“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Cor. 4:8-10 ESV). Before he wrote the letter…
I’m staring at the mountains rising up behind the screen of my laptop. The sky is impossibly blue, and the sun is shining. The breeze is cool on my face. It’s almost cold enough to grab my jacket. Birds are singing. Voices, music, and even some laughter are drifting over from neighboring campsites. This entire…
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:6-7 CSB) Teaching is the most difficult and most rewarding job I have ever had. However, it took me a while to get there. When I first…
There was a song I used to listen to as a kid, by Harry Chapin, called “30,000 Pounds of Bananas.” It reminds me now, as a grown woman, of how life can so easily get out of control. The song is a story about a tractor-trailer hauling—you guessed it—30,000 pounds of bananas. It’s motoring adorably…
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Prov. 16:9, NIV) Making plans for the future is good. Deciding on a specific direction for our career and personal lives is healthy. We should keep in mind, however, that God is ultimately in control, which means that our plans may not…
I love the beginning of a new year. I love the idea of a fresh start and a blank calendar. While I am not a resolutions girl, I am a goals girl. I enjoy setting and tracking my goals over the year. One of my favorite tools is the Powersheets goal planner. With Powersheets, I…