I remember the first time someone shared Romans 8:28 with me. I was in college—a young Christian facing challenges in my studies—and I confided in a caring woman from my church. She gently reminded me that God causes all things, even the things that don’t seem good, to work together for our good. Decades later…

I’ve never met a king. My understanding of them comes mostly from books and movies. Kings are usually esteemed and revered—sometimes rightly so, sometimes not. Yet there’s always a certain fascination with the title and the position of king. Interestingly, and not surprisingly, God’s plan for His people has always been a King…

Most of my friendships began in the usual places—high school, college, church, my neighborhood—nothing out of the ordinary. Yet every now and then, I meet someone in a place I never expected. One of the most surprising of these was meeting Diane in Yellowstone, standing in front of Old Faithful—an added bonus to my trip. Still, as delightful and unique as this moment was, it doesn’t hold a candle to the truly unusual meeting Jesus had…

When pressed for time, we rarely welcome stopping. Especially when preparing for something significant—a graduation, a move, a wedding, a new venture—we tend to guard our time and steer clear of anything that might slow us down. From a human perspective, this makes perfect sense. But from God’s perspective, stops are…

“I need more time.” “I’m feeling pressured for time.” “I wish I had more time.”

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably said one or two of these this week— maybe even more than once in a single day. The truth is time is something we almost always want more of. Yet Scripture reminds us…

Nobody likes feeling disappointed. It’s hurtful, sometimes painful, and never something we’d choose. Yet it’s something we all experience.

When things don’t go as planned, when people respond in ways we didn’t expect, when life shifts abruptly, disappointment is often the result. It shows up in small, everyday frustrations and in the fragile places where our hopes have been crushed.

The fact is disappointment is a reality of life…

Why is it that when faced with two possible outcomes, we seem to naturally gravitate toward the worst‑case scenario? We hear rainstorm, we think full‑blown hurricane. When we hear cold season, we think pneumonia. And if we receive a delayed text response, we think something must be wrong…

As a writer, I love words—reading them, choosing them, and using them to craft messages. But there are some words—outstanding ones, in fact—that, because of overuse or misuse, have slowly lost their meaning. And sadly, love is one of them.

In the English language alone, there are dozens of definitions of love, not to mention the hundreds of words we use to describe it…

According to Oxford’s most recent research on English usage, the word “time” is the most frequently used noun in our language. I think there’s a good reason for this.

Time is something we all seem to want more of, yet never have enough of. It’s something we’re led to believe we own, but of course we don’t. We can’t control time, hasten it, slow it, or capture it. 

But the truth is, God…

In the same way it’s true—at least metaphorically—that we are what we eat, it’s equally true that our thoughts shape what we do and ultimately who we become (Proverbs 23:7). It’s worth pausing to consider this because our actions, inactions, and reactions all rise from…

The performance aspect of majoring in music came naturally to me. Practicing, rehearsing, memorizing, and performing songs—loved it. Yet I wasn’t nearly as excited about my non‑performance classes which I only wanted to complete and pass

However, I thoroughly enjoyed music history. Which, quite frankly, surprised me because I didn’t expect to, but I did. And by the end of two semesters, I not only appreciated the subject but found myself genuinely delighted by it.

The writer of Psalm 119 experienced a similar kind of delight…

Our family room in Florida was the heart of our home. It’s where we did “life” together — where memories were made. One entire wall of this room was lined with shelves filled with books, photos, scrapbooks, trophies, awards, and diplomas. And tucked behind the closet door of this same room? You guessed it — more of the same!

When we decided to move and downsize, we realized…

I’m not sure where the New Year’s tradition of “out with the old and in with the new” originated, but I know it didn’t come from Scripture. I understand the appeal of releasing the old and embracing the new. But the potential problem with this mindset is twofold…

It’s the second day of 2026, yet do we feel any different? Has our “old” become miraculously new? While it would be nice, that’s not usually how life works. And if we’re honest, the first day of the new year, at least for most of us, doesn’t feel much different from the last day of the old one. Because of this, many of us find ourselves wondering…

I believe most of us live in a temporary bubble during the Christmas season. I’m referring to the sweet space we intentionally enter to celebrate the holiday. Yet once Christmas is over, we recognize it’s time to return to life. So, we dutifully “de-decorate” our homes, sweep up tree needles, take down Christmas lights, and write thank‑you notes. And while some of us do this reluctantly and others eagerly, we all, in the end…

I’ve certainly heard plenty of unique baby names over the years, but I can honestly say I’ve never heard of any parents naming their newborn “Everlasting Father.” If I had, I’d think it was strange—after all, no baby lives forever, at least not here on earth. And no baby is born as a father. So, the name feels both odd and impossible…

Who was that one person who made you feel safe when you were growing up? Maybe a parent, a grandparent, or someone you knew you could always depend on. Regardless of age or maturity, the truth is none of us outgrow the need to know there’s someone in our corner.…

My introduction to Handel’s Hallelujah began in 9th grade chorus. To say I liked it is an understatement—I loved it then, and I still do today. At 14, I was captivated by the alternating vocal lines, rising to a grand, unified Ha‑le‑lu‑jah!

Decades later, I remain just as awestruck. Yet my appreciation now is…

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. I pray yours was lovely and meaningful in all the ways that matter most. I understand that for some, the day carried mixed emotions as you missed people you love. Holidays can be tender, even painful. But God is gracious to comfort us when our hearts are heavy, reminding us He is near, and His love never fails.

Wherever you found yourself this holiday…

You know those weeks when your to‑do list feels impossible—when you realize that if God doesn’t carry you through, it simply won’t get done? That was me last week.

Between writing deadlines, teaching responsibilities, and all the little details that had to fall into place, I found myself continually asking God for help. And He graciously answered…