Wigs and Tears

Wigs and Tears

Mitzie Avera
Encouragement, Love

As I looked in the mirror it hit me that hair or no hair, I was still God’s beautiful creation. I am more than just my hair. I am an heir to the Kingdom. God will be faithful to me regardless. I bought the wig. It sits on a chair in my bedroom. It is a reminder of God’s love for me and that I am not defined by my hair. He wants me to feel good about myself. As my hair in my brush accumulates, the wig is becoming more of a reality. But I know that God is with me every step of the way holding my hand. Hair or no hair, He loves us!

Two Trees in the Wind

Two Trees in the Wind

Mitzie Avera
Comfort, Peace

“Your first treatment is the hardest and longest. No need to apologize for crying,” the nurse said. I prayed, Jesus where are you? I know medically there’s no cure, but you can do all things-I need to know You are here.” I clutched mom’s cross necklace that I have worn every day since she passed. Jesus, I need You and I wish my parents were here.

O’ To Sing His Praise

O’ To Sing His Praise

Mitzie Avera
Comfort

Facing some dark days in my own life, I felt that God was speaking to me through that verse. Life can be like Holy Week yearlong-we must go through some dark Fridays and silent Saturdays to get to the beauty of a Sunday’s sunrise. But throughout it all, we can sing praises to Him.

Lightning Bugs

Lightning Bugs

Mitzie Avera
Encouragement

Facing a dark season in my life made me think of those bugs. Even though they were trapped, they continued to let their light shine. They didn’t panic because they were still getting air from the holes in the lid of the jar.

Repair Our Broken Land

Repair Our Broken Land

Chris Adams
Challenge, Holy Spirit, Purpose

That’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do. This is our assignment as His followers: to join Him in bringing healing and restoration to a world fractured by sin. When sin entered the garden, our perfect relationship with God was broken. But God sent Jesus to repair that relationship, and now we are called to reflect His image, to share the story of salvation, and to bring hope to the lost and hurting.

Our Mission in Life: Serving God in Every Season

Our Mission in Life: Serving God in Every Season

Chris Adams
Obedience, Serving

Sometimes, He calls us to a role for just a season. Other times, the assignment lasts for years, even a lifetime. When I was actively serving and encouraging women in vocational ministry—walking alongside women’s leaders while living life, parenting, church, and community—I came to realize that discipling and leading women wasn’t just something I did. It was a deep calling. And it still is.

Gladiolus Bulbs on Mission

Gladiolus Bulbs on Mission

Stacy Graves

Are you spending time in God’s presence through prayer and worship? Are you being nourished through fellowship with other believers? How are you multiplying God’s kingdom by discipling others?

Parable of the Cucumber Tendrils

Parable of the Cucumber Tendrils

Stacy Graves

Faith works like tendrils, connecting us to Jesus, our trellis. When God draws us to Christ, faith coils around Him like a tendril finding its support. Connected to Jesus, we naturally produce fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, and patience.

Lesson from the Woodpecker

Lesson from the Woodpecker

Stacy Graves

Jeremiah 17:9 warns us that our hearts are deceitful. We can rationalize our hidden sin. We can overlook our blind spots. We can deceive ourselves into thinking we don’t need a Savior.

Taking Each Step

Taking Each Step

Stacy A. Davis
Trust, Worship, Serving

So much joy occurs in watching your baby take the first step! It is so exciting! Picture grandparents crowding around with the camera ready. Mommy, behind the baby, holding her up. Daddy, with outstretched arms, inviting his baby to walk toward him, encouraging her to take that first step… and each one after that!

Do You Know My God?

Do You Know My God?

Terri Vardeman
God's Character

Do you not know? Have you not heard?


Do you detect the urgency and excitement in these questions? If someone said that to me, I would want to know more. What information might the person have that I did not? I would definitely listen to what was said next.

Called to BE Free: on the vine

Called to BE Free: on the vine

Nancy Paul
Jesus, Faith/Trust, Love, Holy Spirit

By the end of May the Covid threat was lessening, so when aunt ‘Chelle called to recruit blueberry pickers, grandson #3 and I jumped at the chance. It was a gorgeous day. Didn’t matter that we had to drive twenty minutes. Didn’t matter that they had to take our temperature. We were free, our masks were off, and the blueberries were plentiful. Armed with the secret to efficiency—attach your pail to your belt so you can use both hands—we found a row to ourselves.

The Storms of Life

The Storms of Life

encouraging.com
Spiritual Growth

How many of you can relate to the feelings of the disciples in our passage? Have you ever been caught in a storm in your life? Have you had a time when your problem seemed too big and your faith was too small? Have you ever felt threatened by the storm and its uncertainty?

Blueberries and Fish

Blueberries and Fish

Charity Ourso
Holy Spirit

My girls love to eat blueberries. Once we get our delicious batch of this fruit we are to wash and look through them to pick out all the shriveled up blueberries. Sometimes there are bad blueberries mixed in with the good ones. The bad blueberries get tossed and the juicy and plump ones get to be enjoyed as a wonderful snack or dessert for the whole family to share.

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