In 2007, the U.S. Senate designated Jan. 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Since then, awareness and advocacy campaigns have expanded to the entire month of January throughout the country, as both secular and religious organizations expose the horrors of modern-day human trafficking and slavery in America and beyond. It is hard to wrap our minds around slavery as a modern-day issue, especially in the world’s most prosperous country. According to the Global Slavery Index, an Continue Reading
2021 America – A Reflection on the Founding Principles of our Nation {Recharge Wedneday LINKUP}
“Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding.” “The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” I immediately recognized the quotes engraved on the walls of the Library of Congress — one from the Old Testament, the other one referring to Christ in the New Testament. These verses are well known to me. I stood in the Reading Room, astounded by the beauty and majesty of the architecture, while my heart raced with the Continue Reading
New Year Reflections from “The Bishop’s Wife” {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP}
Are you doing more and enjoying it less? Growing up, I often heard, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” It took me a while to realize the devil also uses busyness to steal, kill, and destroy. The 1947 Christmas movie The Bishop’s Wife challenges the idea that more work, higher status, and impressive achievements mean a better life. After being promoted to bishop, a clergyman, played by David Niven, loses his joy and sacrifices almost everything else in the pursuit of success. In trying Continue Reading
New Year Does Not Mean Our trials Are Over {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
“Wake us up when 2020 ends! 50 quotes that sum up how everyone feels about the past year.” The headline preceded an article in Parade magazine, filled with funny and insightful quotes for the year that changed life as we knew it. I read each quote, amused and sometimes laughing out loud, especially when I came across this anonymous one: “After all the stupid things I’ve done in my life, if I die because I touched my face, I’m gonna be mad.” You’ve got to give it to the author — that’s pretty Continue Reading
View from a Mountaintop {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP}
What is it about mountains? Moses met with God there. The Samaritans and Jews argued over which one people should worship on. People have called them holy. Jesus went up them to pray. We marvel at photos of them, take vacations to climb them, and even use them in reference to the best points of our lives. Called “mountaintop experiences,” we see ascending to the highest heights we can reach as arriving at the pinnacles of life. It’s there we feel close to the Lord and immensely Continue Reading
Looking Back at 2020… Moving forward in 2021
Dear friends, Christmas morning met us with many reasons to celebrate. We were incredibly blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas with Steve’s family in Chattanooga. As we opened our gifts for the first time in our new home on Christmas morning and had our own Christmas breakfast and birthday cake for Jesus (I finally ditched the frosted cake and made breakfast-friendly coffee-cake), we spent time sharing the many reasons we are so grateful to be Children of God, and prayed together as a Continue Reading
