The next few weeks I am hosting a group of guest bloggers. These very special ladies all offered to help fill in while I check off an item from my bucket list: a pilgrimage to Scotland and England. Today my blogger friend, Jennifer Camp, joins us to talk about where family is. She lives in the Bay Area of Northern California, with her husband and three kids. I love her enthusiasm and her love for God. I know you will too.I connected with Jennifer though Jen Ferguson’s blog, Finding Heaven, and we are partners in one of Jen’s Soli Deo Gloria small groups. Getting to know her in this group has been such a pleasure. Being part of a small group that prays for one another is so encouraging.Stop by her blog, You Are My Girls, and stay awhile. You will be blessed! Where Family IsWe sit in a circle in the front room, four women gathered together, four sisters lifting up praise, thanksgiving, confession, and prayers to our Father.We remind each other who He is, our words layering upon each … [Read more...]
When Your Life Verse Doesn’t Say What You Thought Your Life Verse Said
The next few weeks I am hosting a group of guest bloggers. These very special ladies all offered to help fill in while I check off an item from my bucket list: a pilgrimage to Scotland and England. Today my blogger friend, Johnnie Donley, joins us. I met Johnnie the first time at the Florida Christian Writers Conference. Now she is one of my best friends! We are part of an online writers group called the Kindred Heart Writers and help each other through sharing resources, encouragement, critiques, and prayers. I love Johnnie’s deep love to teach the Scriptures. She is also a budding expert in WWII stories, which she incorporates into wonderful novels. Her first book, currently titled Where Treasure Hides, will be published by Tyndale Digital First as an ebook in January 2013. Don’t forget to check out her web site too.When Your Life Verse Doesn’t Say What You Thought Your Life Verse SaidFor over a decade, I have claimed Colossians 3:1-3 as my life scripture. In the New International … [Read more...]
The Sweet Aroma of Crushing
The next few weeks I am hosting a group of guest bloggers. These very special ladies all offered to help fill in while I check off an item from my bucket list: a pilgrimage to Scotland and England.Today my blogger friend, Lynn Mosher, joins us. A few months ago one of the posts she wrote really lingered in my heart and became one of my favorites. In fact I copied her prayer and added it to my morning devotions. With her permission we are reposting this post here today. I connected with Lynn though Jen Ferguson’s blog, FindingHeaven, and we are partners in one of Jen’s Soli Deo Gloria small groups. Getting to know her in this group has been such a pleasure. Being part of a small group that prays for one another is so encouraging.I have enjoyed getting to know Lynn and hope you will too. Married since 1966, Lynn is a wife, mother of three, sister, grandmother, and writer seeking to follow God’s will.Stop by her blog, Lynn Mosher, Devotions that Encourage, and stay awhile. I love her … [Read more...]
God’s Canopy
The next few weeks I am hosting a group of guest bloggers. These very special ladies all offered to help fill in while I check off an item from my bucket list: a pilgrimage to Scotland and England. Today my blogger friend, Katharine Barrett, joins us to talk about listening and learning. Katharine is from Canada and enjoys a good cup of coffee. I have enjoyed getting to know her and hope you will too.I connected with Katharine though Jen Ferguson’s blog, Finding Heaven , and we are partners in one of Jen’s Soli Deo Gloria small groups. Getting to know her in this group has been such a pleasure. Being part of a small group that prays for one another is so encouraging.Stop by her blog, Just a Thought, and stay awhile. You will be blessed! And check out her e-book, Grace and Fresh Ink, 52 Devotionals for theSeasons of Faith. Thanks for being here today, Katharine!God's CanopyIt’s almost time to put it away. I always feel sad when we take apart our garden swing and store it in the shed … [Read more...]
Spiritual Direction = Spiritual Listening
Image via WikipediaLent is a time for listening. I am listening in prayer. Listening to the Word of God. Listening in the writings of others on a spiritual journey. Listening to my heart. All forms of spiritual listening – hopefully I will hear God’s lessons during this Lenten season.My blogging friend Nancy Franson invited me write a guest post for her wonderful blog, Out of My Alleged Mind and she specifically asked me about my call to become a spiritual director – another form of spiritual listening. My post is over on her blog today and I invite you to hop over there to read it and while you are there explore her other features. Here is a teaser:Ten years ago, transition and turmoil filled my life. In 2002, two of my three children were graduating and moving out of state, close friends died and others experienced serious illnesses, friends at work betrayed my trust, and my husband’s workload became heavier. I felt restless, lost and tossed in never ending storms.And this was the … [Read more...]
God Always Tips the Scale to Love – Guest Post by Jen Ferguson
Patty Wysong has created a fun meme where once a week bloggers posted on the letter of the week. Check out the details here. It is called A2Z: Take 2. A2Z as she challenges bloggers to write a post each week going through the alphabet. Take 2 since this is the second time she has used this meme. Anyone can join in and you don’t have to always participate. This week’s letter is G and there is no better word than I can imagine starting with G than: G = GodI am so excited to welcome Jen Ferguson here today with a guest (another good G word) post about her faith and God. This lady loves the Lord! Jen writes a wonderful blog, Finding Heaven, and makes all who visit there welcomed. What a loved community she has created and gathered.Please visit her blog. You may also be interested in also checking out her Soli Deo Gloria Retreat she is planning for next October. Thank you Jen for posting here today.http://pinterest.com/pin/199565827207343224/God Always Tips the Scale to LoveDrawing a … [Read more...]
Learning by Heart – Guest Post by Nancy Franson
An unexpected benefit of writing this blog is how connecting with others has enriched my life. One of my favorite fellow bloggers is Nancy Franson who writes a wonderful blog called, Out of My Alleged Mind. Please check out her blog.As I ponder heart healthy spirituality this month, I asked Nancy to guest post for me today. Thank you Nancy for being here and sharing your story.Desperate and DeceitfulMost people who commit to memorizing Scripture begin, I imagine, with passages, which are familiar to many both inside and out of the church. John 3:16 is a likely starting point. The reference shows up on signs in the end zones of professional football games and on the eye black of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. For God so loved the world, John 3:16 reads, He gave His only begotten son . . . The verse is a succinct explanation of the gospel message, one well worth committing to memory.John 11:35 is another easy entry point into the discipline of Scripture memorization. Two simple … [Read more...]
Cultivating a Spiritually Healthy Heart
February is heart month in the United States and a month I am considering how to nourish a spiritual healthy heart.How can I cultivate my heart this season? How can I go deeper?February 22 is also Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten season. How best can I prepare my heart of my Lenten journey? How will my heart be healthier by Easter? A great fellow blogger, Jen Ferguson, is exploring the word Cultivate on Thursdays on her blog, Finding Heaven. She invited me to guest post there today. I am excited to have Jen as a guest blogger here to add to this discussion in a few weeks.Please join me over at Jen’s blog and read more about cultivating your heart. Click hereHere is a teaser:“Cultivate my heart, Lord. Break up its hardness and plant your harvest of love within me.The word cultivate scares me too. It tells me I can't just cultivate the surface to be transformed - I have got to go deep and that may hurt a little. I am not sure what will happen if God enters my heart’s darkest … [Read more...]