Decorating our home for Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend has become a mother-daughter tradition since our oldest was about 2. I remember the first time I gathered the Christmas ornaments and gave her the assignment of placing the smallest ones on the tree's lower branches. With Christmas carols playing on the surround sound system, she squealed with delight, mumbling the words of the songs while carefully placing about 20 ornaments on one single lower branch — a memory I captured Continue Reading
Three Magi… and the Best Christmas Gift We Can Give {The Atlanta Journal Constitution}
Decorating our home for Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend has become a mother-daughter tradition since our oldest was about 2. I remember the first time I gathered the Christmas ornaments and gave her the assignment of placing the smallest ones on the lower branches of the tree. With Christmas carols playing on the surround sound system, she squealed with delight, mumbling the words of the songs while carefully placing about 20 ornaments on one single lower branch — a memory I captured on Continue Reading
Another Strange Blessing {The Sermon of the mount Blog Series – Part 3}
The miracle-Worker sat down on top of a rock. The large crowd that followed Him slowly approached, breathless, happy to sit down after climbing the mountain. The surrounding sounds did not match the size of the crowd. There was a reverent silence, as this Man, Jesus - the One who had spoken in parables thus far, confronted Israel’s leaders and performed never-before-seen miracles - began to teach. As Messiah started His longest sermon recorded in Scriptures, the first words spoke of comfort, Continue Reading
The Most Challenging Sermon of All Time {Blog Series}
“The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan. When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…” Matthew 4:24 – 5:1,2 He spent Continue Reading
A Small Sparrow and “The Cure for Anxiety” {The Atlanta Journal Constitution}
It had been a long time since I heard God speak in such a clear, unmistakable way. It took me by surprise. Of all things He could have used to send me a message, He chose a bird. A plain, small backyard sparrow delivered a message that I will never forget. It was 2002 and I was home with a small baby and an unemployed husband. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 2001, my husband’s job was eliminated only three months after the birth of our firstborn. Our savings were draining fast, Continue Reading
