I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. (Luke 15:1-2, CSB) My family and I grow some of our own produce in the backyard. My husband has the greener…
Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that see everywhere around the world. (Zechariah 4:10 TLB) As someone who runs an online business, blogs,…
My parents share dinner at a restaurant on the water in Florida, where, on a whim, they decide to purchase a small sailboat. They don’t have any idea how to operate it, but that doesn’t stop them from setting sail toward the Caribbean. Soon, our tiny family embarks on a maritime adventure, complete with breathtaking…
“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use” (Matthew 7:1–2 CSB). I have an online presence beyond the usual personal Facebook page. It’s minuscule compared to the presence of popular…
“The Christmas Hymn” was first a poem by Christina Rossetti, titled “In the Bleak of Midwinter.” While the musical melody is haunting, the words she wrote are gripping. Here on the northern plains, winter is long and cold and, indeed, bleak. The poem indicates that the nativity is midwinter, but I can testify that it’s…
“With Jesus, even in our darkest moments the best remains and the very best is yet to be.” ~Corrie Ten Boom How often do you find yourself right where you want to be? Where life has slipped into that pinnacle groove you imagined as a kid. The success, the house, the family, the freedom, the…