From Thanksgiving to Christmas –and everyday–it is good to remember God’s blessings and gifts. It is good to give thanks. We are entering Advent when we can focus on Jesus, the light of the world. In our neighborhood the skeletons and graveyards are gone from front lawns. Instead of dark…
Recently our women’s Bible study discussed the role of a loving mother, the mother of Moses. Jochebed had no way of knowing how Moses’ life would turn out but acted to save him during a desperate time. There is a historical background to Jochebed’s situation. Joseph was one of the…
As I sip my morning coffee, I can see the autumn leaves of the cherry tree through the kitchen window. The sun is shining and brightens the golden color of the leaves. My husband and I collaborate on making coffee. I set up the coffee in the evening and my…
My husband, my sister and I spent a week in Upper Michigan, enjoying the brisk breeze bringing the fall season. Each day the color of fluttering leaves became more vibrant. It was a visual treat as we worked—we had chores to do because we were closing the house for the…
Standing on High Places is a biography of Hannah Hurnard written by Isabel Anders. Hannah Hurnard wrote the allegory of a Christian’s life titled Hinds’ Feet on High Places. Anders follows Hannah’s life from her choice to follow Jesus and her decision to pursue mission work. She began evangelical outreach in…
Over the past months I have been reading a Psalm each morning before breakfast. The Psalmist speaks plainly about his challenges and his faith in God’s steadfast love. The focus on God brings both comfort and inspiration. By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,O God of our salvation, the…
When I go to the library (almost once a week), I check the new releases on the fiction display. My favorite genre is historical fiction and mystery. But lately I have been thinking that I should be picking some non-fiction books to read. Last week I checked the new releases…
The Bible tells the story of women who had great influence: Sarah who was the mother of Isaac, Deborah who was a judge for Israel, Esther who was queen of Persia, Mary who was the mother of Jesus, Priscilla who, along with her husband, assisted Paul in the early church.…
Over the summer I have been reading the Psalms. I have noticed several themes. In a majority of Psalms, God’s steadfast love is mentioned. When great difficulties occur, the psalmist cries out to the Lord for help. The Psalms acknowledge that God is sovereign. This morning I was reading Psalm…
In the last years of my Mom’s and my Dad’s life, they experienced memory loss. They struggled to remember names of friends and sometimes family members. But they remembered the words of hymns that they had sung over the years. There are hymns that linger in my memory, associated with…