WHAT IS MY CROSS? Lord, do I know? If so, have I been willing to carry it? Have I been trying to carry it by myself? WHERE AM I NOT FREE? Am I living with the consequences of my choices, or am I trying to carry the sin of another person's choices? HOW IS MY HEART? Is it tender,...
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No aspect of our lives is untouched by our hearts. Guarding our hearts is a daily decision that requires God’s daily help. We can’t do it without Him. But we can ask Him to help us. Would you pray with me? “Father, our hearts matter to you. Teach us what it means to guard them. We confess that most days are full...
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Thirst has a purpose. God designed us to thirst so that we would not perish. Thirst reminds our bodies of what they need to live–– primarily water. Other things may try to disguise themselves as adequate hydration. But the sugar in some beverages and the caffeine in others is not what our bodies need. They need WATER. And so it is with...
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When I employ self-discipline in one area of my life, the benefits tend to leak into other areas of my life. • I tend to be more intentional about my exercise when I'm disciplined about what I eat. • I have more clarity in my productive time when I'm mindful of what I do in my spare time. • I'm more likely to give others the...
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Self-care can be crazy hard. There are usually a handful to a hundred reasons we should be doing something, ANYTHING other than care for ourselves. Gah! The past five weeks have been eye-opening for me. As we've studied spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical self-care, I've learned that I've got a lot to learn! This week was no exception. The social part...
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I knew a man whose work took him all over the world. He would tell of his global travels, and I would sit in awe. Until one day, he said, "Cindy, the truth is I'm world-weary. I just want to go home." We don't have to be globe trotters to be "world-weary." Life is hard. It's impossible not to long for...
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The older I get, the more I appreciate my physical health. The perceived immortality I carried in my youth has worn off. Consistent reminders of how the body no longer responds (or recovers) help me appreciate how good it feels to feel good! It would be easy to think that challenges regarding physical well-being are limited to folks who are getting...
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I’m a "feelings" kind of girl. When I'm sad, I feel it deeply. When I'm joyous, I'm over the moon. My emotions tend to run more like a far-reaching pendulum than the steady tick-tock of a clock’s gears. Emotions are a gift, but sometimes we have to be careful what we DO with how we FEEL. Knowing how to tend to...
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Last week my Mama's heart was pulled on every front. Each of our adult children was dealing with a challenge of some type. Physical. Emotional. Or both. As a dear friend said, "We only do as good as how any given kid is doing badly." When our kids hurt. We hurt. Period. Before last week I knew I'd be launching into...
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One more beat of the drum because "new" never gets old! We've explored different ways God gives us new the past three weeks. New beginnings. New mercy. New "wine." This week's new is more personal. It's the new He does IN us THROUGH Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things...
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