have you ever felt like you just can’t get off the ground?  Maybe you are depressed.  Maybe you are struggling in an uncertain economy.  Or maybe you have a dream and a desire which God has placed within you that you just cannot seem to get going.  In times like that, you can feel helpless and afraid.  You flap our wings and yet all you do is move in circles.  It makes me think of our newest family member, our sweet cockateil, Sunshine.  Since Sunshine’s wings are clipped, he cannot …

There are sounds to a neighborhood and if you reside in one long enough you come to know them, expect them and even appreciate them. This morning the sound I hear is Mr. Wilson across the street taking his trash can to the curb. That sound means it is Monday. Every once in a while I hear a car  drive by slowly – a visible sign that not all are out of work and many must sacrifice the sweet sleep of the early morning hours just to …

After one year, 40,000 words, 210 pages and an incredible amount of breaking and being refashioned by God, I have finally completed my book on fear. This is quite a day of celebration! And yet, in it all, I feel a sense of, dare I say, fear. Fear that when others read what I have poured my life, heart and soul into, they will mock it and ridicule what I have shared. Fear that now that it is complete, it will just sit on the shelf …