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This season of harvest is automatically one of gratitude, isn’t it? How can we not be grateful when lawns and gardens are decorated in pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, acorns and falling leaves? Even in a year with a derecho that flattened millions of acres of Iowa corn, the soybeans were spared damage. That was a blessing for farmers, even if it seems small in the giant scope of things.  Life often reflects the change of seasons. There are seasons of thankfulness and seasons of sorrow. Many writers have…

And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”  Ruth 2:20 A little over 6 years ago I had the opportunity to go to the ACBC Counseling Conference in Indiana. I remember the exact number of years back because at the time I had just reached the halfway point in…

About two and a half years ago, I was struggling. I was overwhelmed by the busyness of life. I was desperately trying to juggle homeschooling, working from home, serving at church, keeping up with housework, making meals, and not turning into a total grouch by the end of the day.  I was setting my alarm daily to spend time with the Lord, but then my littles would interrupt. I would see the pile of laundry looming in my bedroom. The…

“I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread my hands out to you.” Psalm 143:5-6a Remember “the days of long ago” when we could gather and hug and sit close to worship? Remember when we would fill our coffee cups and stand around the donuts or offer to hold someone’s baby? Remember concerts and farmers markets and movies? They certainly do feel like long ago, and…