Personal journal entry, January 3rd, 2023: “Solivitur Ambulando — A Latin phrase often attributed to Saint Augustine meaning, ‘It is solved by walking.’” I had forgotten about my first scribbled words at the beginning of the year, but as I reread them, I realized their significance. My recent journey around the sun was all about “walking out” truth and laying …
When you are six years old, winning a prize, any prize, is a big deal. This particular accolade didn’t come for coloring the best turkey at school or for memorizing the most verses at church. Instead, my outfit got first prize at a tacky party. Mother was actually the only one in our family invited to the party. Her Sunday School …
“Have this attitude… which was also in Christ Jesus, who… emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant” (Philippians 2:5,7). Very few people bother to truly live this command. Sure, it’s memorized, rationalized, and compartmentalized, but it is hardly ever actualized. As I think about it, there is one person I know who has been emptying herself for …
I was tired when I awoke. It wasn’t outside noise or an anxious heart. It wasn’t my pillow or my mattress. it was my children. They had become artists. Now, not the experts using clay or watercolor, you understand. After all, they were only two and four. Yet, despite their preschool years, they had become masters. Masters of …
Dear Mentor, I care too much about what other people think about me. I soar when I am complimented and despair when I am critiqued. I want to point people to Jesus, but often find myself taking the glory for myself first. What’s the key? …
Dear Mentor, My anger continues to get the best of me. I seem to erupt over the smallest thing lately. Can you help? Signed, Burning Dear Burning, Nature teaches us that …
Karen Dilbeck is one of those rare friends that you maintain contact with but whom you never see. In fact, I don’t think Karen and I have had face to face time for almost 30 years! Yet, we’ve remained close in heart. Karen is a photographer, artist, speaker and Etsy shop owner. All this, and she writes a mean …
Three-year-old Joshua decided grapefruit were the most delightful snack God ever created. My daughter said every time Joshua spotted them on the counter, he was instantly “hungry” and needed a citrus fix. On the other hand, his four-year-old brother had a much different idea about the Ruby Red. What Joshua called sweet, Noah thought bitter. What Joshua begged for, Noah avoided like the plague. Same …
I wanted to share with you a picture of my town. No, I didn’t use Instagram or some cool filter on my lens. We’d had one of those dust bowl days with wind gusts up to 35 miles an hour. And it really irked me. Something about seeing air – that is supposed to be transparent – …
“Consider it all joy…when you encounter various trials…” (James 1:2) Try as I might, the baby in my dream would not stop crying. As I groggily gathered my thoughts, I realized that this was no dream. It was 1986 and this was my life. I rolled over to glance at the time. Two o’clock and it wasn’t …
