Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13 NIV)
I must confess…I’m rather glad the Valentine’s Day hoopla is behind us. My sweetheart and I were growing weary of ads showing us how to show “true love” to each other. Seriously. How many diamonds and teddy bears does a girl need? (I won’t argue with the chocolate…I mean, some things are non-negotiable).
But all the rush to spend big bucks on stuff got me to thinking. After 32 years of marriage, what are my favorite memories of Valentine’s Days, anniversaries, and birthdays? What “gifts” outlasted the flowers and boxes of chocolate? Continue reading
We all have them—times that our feet get knocked out from under us. Life happens and we feel blind-sided by pain and sorrow.
Betrayal. Death. Financial hardship. Sickness. Job loss.
We feel trapped in a cloud of confusion and no matter how hard we pray, we can’t feel God’s presence or see His hand in our circumstances. Continue reading
Father, may I rest in the knowledge that You always keep Your promises. Help me to learn from the example of Abraham to be unwavering in my faith as I seek to give glory to You. When I am weak and unsteady, thank you for being Faithful and True. Continue reading
I was recently reminded of how thankful I am for boundaries.
The road in front of our home was repaved. And for three weeks, no lines.
You would think there would be a sense of freedom without lines. But to be honest, I was a nervous wreck.
There was a feeling of anything goes…drive wherever you like, as fast as you like. I couldn’t trust other cars to stay on their side of the road (and I barely trusted myself to remain on my side). Continue reading
We all have them—days we don’t feel like praising God. Maybe we’re exhausted and can’t even find the words to offer the feeblest prayer.
Maybe we’re convinced that God could never use us, because honestly…why would He?
The song, “Shout to the Lord” has led millions in worship to our Lord. But guess what? It wasn’t penned during a mountain-top experience. The words filled the heart of a young mother as she struggled to maintain peace in an upside-down life. Continue reading
Last week I wrote about a man who made a positive impact on others because of the way he approached his workday. My husband met him on a hospital elevator and in a matter of seconds, this man touched the lives of myriad others.
No, he wasn’t a doctor, nurse, or other medical personnel. He wasn’t an administrator. In fact, his work falls into the “invisible” category—you would only notice if it wasn’t done. Continue reading
Well, here we are—2016!
Amazing.
Nutrisystem and Weight Watchers are counting their stacks of cash, gym memberships are soaring, and good intentions are as plentiful as good ‘ole southern biscuits (which, by the way, wreak havoc on the good intentions). Continue reading
So…I wasn’t going to post again before Christmas, but I wanted to share links to a few books that I’m excited about.
Some I have read (and love) and others are waiting (patiently) for me on my Kindle. Continue reading
Did you ever long to be loved?
Not just the giddy, silly kind of love—but a love born of knowing and being known. A love so crazy and so deep that you can’t find words to wrap around it…
The kind of intimacy that doesn’t seem to exist in our culture…
We long for another soul to want to know us—and then to love us anyway. I guess the word we look for is unconditional…a type of love not based on performance or quotas or who we know… Continue reading
Leigh Ann Thomas 