Nearness
As I continue meditating on Psalm 34, I look at verse 18: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” What a beautiful verse. When we are hurting, God is near. Can you believe it? How wonderful to imagine God near you as you feel crushed in spirit. […]
Mercies All the Same
I pause at Psalm 34:10b: “But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.” What a verse! What a promise! I’m realizing what we must believe in order for this verse to make sense to us. We have to believe that what God withholds from us is for our […]
For Every Fear You Have
I absolutely love Psalm 34. It hits me differently every time I read it. It’s astonishing how living and active God’s word is; it contains fresh application every new morning. Today, I focus on verse 4: I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. David, remember, legitimately had […]
You Hope, But You Never Know
I’ve been bursting with joy because of two young readers and their responses to This Seat’s Saved. When you publish a book, you never really know what readers will think. Since this is my first time writing fiction for this age group, I’m eagerly awaiting the reviews from actual children. Last night, I received this […]
Book Release Day!
It’s the official “book release day” for This Seat’s Saved! It’s nice having a single day to celebrate, even though nothing particularly special happens on this day. It just means it’s officially available for purchase. I like thinking of book release day like book release month. June means people start to order the book, receive […]
Warm Connections Through Great Conversation Questions
I spent all weekend at graduation parties. I met new people, spent time with old friends, and lounged in backyards as we all celebrated our graduating seniors. I loved the joy of applying all I learned while researching and writing The Six Conversations book. I’m never afraid to talk to someone and form a warm […]
A Great Verse for Grads
I loved meditating on Deuteronomy 31:6 today. It’s a perfect Bible verse for anyone embarking on something new in life: “Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will not fail or forsake you.” A perfect promise from a perfect God!
Back Where You Started
I’m starting to feel like soon, I’ll be back to where I started with just my husband and me, no kids. Back to the days before it all. I turn to Psalm 16, a psalm that in many ways started it all for me with the Lord. It was one of the first psalms I […]
Past the Prime
I arose early to decorate the kitchen with a graduation banner and balloons, make almond pastries, and begin this day of celebration of all the high school graduates. Notably, I found myself in the book of Isaiah this morning. The words hit deep: “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of […]
The End of an Era
Welp. Graduation looms. My youngest will walk the stage tomorrow, receive her diploma, and then it’s off to Penn State in the fall. I felt that twinge of sadness on her last day of school. Then I felt overwhelming nostalgia when she marched down the elementary school hallway in the traditional parade of seniors as […]