Find Your Seeds of Hope
After the Storm Passes
My daughter and I were traveling down a road near our home recently and were talking about how different everything looked because of the tornado that hit our town just over a year ago. While we were talking, we passed a tree that caught my attention and I stopped to take a photo of it. […]
The Strength I Need
My friend, are you tired? I don’t mean the “I need a nap” tired; I mean the bone-weary, deep in your soul exhausted, kind of tired. I am talking about feeling just worn-out from the cares of life. I don’t know about you, but this seems to describe me lately. Everything feels harder than usual, […]
Ingredients
As a child, I loved helping my grandmother bake her homemade cakes, eagerly hurrying to the kitchen to assist anytime I knew she would be making one. She made the most delicious homemade coconut, pineapple, and banana cakes. I remember watching with anticipation as she gathered the ingredients she would need. Depending on which cake […]
Knowing Your Destination
My daughter was recently watching a video of a mother and daughter who were going to a True Girl event. The mother and her daughter were wearing their pajamas because that was part of the fun at the event. My daughter made a comment about wondering if they were embarrassed to be wearing their pajamas […]
Dangers in the Darkness
My daughter recently worked on cleaning and organizing her room. While she worked, she set some things in the hallway until she decided what to do with them. Later that evening, as I headed to bed, I turned out all the lights, and started down our hallway. Unbeknownst to me, my daughter had left a […]
Take Your Position
(Stand: 1 Corinthians 16:13-14) I shared recently that my word for the year of 2024 is stand and that from time to time I would be sharing what I was learning as I sought to better understand the word. Today I am beginning with a look at one of the first definitions I came across […]
Ignoring the Static
Every morning when I wake up, I turn on a radio in my kitchen that is tuned to Bott Radio. I leave it on throughout the day so that I can hear the teaching, preaching, and other programs they air anytime I am in my kitchen. It doesn’t pick up as well in the early […]
Turn the Light On
*This post is for those battling fear. May you be encouraged. Turn the Light On I have a question I’d really like to ask the makers of the Command strips. Why on earth do they always have to fail at approximately 11:45 p.m.? Why can’t they stop working in the middle of the day when […]
STAND
A Word Revealed For several years now, I have prayed for the Lord to reveal to me my word for the year. This year as I prayed for the Lord to give me my word for the year and the verse to go with it, the word stand kept coming to my attention. I confess […]
The Slightest Command
I recently watched an amazing video on one of my social media platforms that showed an extremely well-trained Belgian Malinois dog. When I say well-trained, I mean well-trained! This dog could follow the slightest cue from his trainer. I confess, I may have watched it more than once in complete amazement at how this dog […]
Set Apart From This World
As previously mentioned in a recent story I shared, I have taken on the challenge of reading the Bible in 90 days. While it has indeed been a challenge, I have truly enjoyed this unique take on Bible reading. Reading such large sections of Scripture has opened my eyes to themes, similarities, lessons, and connections […]
Business As Usual
Earlier today, there was an earthquake close enough to be felt in our county. I actually felt it but did not realize that it was an earthquake I was feeling. We live near train tracks and there are often trains that shake our home as they pass by. I thought that was what was happening […]
Interrupted Plans
I have a confession to make, my friend. I am so tired that I have sat here for quite a while staring at a flashing cursor on this screen unable to even figure out how to begin typing what was on my mind. Do you ever get that way? Do you ever just get so […]
His Whispers
This morning I was reading from the book of Job and verse fourteen of chapter twenty-six sort of stopped me in my tracks. I honestly had to stop and reread it several times while I allowed what it was saying to sink deep into my heart. I would like to share the verse with you, […]
Drinking Enough Water
I recently had two frightening experiences, the second of which sent me seeking help at a nearby emergency room. Their diagnosis was dehydration. I was quite surprised by this because I drink water every day. In fact, one of the first things I do upon awakening each morning is drink water. When I expressed my […]
On the Way to the Wedding
Several years ago, my Aunt Pam, my daughter Georgia, and I were going to the wedding of one of our cousin’s and did not know the exact location of the venue where the wedding was being held. We did what most people do these days; we turned to our cell phone for guidance. We programmed […]
A Thousand Generations
A Thousand Generations But showing mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:6 (AMP) This beautiful jewel is tucked right in the middle of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai. It follows the commands to worship only God and […]
If Today Was My Last Day
What would you do if you knew today was your last day? If you knew it was your last day on earth, what would you do differently? How would you spend your last day? I don’t know much, my friend, but I do know this. If this were my last day on this earth, then […]
Great Stories
Great Stories While I am typing away on my laptop, my daughter is sitting nearby reading a book. I confess, it brings a smile to my face to see her doing something that has always brought me such joy. I have traveled to a great many places and had so many adventures as I lost […]
Into the Darkness
When I drive through our town, I see many reminders of the tornado that hit several months ago. There is still so much damage left behind from the storm that changed this town. A big enough storm can change a lot of things and leave behind a lot of scars. Unfortunately, our small town is […]
Broken to Be Healed (My Testimony)
Broken to Be Healed Recently a dear friend of mine was updating me about a relative of hers that is in the hospital. She told me that they had lost her one night, but the hospital staff was able to bring her back. She said that in the process of saving her life, they had […]
A Change in Circumstances
My friend, is there a circumstance in your life or in the life of someone you care about that you desperately want to see change? Are you praying for a move from God today, dear heart? If so, come with me as we take a look at a familiar story and see what encouragement we […]
An Old Box Fan
The days seem to get hotter and hotter lately and as I sit here typing these words, I have my box fan running to cool me off. The sound of the box fan is soothing to me. Listening to it running now, it isn’t hard to figure out why I find the noise so soothing. […]
Living Water
Have you ever been really thirsty? I mean the hot, dry mouth, desperately need a drink, thirsty. Is there anything more refreshing than good, cold, fresh water in that moment? Have you ever dived into cool, beautiful, blue waters on a hot day? How good did that water feel on your hot skin? Water is […]
Changed Plans
My daughter said something to me recently that resonated deeply in my heart because I have had that exact same thought many times in my life. We were discussing something that was, quite honestly, life-changing news for her, and she said, “Well, this wasn’t how I wanted it to happen.” I acknowledged the depth of […]
No Substitute
I heard a statement on my way to church one morning that lingered in my mind until I could get home and do a little more research on it. The person on the radio said that there was no known substitute for blood. Being a child of the King washed in His precious blood, this […]
What Lies Ahead
I am reading a book called Heaven by Randy Alcorn and I have to say it has been one of the most encouraging books I have read in a long time. I highly recommend reading it if you have not already done so! I have to confess that before reading this book my knowledge of what eternity […]
Set Apart
For nearly a week now, a theme has been coming up multiple times a day during my Bible reading, studies, etc. That theme is holiness or the word holy. Both have been popping up over and over while I am reading, so I decided it was time to dig a little deeper to find out […]
Fighting Temptation
Have you ever thought about how large the Garden of Eden must have been? Have you ever considered just how many trees might have been in that garden? I personally believe that the Garden of Eden was quite large. In fact, I believe it was huge, much larger than most people likely think of when […]
Fear or Love
For the last couple of years, I have been working through a workbook entitled “Making Peace with Your Past” by Tim Sledge. It is a workbook designed to be “Help for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families” and it approaches the healing process from a Bible-based perspective. It has been very helpful to me and I […]
Separating Light from Darkness
As has been my habit for the last several years, I have started a new Bible reading plan to read through the Bible that starts with the book of Genesis. I am trying to not just read through the Bible but to also study it and do my best to see what I can learn […]
When Things Don’t Look the Way You Expected
May I share something with you, my friend? I’ve had a rough week and to be perfectly honest, at times, I have really struggled. You see; for the last several years, the holidays have been a struggle and I had high hopes that this year would be better. Three years ago, I fell hard on […]
The Hard Middle
My daughter was recently reading a book that was set during the Great Depression. There were some rather traumatic experiences that the young girl in the book went through, and my daughter came to me upset saying, “I don’t want to finish reading this book”. I encouraged her to keep reading by telling her that […]
In the Midst of the Flames
I have always thought fire places were beautiful and I love to watch fames dancing. I guess you could say I have a slight fascination of flames. I enjoy watching their flickering, dancing movement as they changes shape, size, and color while they burn. I thought about my interest in fires today as I studied […]
It’s Not Fair
Life has not always been easy for me, in fact, if I am being completely honest, I would have to say that a lot of things that have happened in my life were far from easy. While I am confessing that, I will add that there is a secret thought that I have struggled with […]
Recovering What Was Stolen
Twice yesterday a specific passage of Scripture was brought to my attention and when that happens, I usually take the time to take a closer look at it because I figure that God is trying to bring it to my attention for a reason. The passage that He brought to my attention was from 1 […]
Embracing the Life You Have Been Given
“Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have” -John Piper. I am a writer, a lover of words, and I love to collect words, phrases, sentences, and quotes that speak to my heart. I have a lot of […]
Living Water
When I was a young girl, we had well water and I have to say, I don’t think I appreciated it enough at the time. My grandparents who were on city water used to bring empty jugs to fill up before going home because, as my granddaddy would say, “Nothing tastes as good as well […]
In the Meanwhile
My pastor has been preaching a series of sermons on the life of Joseph from the Old Testament account in Genesis. I have always loved his story and actually named my son after this man of faith and integrity. Anytime my pastor does a series like this, I usually try to do some extra reading […]
The Best is Yet to Come
When I was a kid, my grandmother could make some really wonderful desserts. She was known for some delicious homemade cakes and often baked them for other people during the holiday season. I can still remember the anticipation I would feel knowing one of her special desserts would be coming at the end of our […]
He Understands
Yesterday was one of the most difficult days I have had and believe me; that’s saying a lot. (Please know that everything I say here will be in an effort to be transparent, not to evoke sympathy, but to hopefully help you understand how I am feeling as I write these words.) As I said, […]
Serving Your Generation
My pastor has been preaching out of the book of Acts for some time now and as he has often encouraged us to “chop our own wood” by reading it in our own time at home, I have endeavored to do just that. I have read the book of Acts several times in these past […]
Last Words of Advice
If you knew your time was drawing near and you were going to write a letter to someone you deeply loved, what would you say? What would your last words of advice be? What would be on your mind if you knew that this would be your final communication with someone you loved like they […]
Following His Example
There are many preachers that make a really good living preaching what is called the “prosperity gospel”, which in my humble opinion, is not the true gospel at all. It is not truth, and it definitely isn’t the gospel. While it may sound good to hear that God wants to bless you and that the […]
If You Say So
I just finished reading a passage in Luke chapter five that I have always loved, but today, it really spoke to my heart. Luke 5:4-11 tells the story of an encounter between Jesus and Peter. Simon Peter and his companions had been fishing all night with no success and were on the shores of the […]
The Lord’s Will
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver, “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you” -C. S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This quote came to my mind today as I thought about how often the word safe shows […]
Earth-Shaking, Door-Opening, Chain-Breaking Prayers
This morning I found myself reading through Acts chapter sixteen which tells the story of Paul and Silas being beaten and thrown into prison. Actually, it says they were put in the inner prison and put in stocks, after they were beaten. From what I have read about the Roman prisons, this would have been […]
If We Could Sit Together a While
Have you ever been in the pit, my friend? Have you ever been in the deep, dark, muddy pit? Have you ever gotten yourself so deep in the pit you wondered if you would ever be able to escape it? Have you ever lost your way and thought you might never find your way again? […]
Permission to Rest Awhile
In case you didn’t already know, I have been a fan of the group Celtic Woman since seeing their first PBS special over fifteen years ago. As I type these words, I am watching their latest special Post Cards from Ireland. I have always loved their music and this special includes such beautiful scenery that it is […]
Thinking Out Loud
Have you ever watched someone you love nearly drown with grief and felt helpless because you couldn’t make it better? Have you ever held someone whose heart has been shattered into a million pieces? Or sat with someone whose world had been ripped apart, knowing they would need all the prayer and support they could […]
The Road to Jerusalem
This week I have been reading through the book of Luke and I came to a verse that always gets my attention when I read it. Luke 9:51 says, “When the days were coming to a close for Him to be taken up, He determined to journey to Jerusalem.” This may not mean much to […]
Dig in Deeper
My aunt Shirley recently gave me a Scripture journal that allows you to copy several verses from Romans each day. It also leaves room for you to write any notes that you want on the opposite page. I recently watched a video of one of Rabbi Greg Hershberg’s sermons recorded when he visited our church. […]
Storms Pass On
I have just survived what I can only say has been the most difficult week I have ever endured. To be perfectly honest, I hope it will always be the most difficult week I ever endure because I never want to experience another one like it for as long as I live. I truly feel […]
Hope to Keep Pressing On
You may not be aware of it, but I have been unable to write for over a month now. Everything I have been sharing via social media has been taken from previously written stories. I have been struggling with eye issues and haven’t been able to do the one thing that I truly love to […]
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas in Bethlehem
(adapted from ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore) ‘Twas the night before “Christmas”, and all through the land, People were going about their business, just as they had planned. The little town of Bethlehem was full; people were everywhere. None of them realized the Savior was about to be born there. As the […]
Beneath a Tree
We are only a couple days away from Christmas and I find myself reminiscing about Christmases past. I have found myself really missing my grandparents as Christmas has drawn closer and closer. Each one in their own unique way always made Christmas seem so special to me as a child. I remember love and laughter. […]
Finding Freedom
I’ve spent most of my life living in shame, a silent victim of the traumas I have survived. For far too long, I was afraid of sharing my story for fear of what people would think if they knew the shame I carried. The weight of that shame nearly smothered the life out of me […]
Even Tough Cookies Crumble
My daughter and I were watching something recently during which the phrase, “You’re a tough cookie!” was used. My daughter, like many children, often says something profound that speaks volumes and this moment was no exception. She turned to me and said, “Yea, but even tough cookies can crumble.” Oh, my sweet child, do you […]
Open War
Theoden: I will not risk open war. Aragorn: Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not. (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers) As an avid fan of The Lord of the Rings, I find myself using quotes from it ever so often in my writing and today’s quote just […]
The Baggage
I’ve recently been reading in the book of First Samuel and I came across two stories that really got my attention. Two verses in particular really jumped out at me. The first one was 1 Samuel 10:22, “Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, ‘Has the man come here yet?’ So the LORD said, ‘Behold, […]
Knowing the End of the Story
My daughter Georgia and I love to watch The Great British Baking Show reruns with Paul, Mary, Mel, and Sue. We’ve watched the seasons featuring them, several times each by now. While watching it recently, one of the contestants on the show was expressing the fear that they were about to be kicked off, and I found […]
A Tiny Flame of Hope
Hello, my name is Katrina. I am forty-three years old and I am trying to learn to be more comfortable in my own skin. I have struggled my entire life with insecurity and most of my life I have carried a deep sense of shame. I have allowed the things that were done to me […]
Come to the Table
I’ve been reading and studying through Lysa TerKeurst’s new book Forgiving What You Can’t Forget and as always, she speaks right to my heart. I read something today she said that really spoke to my heart. She said, “The table is the perfect place for the broken and battered to find redemption and restoration from the provider […]
One Thing (My Word for the Year)
For the last several years, at the beginning of the year, I pray and ask God to give me a word to focus on in the year ahead. When I feel as if He has given me a specific word, I take a little more time to ask for confirmation to be sure that I […]
Forgetting Your Name
In light of recent events, I confess I have struggled with a bit of anxiety as I pondered what the future may hold. All the thoughts going through my mind have led me to seek counsel in the one place I know I will find the help I need… the Word of God. I felt […]
Courageously Surrendered
One of my favorite bands is Mercy Me and one of my favorite songs of theirs is Dear Younger Me. Perhaps it is because another year is drawing swiftly to an end, but I have been thinking of this song and wondering what indeed I would say to my younger self if given the chance. […]
A Big Deal
This morning I was singing along to “What A Beautiful Name” by Hillsong Worship. It is such a beautiful song and I absolutely love it. However, it occurred to me as I was singing my heart out this morning, that I may feel like Celine Dion while singing it but in all reality I probably […]
The Time Given Me
As you likely know if you have been following my stories for any length of time, I am a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”. I rarely go more than a few months at a time without sharing some quote of his. Today, I’d like to share a […]
Someone Special
The other night while watching a church service on the television, I saw something that intrigued me. The cameraman was focusing on some of the people in the audience and he focused on a young woman. She was a lovely young woman who was smiling at something the preacher was saying. She had a beautiful […]
Time for Revival
I have always loved babies. I think babies are the most precious of all God’s creation. They are so precious, so innocent, and my heart is always moved by them. I have a small radio in my kitchen that is always set on my local Bott Radio station. I leave it on all day long […]
Believing Truth
Last night, I was listening to a preacher and he made some statements that really saddened me. He said that 90% of Christians are believing Satan’s lies and living in various levels of spiritual bondage. Only ten percent of all Christians are actually living and walking in the freedom that Christ has given them. I […]
Seven Times Hotter
This morning, I found myself reading a familiar story in the Bible. It was the story of the three Hebrew young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel chapter three. This is when the egotistical king Nebuchadnezzar had a huge golden image of himself made and commanded everyone to bow down and […]
Independence Day (Domestic Violence Awareness)
This month is a very special month for many reasons, but one thing that will always make it special to me is the fact that it is Domestic Violence Awareness month. This is made even more special to me because this is the very month I gained my own freedom. Four years ago, this month, […]
Earth-Shaking Prayer
Do you ever read a story in the Bible and find yourself amazed at the choices of the people in the story? That is my reaction each time I read the story of the Peter, John, and their companions in Acts chapter four. Peter and John had been arrested and forced to spend the night […]
Talking to Myself
Do you ever have one of those days that makes you wish you could just go back to bed and hide under the covers? I’ve been having one of those days for the last two days! It started yesterday morning and hasn’t stopped yet. It all started when my local Walmart made a big mistake […]
A Reason for the Fire
Gemstones have been fascinating people for centuries. Some of the most precious are the sapphire, ruby, emerald, topaz, aquamarine, and of course, the diamond. From what I have read, the more difficult it is to bring a gem to the light of day, the more attractive and valuable it becomes to us. There are three […]
Before Winter
I’ve been studying in Second Timothy lately and knowing it is Paul’s final letter before his death, I have tried to study it very carefully. A person that knows he is about to soon die chooses his final words carefully. I knew that Paul would have carefully considered what he wanted to say to his […]
A Call to Battle
Recently my daughter cried out for help in a tone that every parent recognizes. We have all heard that certain tone in our child’s voice that calls us to immediate action. The tone that alerts us to the urgency of our child’s need for our help spurs us into quick action. How many parents can […]
The Great Stories
f you know me very well at all then you already know that I am a huge fan of J. R. R. Tolkien’s works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. My son Joseph and I actually read The Hobbit together when he was young, but if you’ve seen the size of The Lord […]
Take Off the Mask
As the service ended at church this past Sunday, I noticed most of the people putting on their mask before heading out to Sunday school and I thought about something. Long before Covid-19 became a word we’ve all grown to hate, many of us were already wearing masks to church. The virus just forced us […]
Cleaning Things Up
My daughter’s room had become so messy that a few days ago I finally issued the ultimatum, “No tablet, tv, etc. until it is cleaned”. Honestly, I thought that would be enough; it usually works quite effectively, but this time was different. My daughter had let it get to the point that it was overwhelming […]
The Best Day of My Life
I heard something on the radio last night that I have not been able to get off my mind. The deejay asked if we knew what our best day ever was, if we had that one day that we knew was the best day of our life. I have thought about this repeatedly since hearing […]
There Will Be Joy
I don’t know about you my friend, but this has been one really tough week. In fact, as I sit typing these words, I find myself just plain exhausted from the weight of it all. Is there anything more difficult than watching people you love suffer and there isn’t much you can do to stop […]
House of Prayer
Do you ever read a Bible verse that you have read at least a dozen times before, one that you are very familiar with, and suddenly have God surprise you with a totally different take on it? I love it when that happens! It happened to me this morning as I was once again studying […]
Born From the Fire
I am a big fan of nature shows and last night my daughter and I were watching one in which they were talking about giant sequoia trees. I marveled as they showed the beautiful giants and explained that they were the tallest trees in the world. At one point a man standing beside one of […]
Hard Challenges for Hard Days
Our church recently had a visiting rabbi who challenged us to not just read Scriptures but to study them, to look up the words and find out exactly what they meant. I was excited to hear him say this because as previously stated, I am a nerd who already likes to do this! His challenge […]
In the Troughs and the Peaks
“Has no one ever told you about the law of Undulation?” – C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters. I confess that the first time I read this book four and a half years ago, I had no idea what undulation meant. Lewis did however explain it a few sentences later, “the repeated return to a […]
May I Share My Hope?
My message today is for a very specific group of people. It is for those who are walking through a dark valley that they cannot seem to see their way out of. It is for those carrying a weight of grief that settles upon them like a heavy blanket the moment their eyes open each […]
Embracing the Life You Have
“Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have” -John Piper. I am a writer, a lover of words, and I love to collect words, phrases, sentences, and quotes that speak to my heart. I have a lot of […]
The Real Reason
The other night my young daughter came to get in the bed with me and when I asked her why her answer made me have to hide a smile. She said, “I didn’t want you to have to be alone.” Now I knew that wasn’t her real reason for coming into my room and before […]
