At All Times
This morning I read Psalm 34 with fresh joy. I highlighted my favorite parts for you. Consider how good God is and how He’s always working on our behalf. I would love to memorize Psalm 34 as my June challenge. I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. […]
A New Era
Ash and I keep noting that we’re in a new era of marriage. Since we had children almost immediately after getting married, we were always married with children. It was never just us. But now, with grown children in their late teens or full adulthood, it’s fun to enjoy a newlywed time we never had. […]
Some Years for Rest
These peonies needed a year of rest after we transplanted them from another spot in the garden. I didn’t know if they would flourish, but I waited, watered, fertilized, and tended to them while they established themselves. Year two? They thrived! Some years are for rest; some years are for glorious displays!
Little Outings
I love little outings–those small, inexpensive trips you can enjoy each day. Little outings saved me during those long, seemingly endless days of motherhood with toddlers. Little outings helped me survive the dark Michigan winters. Little outings bring great pleasure when God calls you to live in a small, semi-rural community. Little outings! Instead of […]
Evolving (and a Behind the Scenes Look at Publishing)
Yesterday I met with the wonderful website designer from Moody Publishers who will help me revamp my website when my next book (The Six Conversations) launches in the fall. I love that Live with Flair evolved into something new in 2015 when I wrote Seated with Christ. At that time, I moved from blogspot.com to […]
More than Watchmen
I read Psalm 130:5-6 6 and note the beautiful repetition of a certain line. We read this: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. Think of how watchmen on a […]
Another
Today I dropped my youngest daughter off to school and noticed the increased police presence. More precautions. More safety measures. I hated what the change meant: another school shooting somewhere in the nation. And this means another email from the superintendent. Another conversation about staying alert at school and reporting any suspicious activity. Another day […]
The Crushing that Saves You
Whenever the lilacs bloom, I remember one of my all time favorite Live with Flair posts from from May 2014. I’ve reproduced an excerpt here for you to consider: So You’d Get What You Really Needed: Another Message About Suffering I discover that the lilac stem is so tough and so thick that it’s nearly impossible for those stems […]
Less Talking. More Praying.
Last night I attended our church’s Sunday nightprayer service. What a sweet time to stay still and silent before the Lord and pray! Lately, more and more, I’ve wanted to enjoy more times of stillness and silence. Perhaps it’s the nature of getting older. Perhaps it’s a deep burden for people. Perhaps it’s because I […]
A Moment from Galatians: Set Apart and Called
This morning, I read Galatians 1 and stayed for a while with verses 15-16. I notice, of course, the verbs. Notice how Paul understands his life: “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach […]