Menu

Am I Looking to My Faith Or Jesus, the Object of My Faith?

May 23, 2024
| 4 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Yourself, Encouragement, Grace, Hope, Joy, Trusting God, Uncategorized

Do you ever feel ashamed or disappointed that you have lacked faith or confidence in God…or even doubted Him?

Our doubts, lack of trust, or weak faith may tempt us to think our faith isn’t strong enough.

Let’s look at some scripture passages that might encourage us – even if our faith feels small today.

“And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For…

Read More

Am I Remembering Grace and Truth Moment by Moment?

March 14, 2024
| 2 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Yourself, Encouragement, Grace, Uncategorized

Not too long ago, I wrote a post about how my cat, Lovey, shows my family what abiding does and doesn’t look like.

Among Lovey’s many desirable cat qualities, He enjoys taking walks in the woods with me and my dog, Shadow. It’s difficult to make great progress when Lovey comes along for the walk. He can’t help but flop down and roll over on his back every ten feet or so for a belly rub. I can’t help but bend over to rub his plush, chubby belly. I noticed recently how…

Read More

Am I Abiding?

January 14, 2024
| 6 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Yourself, Contentment

Lovey is our cool, orange tabby. He’s a cat’s cat. He’s soft and gentle with our family but will ferociously chase down a dog that’s going after one of his feline friends. He’s the king of our farm but allows strays to eat from his bowl. He was a rescue cat, so I like to think he remembers his roots and desires to give back to the community. He’s been diagnosed with feline leukemia, but you’d never know it. He weighs seventeen pounds and runs with a sassy kitten named Baby. He takes hikes deep into the…

Read More

How am I currently responding to Jesus?

December 7, 2023
| 2 Comments
| Categories: Beyond the Nativity: A 4 Week Devotional on the Incarnation, Hope, Jesus, Trusting God, Uncategorized

What do you think the artist was trying to show his audience in each person’s direction of attention?

This painting, Gentile Da Fabriano’s Nativity from 1423, and the art study question are included in my updated and expanded Advent devotional, Beyond the Nativity. In it, each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas has five devotionals with corresponding scripture, master artist paintings, art study questions, journal prompts, and song suggestions.

Would you like to know my answer…

Read More

Am I Remembering God’s Power and Grace in the Darkness?

August 7, 2023
| 4 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Yourself, Grace, Hope, Questions, Uncategorized

Earlier this year, my family was punched in the emotional gut numerous times in a matter of weeks.

Two officers were shot in my small hometown just twenty minutes away from where I now live. Tragically, one died and the other is still recovering. As a pastor and chaplain, my husband went on the scene to seek to minister to the hospital staff and emergency crews. Because of that, we felt a sense of closeness to the situation and the crisis haunted us for weeks and months just as it did so many others.

Am I Overcoming Defeatist Thoughts?

April 10, 2023
| No Comments
| Categories: Thinking, Uncategorized

I’m excited to introduce a special guest and her writing to you today! Kelly Balarie is a master encourager and a passionate writer and speaker about God’s truths. She knows the power of God’s truth for the heart, soul, and mind and since we are all about turning toward truth and grace here, I want to share her writing with you. I also want you to know that her new book, Take Every Thought Captive, is being released today! As you read Kelly’s post below, will you ask yourself along with me, “Am I overcoming defeatist thoughts?”…

Read More

How Are You Waiting?

February 7, 2023
| 8 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Yourself, Contentment, Patience, Uncategorized, Yielding and Waiting
The encouragement in this post has been expanded upon in the podcast episode which can be found below.
Will you join me at Asking Is Loving?

I’ve known my friend, Susan Newkirk, for about twenty years. We started off being friends through our young adult group at a church we both attended. At that time, the two of us along with three other women decided to form a group that would seek to trust God as…
The encouragement in this post has been expanded upon in the podcast episode which can be found below.
Will you join me at Asking Is Loving?

I’ve known my friend, Susan Newkirk, for about twenty years. We started off being friends through our young adult group at a church we both attended. At that time, the two of us along with three other women decided to form a group that would seek to trust God as…
The encouragement in this post has been expanded upon in the podcast episode which can be found below.
Will you join me at Asking Is Loving?

I’ve known my friend, Susan Newkirk, for about twenty years. We started off being friends through our young adult group at a church we both attended. At that time, the two of us along with three other women decided to form a group that would seek to trust God as…

Read More

Have I learned contentment?

November 25, 2022
| 8 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Your Friends, Coaching Your Kids, Coaching Your Spouse, Coaching Yourself, Contentment, Uncategorized

An audio version of this post can be listened to by clicking on the show graphic below:

Who would’ve thought that playing with pumpkins in a creek could be so fun? It was a great challenge to throw pumpkins into our creek and try to pick them up and get them into a sled without tipping our makeshift boat into the water. Our poodle, Shadow, enjoyed trying to get the stem of the pumpkins in her mouth…

Read More

What Dreams and Desires Get In The Way Of More Fully Embracing Jesus and Others?

November 12, 2022
| 21 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Your Friends, Coaching Your Kids, Coaching Your Spouse, Coaching Yourself, Contentment, Uncategorized

Click below to check out the podcast version of this post:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is podcast.jpg

What dreams and desires get in the way of more fully embracing Jesus and others?

I prayed that the Lord would help me to desire to embrace Him over other things that were creeping into my heart. He reminded me to remember. Revival in our hearts always starts with remembering the truth….

Read More

How does my perspective of God impact my level of contentment?

October 23, 2022
| 20 Comments
| Categories: Coaching Yourself, Contentment, Uncategorized

Click below to check out the podcast version of this post!

With a crowbar in one muddy hand and a shovel in the other, I lifted my eyes and voice toward the sky. Heavy rain pelted my face and I cried out, “God, what are we doing here?!”

It was Labor Day a few years ago and my husband had started a project over the…

Read More