Beautiful in Your Heart

So I have a big day quickly approaching. The Big 4-0 . Some friends and I were talking recently though, and it's so funny how we don't feel "older." We feel like we're 18 still (aside from some aching backs and a few wrinkles here and there). One mentioned how she talks to her younger 20-ish employees and thinks she's one of them, but they clearly do not agree. Ha! We talked about how sad it was when younger people first started saying "yes m'am" to us (although I'm glad there are still good southern gals and guys out there being raised right). And we reminisced on so many fun times over the past four decades that got me thinking more on this number I'm about to be... I was reading my Bible, and I came upon Deuteronomy 8, which is a great chapter (Moses addressing the Israelites) that tells us over and over to remember what the Lord has done for us. And what do you know? It even addresses a certain number... "Remember h...

Disagreement. Discontent. Complaints. Injustice. It seems that it's all we hear about in the news these days. Black vs. White. Democrat vs. Republican. Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice. etc, etc etc. The list could go on all day. But right now, there's none of that. When I turn on the news, I see one thing. A heartbroken community rallying around those who have experienced great loss,  and a shift in focus. That's because tragedy is the great equalizer. Natural disasters, sickness, death...they level the playing field. There is no color or class or financial advantage. A storm doesn't decide to spare one people over another. We are all at the mercy of something we can't control. And we are left helpless, in the waiting. That helplessness. That brokenness. The sheer uncertainty of what tomorrow holds,  brings us together. And it is beautiful to see. We can't talk our way out of it. We can't buy our way out of it. ...

Roots are one of those things you hear about that can sound kind of cheesy and cliched after awhile. Usually when people talk about them they are referring to your family or where you're from. But at the end of 2017, I clearly heard the Lord telling me "grow your roots." And He didn't mean with my family...He meant into Him. Two verses became my guide for this past year as I tried to dig deeper into His word and listen for His voice:  "I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through His spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down in to God's love and keep you strong ." Ephesians 3:17 "And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him and let your lives be built on Him . Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with th...

I love Christmas, but if I'm honest, this Christmas season just hasn't felt as...Christmasy. Is that a word? I don't know, but for whatever reason, I have felt more rushed and irritable and less joyful and low on holiday cheer. I have allowed the little things to take precedence over the things that really matter. I have allowed the whining and complaining of my children to get under my skin along with all sorts of other insignificant things that people have said or done. And it just hurts my heart to know it's almost Christmas Day, and I haven't focused on what matters most. But tonight, I felt the Lord gently speak to my heart. Each Christmas Eve, for as long as I can remember, my parents have had a party for family and friends to come together after church services and spend time together. Some of my best memories growing up are from those parties, whether staring at the sky hoping to see Santa as a child or reuniting with old friends as I've grown olde...

Y'all, today has been a day with my littlest. Everything has been an ordeal. E.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. And my heart is at its limit. But I came across this post from my blog almost exactly one year ago. I wanted to reshare because I needed to hear it again, and I hope it will be a blessing to you too. Thank you Lord... A few days ago, my kiddos and I took off for Winn-Dixie. I needed a few things, and thought I could do a quick in and out without any major disasters. (3 kids in the grocery store is always an adventure:)). But as I often am, I was wrong.  Somewhere around the milk area, my three-year-old went into partial meltdown mode. I wasn't really surprised because she hadn't had a nap, but I thought she could pull it together. I was very wrong. By the time we hit the checkout line she was in  full-blown  meltdown mode. I think it started over a Lunchable and continued because of ???who knows???  As I checked out, she sat in the middle of the floor by the door s...

I am so excited to finally be sharing the story of Bumper with all of you! The Lord has been so gracious in opening doors to make it a reality, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my heart. Getting it published has been almost 70 years in the making, so let me go back to the beginning of how this little tale came about: Maggie Prowell Whitlow was my grandmother, who I called my "Moe." She loved family more than anything and shared with us often about her two sisters, who she loved dearly. One of them, Newell, lived in California, and we saw her a couple of times over the years. But the other, her oldest sister Hazel Prowell Thompson, had tragically passed away at the young age of 38 in 1949.  Hazel, as it would have it, was a teacher with a bug for writing. She submitted numerous stories to publishing houses throughout the 1940's, but to no avail. Her last one was a short chapter book about a little frog named, you guessed it...Bumper. U...

"I'm not worth anything." Those were the words an amazing young woman believed...until about a year ago. I listened as she shared the heartbreaking words that had been spoken and actions that had been taken to hurt her throughout her life. I watched her tears stream down her face as she remembered those hard times, but then saw her demeanor change to one full of hope as she told the other women in the room how she prays scripture over her daughter each night, in hopes that she will know her worth as she now does...in the Lord. My heart felt like it might burst because I was so thankful for what the Lord is doing in my friend's life, but even more thankful for the way He is using her pain for His glory as she shares hope with others...even while still in the midst of her own trials. But my heart also hurt...because I know that there are those who still don't know...really know...the truth in their own hearts yet. And tonight, maybe that someone is you...or some...