We are celebrating a Maundy Thursday meal with our community group tomorrow night and I was doing some research for the devotional.What is Maundy Thursday? I’m so glad you asked, because I didn’t know either! It’s mostly agreed that the “maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum” which comes from the words spoken by Jesus on the night He celebrated the Passover with His disciples, the same night He was betrayed by his friend and later turned over to the...
This week we are attempting to “practice kindness.” How could you say that kindly? How could you respond differently right now? I’m sure it’s going to get annoying, but we have got to start some new habits (and stop yelling at each other). I could point my finger at my little people, but it might get dangerous with that big log in my eye. “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not...
Around our house, a lot of times we’re just surviving and trying to curb behavior, but sometimes we slow down and try to examine our hearts. We try to understand why we’re acting the way we, and then ask Jesus to adjust us. We are currently talking about this verse, so I thought I’d share it with you today! In this illustration, I wanted to show that a tranquil heart isn’t the result of tranquil situations. We’re always bombarded...
It’s so good to be back after my month of rest! Even though my husband (who has recovered well) was stuck on the couch a good two weeks after his knee surgery, I found there’s a soul rest that doesn’t depend on the fullness of your days. My house is rarely quiet, but my soul needed to stop striving and live quietly for a while. Over the break, I read three books in the Chronicles of Narnia series that...
I know it looks like I’ve gotten my blog posts all mixed up and have skipped Thanksgiving, but I promise this is right on time! I have a very vivid memory of one Christmas as a child. I must have been in about third grade. It was evening on Christmas day and I was curled up in the corner of my bedroom feeling completely deflated. It hadn’t been magical. The gifts I got were nice, but maybe slightly disappointing...
Can I try to encourage you today? If you’re like me, you’re catching bits of news here and there, watching horrifying videos, and wondering where terror will strike next. And your heart feels a bit shaky. These are some Scripture that have come to mind in the last few days. I simply want to share them with you and pray that you let their truths pour over your heart. I have made a few highlights of things that jumped...
We’re trying a little exercise at our house. If we begin to complain about something, we have to quickly name five things we are thankful for. I’m no proponent of parenting techniques that work for all kids at all times, so that’s not my intent here, but I think our little game says something about the reality of our hearts (I’ve written about this more at length before here). I see unthankfulness (and other negative thought processes) like a...
I remember getting scared of the dark as a little girl. I’d call for my mom, and she’d come and sing a little song based on Philippians 4:8. She hates for anyone to hear her voice, but to me it was the sweetest comfort. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these...
I woke up this Monday morning after a week of my kiddos being sick that blended into a weekend of fevers, coughs, and snotty noses. It wasn’t a pretty week for us and I wasn’t ready for a new one yet. Lord, help me be a slave to your Spirit today and not to my flesh. That was the only thing I could think of to pray over the day ahead. But something in that prayer–not in the words...
