Daily 511

In my dream world I live in an enormous rustic home nestled into cozy mountainside overlooking a pristine lake.  I never have to worry about a mortgage or broken down cars (or broken down bodies!) And because I don't like to do things half way, I also weigh 70 pounds less, have a successful writing career and perfect blood pressure. We all need dreams.  Dreams propel us forward, energize us to work hard towards a goal and can make the world a better place.  I believe many of our dreams are God given and God directed.  However, if you're like me, many of your dreams are self-centered, idealistic and materialistic.  We see something we like on Facebook or Instagram or TV (often an entire lifestyle- I'm looking at you, Joanna Gaines) and we want the same thing for our lives. What happens, then, when real life doesn't live up to your dream for your life?  When illness, death, broken relationships, lost jobs, business failures intrude on your plans? ...

Photo by  Zoltan Tasi  on  Unsplash God never promises an easy life, a perfect life, a life free from struggle.  In fact, he promises us the very opposite- a life with trouble. John 16:33   New International Version (NIV) 33  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome  the world.”  His promise is that He and therefore us in Him  shall OVERCOME and be VICTORIOUS.  But what does overcoming look like?  It's not a life free from illness, grief and loss. If life is perfect, there is nothing to overcome.  The dictionary has some insight into what overcome means: succeed in dealing with (a problem or difficulty). "she worked hard to overcome her paralyzing shyness" synonyms: get the better of, prevail over,  control , get control of, get/bring under control,  bridle ,  tame ,...

    Everyone loves a happy ending.  Especially when God swoops down and performs a miracle.  The child suddenly cured of cancer? Praise God!  The father healed from addiction?  Praise God!  I will praise Him right along with you.  Our God is mighty.  But sometimes, even when we are down on our knees begging God for a miracle, God says No.   As often as God says Yes in the bible (healing the Leper, raising Lazarus from the dead)  He just as often says No ( Job anyone?).  We don’t like the stories where God says no.  They don’t sell many books or make for a great movie.  It’s human nature to want the happy ending.      I was reading a wonderful post today about a woman whose husband beat 10 years of addiction by giving his addiction over to God.  I love those stories.  We need those stories of perseverance and hope.  Their happy ending was the miracle I had prayed fo...

About a year ago, I felt the need to have a unified mission statement of some sort for my life. If you're a wife, mom, daughter, homemaker or have a career, it can sometimes feel like we have all these separate roles or compartments we live in with nothing to unify the part into a whole. Earlier this year, my youngest son left for college and I eagerly (with the occasional shed tear!) anticipated more free time to pursue hobbies and passions. I have a lot of interests: reading, writing, humor blogging, an Etsy business, faith and religion, motherhood, home décor...the list seems to get longer the older I get! This diverse list of interests left me feeling... scattered. As a follower of Christ, I know what direction I'm heading and the values that guide me, but I felt I needed to write down something, perhaps a mission statement of some sort, as a unifying, more specific mission for all the various roles and activities of my life. After several months of trying out var...