A Canaanite, a prostitute, a Moabite, and a wronged wife. These four women, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba, are listed in Matthew’s account of the lineage of Christ. This week I’ve been contemplating the advent story, and I wonder what did they know about their […]
React or respond?
I confess that I often react when I should respond. Especially when I feel someone is being critical. But this morning, as I was about to lift a heavy weight, a woman said, “Don’t think about it; just do it.” I wanted to explain the […]
Unexpected Favor
Elizabeth. I underline her name nine times in 7 different verses. In this second week of Advent, my attention turns to Elizabeth. Her story is tucked neatly inside the experiences of her husband, Zechariah, and her relative, Mary. Elizabeth’s testimony speaks of unexpected favor and […]
Fasting for Advent
Advent is a sacred holiday season, and this first week of Advent is about Hope. As a personal trainer, I hear about Hope as my clients express their goals. The women I work with face various challenges while seeking to improve their overall well-being. This […]
Stop And Consider
I have a stuffy nose and aching knees, and I’ve lost my train of thought five times. I set down the phone, put in earplugs, and get to work. Tuning out all distractions is not easy in this social media era. But each evening at […]
Like So, Like That
“Like so, like that.” If you’ve ever seen a Tabitha Brown video, you’re familiar with this phrase as Tab talks us through her latest recipe. Tonight, after demonstrating to one of my personal training clients how to do an exercise, she uttered this memorable phrase […]
Craving Perfect Peace
Pray. Sweat. Eat. Repeat. I’m stuck in an endless activity loop as these words move from a choice to a chore. I feel overwhelmed. I’m craving perfect peace. The verse on my heart these past few days is: You will keep the mind that is […]
What’s In a Name?
I can’t eat meat or dairy at this point in my life. They both cause discomfort and unpleasantness in my body. I’ve spent the last 11 years explaining over and over and over that avoiding gluten is about decreasing my fibromyalgia pain and not about […]
Right Now is the Moment
“Right now is the moment. Today is the day. I’ve been changed. I’ve been changed. I have waited for this moment to come, and I won’t let it pass me by!” I love this photo! And I am thrilled to see it in my highlight […]
Praise to the God of All Comfort
As we traveled home from Canada, I felt agitated. I was tired; my backpack felt heavy, and everyone talked too loud. All I wanted to do was find my seat on the plane, put in my headphones, and shut out the world for a few […]