The Secret Place Beneath His Wing—The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife
Author Nan Jones is my guest writer for today’s blog post. This is an excerpt from her book, The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife, released last month.
The Secret Place Beneath His Wing: The Perils of Anxiety and Fear
By Nan Jones
The oak rocking chair embraced me with its soothing motion. I rubbed the end of the armrest, lulling my anxious thoughts into an exhausted stillness. My tissue was tattered and torn from the insistent torrent of tears.
I sighed.
Lord, I need You. I feel like my world is collapsing around me. Everything is so fragmented. Nothing makes sense. I don’t understand why everything is a struggle. Why, Lord? My heart is weary; my spirit is drained. Fill my cup with You. I choose You, Lord. I choose You over everything the world has to offer. You’re my source of strength, my peace. Draw me close to You.
July 30, 2015 at 7:29 am | Uncategorized
Steadfast Love in Tragedy: A Story about Jane
Today I’ll travel to the She Speaks Conference in North Carolina. I will be pitching a book to publishers inspired from this story I first shared last July, 2014. The book portrays stories of real-life people in tough places. Hearts broken by tragedy or disappointment. Dreams with no pillow to lay their heads. But we have hope in Christ. Prayers for God’s perfect will and most importantly, His ultimate glory!
By Karen Friday
In the midst of tragic events and dark moments, some things will never happen in this life. Never.
“You’re going to have to explain this to me. I don’t understand why this happened.”
One of the many pleas spoken to me following the death of a young woman in our church. Jane was only twenty-eight, leaving behind a husband and three small children including an infant boy born only days before.
Explain it? How? I was mourning myself. Struggling to make sense of it.
My husband Mike, pastor of our church, sent a troubling text to my phone that day. “Pray! Doing chest compressions on Jane.”
July 23, 2015 at 8:01 am | Uncategorized
My Daughter’s Never-Ending Love Song
By Karen Friday
“Lord, let me love you with my whole heart, none above you. Lord, let me love you with my whole heart, none above you. Lord, let me love you….”
Repeat. Repeat again.
As I rocked my infant son in the living room, my husband filmed our daughter Megan on video. Nearly four years old, a few of her enjoyments in life were kid’s classes at church, watching children’s videos, and playing with dolls. But Megan sparkled with merriment when singing.
Enjoyments came to life for the camera; songs, quoting a memory verse, or random question-answer time prompted by mom and dad. “Where did we go today?” and “Tell everybody how old you are?” Memories and moments captured on film.
July 16, 2015 at 9:31 am | Uncategorized
Christ is Champion—and Don’t You Forget It!
I’m excited to have my gifted friend and wonderful writing mentor, Dianne Barker, as a guest for Thursday’s blog this week. I know you will enjoy her words and heart.
By Dianne Barker
Have you ever been involved in a ministry project and grown weary, perhaps even wondering why you even started?
Weariness is a dream killer.
Exhaustion, fatigue, disillusionment can talk us out of doing what we believe God has called us to do.
I’ve struggled much with discouragement. Once when I questioned the value of a project, the Lord’s sweet voice spoke in my spirit saying, “It’s good. And God is in it.” Those words kept me focused.
July 9, 2015 at 9:28 am | Uncategorized
The Marriage of Truth and Love
“Do you solemnly swear (affirm) to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
While it may no longer be mandatory in every courtroom, this promise of truth is traditionally affirmed with left hand placed on a book, right hand raised. The same book used to swear U. S. presidents into office.
The book remains closed, yet held as a mighty writing considered worthy to swear and affirm by. The Bible. The Holy Scriptures. God’s truth to inspire man’s truth.
Why we need God’s help in truth.
The Bible describes truth as a fundamental characteristic of God, the creator of all things including truth. Biblical truth is defined as that which is from God, born of God. Jesus, born of God, declared, “I am the truth” (John 14:6). God cannot tell a lie. Lies originate from the enemy and the world system the enemy controls. But. God. Is. Truth. He is the giver of truth.
July 2, 2015 at 9:47 am | Uncategorized