Category: devotional thoughts

Pick up where you are and go forward

Published on by Jennifer3 Comments

Look around at whatever God has given you. In front of you, beside you, in your hand. Do you know what these things are? Gifts, yes. But not just gifts, as if God is continually giving you birthday presents. All that you have can properly be called tools. Tools for what, you may wonder.

These tools are given to you for the purpose of building the kingdom of Christ in this world. Nothing should be an end in itself– if it is, it has become an idol in your life.

Pick up where you are, with what you have, and go forward. Build the kingdom. There is ground to take, there are enemies to be defeated. It won’t look the way you’d like, because building will always be messy and laborious. But take whatever you’ve been given (fresh tomatoes, a kitchen, good health, a ukelele, a dozen children…) and get busy building, for the glory of God. You have a part to play in this Grand Story. ♥

Pictures from a special family day together, before our oldest two departed for the fall semester. Clockwise starting a bottom left– Micah (4), Annalise (6), Katie (17), Olivia (8), Sam (12), Joshua (21), Ethan (19), Toby (10), me, and Steve.

There is no future in that

Published on by Jennifer5 Comments

The lines of separation between good and evil in our society are now drawn more clearly than ever. Evil is definitely raising it’s ugly head and gleefully having a heyday. As we observe the chaos of our times, one phrase keeps coming to my mind: “There is no future in that.”

Meanwhile, I’ve been reading and re-reading Psalm 37, which speaks to the same theme– those who have a future, and those who do not.

God has made His world to work by certain unchangeable principles. He tells us who will have the future. Although we find ourselves living in a time that is not for the faint of heart, take courage and take comfort from this Psalm, which presents a clear contrast between the good and the evil.

Repeatedly mentioned in this Psalm is the phrase “inherit the land.” This phrase strongly implies a future.

Memories of a summer past…
Continue reading “There is no future in that” →

A weary world

Published on by Jennifer3 Comments

It’s a weary, weary world right now. Maybe you feel it too. It’s a bleak horizon and I can feel the grayness in my soul. A personal weariness, a national weariness, a global weariness. This is a strange subject to write about merely days before Christmas, I agree. But somehow, the joy of Christmas also brings out the weariness of the world.

I was texting someone recently about this, and she replied: “It is a weary world! We took some treat plates around to some neighbors the other day and I realized fully for the first time how elderly our town is. At least 50% of the town is retired, some of them very elderly. Several people invited me/us to stay and chat, several said they love seeing our family walk by…one neighbor stopped back by and dropped off a gift for the kids and said ‘I’m so glad you’re my neighbors!’ And we received three Christmas cards and two thank you cards back in the mail! One of the cards says, ‘nice to see a family together.’ So many lonely folks…I told my husband that our ministry may be to just walk around town as a family and be a little corner of togetherness in people’s lives…the older people seem to really resonate with seeing our family out together.”

Continue reading “A weary world” →

A heart like Mary’s

Published on by Jennifer7 Comments

“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the LORD; let it be to me according to Your word.'” Luke 1:38

What a response to the announcement she had just heard from the angel. Some say Mary was incredibly honored to be the recipient of this incredible announcement. Others say it would have been shocking and frightening; a major shake-up in Mary’s life. Probably it was both at the same time. Whatever emotions she was feeling, whatever thoughts were racing through her mind, no doubt her world had just been turned completely upside down. And yet, what do we find in her one sentence response?

Continue reading “A heart like Mary’s” →

A simple thought that could change your life in a moment

Published on by Jennifer4 Comments

Congratulations to Megan, the winner of our recent giveaway!

I just found a post that I wrote this past summer but never published.  It’s appropriate for right now too, with the crazy election and bizarre virus and looming holidays and uncertainty on every hand.

Here it is, written a few months ago: 

Steve and I have been reading books together in the mornings. Often we’re joined by one or two of our little people; sometimes it’s just us and our coffee and the birds and squirrels running around our yard. 

Recently Steve read me a chapter by Frances Ridley Havergal* called “Our Moments Kept for Jesus.” It’s rare to read something that kind of revolutionizes your life, don’t you think? That’s actually what this chapter did for me.

Continue reading “A simple thought that could change your life in a moment” →

Showing mercy with cheerfulness

Published on by Jennifer4 Comments

“The one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:8

Showing mercy is pretty much the business of motherhood. Here are two definitions of mercy that seem SO fitting when applied to the everyday life of a mom:

  1. Compassionate treatment of those in distress.
  2. Compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power.

Don’t you love that… “those in distress”? Sounds all. too. familiar.

Continue reading “Showing mercy with cheerfulness” →

Stay at Your Post

Published on by Jennifer6 Comments

God has you where you are for a reason, even though you may not understand what that reason is. None of us fully understands God’s plan at work in our individual lives. It’s tempting to think that something really important, something that makes a lot more sense, is out there somewhere.

“That something else is, in our imagination, a very important thing, and it has an imagined importance that makes sense to us. It is a creature of ours. And if it makes sense to us, then it is a sure thing that we are flying blinkered and blind.” -Douglas Wilson, Ploductivity

Trust the Master Planner. He is working all things together for His kingdom, and He has given you a part in it that is uniquely yours. Continue reading “Stay at Your Post” →

When the Plan Changes (and a special request)

Published on by Jennifer4 Comments

“What??!! But I thought…”

I’m sure you, like me, could easily complete that sentence. Moments like these have become pretty familiar to the world as a whole lately.

The plan has changed. And you’re standing there with your mouth hanging open, at least on the inside. Here comes this major change of plan, and nobody has bothered to ask you for your thoughts or permission. Or me. Continue reading “When the Plan Changes (and a special request)” →

I don’t mean to disagree with my husband

Published on by Jennifer4 Comments

Steve said these are arrows, not dominoes.

At Joshua’s high school graduation, as I envisioned each child reaching this same milestone in quick succession, I remarked that the “dominoes were beginning to fall.” Steve replied, “Not dominoes. Arrows. Today the arrows are beginning to fly!”

edit4I know he’s right, of course. They ARE arrows and it’s super exciting to watch them fly.

But I have to be honest, it sure does seem like dominoes at times. All of a sudden, I find myself looking around and thinking, “Where is everyone? Is this everyone I’m supposed to have?” Continue reading “I don’t mean to disagree with my husband” →

What we all can do about ‘What is going on in Virginia’

Published on by Jennifer2 Comments

You may have heard President Trump’s remarks at the recent March for Life in Washington, D.C.

At one point during that historic speech, in reference to some radical pro-death statements made by Governor Northam, President Trump asked the question in a somber tone, “What is going on in Virginia? What is going on?”

The Virginia legislature is currently having a heyday with pro-death policies.

I never cease to be amazed at how the pro-life cause is labeled by the media as “anti-abortion” and the pro-death cause is labeled as “pro-choice.” Let’s be clear: this IS about life vs. death. It is not complicated. Let’s get our terminology straight.

Anne1
Precious beyond words… my niece Anne.

We lived in the beautiful Commonwealth for nineteen years. Although we don’t live there anymore, Virginia will always hold a very dear place in our hearts. The reports I’m seeing are making me so sad. Of course we know it’s a battle all across the nation, not just in one state.

Some thoughts on what we can do (no matter where we live): Continue reading “What we all can do about ‘What is going on in Virginia’” →