Author: Barbara

My passion is to encourage women wherever they are on their life journey. In everything I write and in every opportunity to speak, my goal is to offer hope. May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV

I Love Gs

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Let’s take a walk on the light side today and play with the letter G. I love that G has both a hard and a soft sound, a privilege only shared with the letter C.

I love gentleness and grace, goodness and Godliness—virtues God gloriously displays and generously grows in eager hearts.

I love the greens of grass and grasses. I love the green hues of a wide range of trees that each boasts a unique shade. 

I love gentle gardenias, giant gladiolas, glad geraniums, and glowing goldenrod.

I love girlfriends, genuine and gentle, gladly gabbing over multiple cups of coffee.

I love graham crackers and gingerbread, gouda cheese and granola, grapefruit and grapes (green please), but I’m not a fan of guacamole.

I love to play games, like Gin Rummy and Go Fish, but only watch gymnastics and golf (if I must).

I love giraffes and graceful gazelles, gorillas and grizzly bears, goats, guinea pigs and goldfish, but not geese. Aren’t geckos and grasshoppers fascinating?

I love the gift of grandchildren! I love watching them grow, developing their unique personalities and giftings. 

I love gatherings of family & friends, with gales of laughter, great conversation, and good memories.

I love the glitz of gowns and gloves, white and proper. I love the gleam of gold and the down-home goodness of gingham. I love galoshes to stomp in puddles. And I’m thankful to live in an era where my vision is easily improved with glasses.

I saved the best for last—I love God! I’m beyond grateful for His grace. I am awed by a mere glimpse of His glory. I love the gentleness of His guidance. I love the generosity and goodness of His gifts. I love how His presence makes my heart glad. He guards me—body, mind, and soul. He is gracious and altogether glorious.

What Gs would you like to add?

The Ultimate Heat Wave, 5

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

I look into my future and see countless magnificent choices. I could scale a mountain and stand fearlessly on its peak or effortlessly explore the ocean’s depths without a scuba tank. I could skydive (gearless!) and glide through the galaxies, hearing the stars sing. Maybe I’ll walk through the grass barefoot and discover a flower or creature I’ve never seen. Will I hear a melody not previously known or understand a language I’ve not been taught? Perhaps I’ll reunite with a former friend, meet a faith hero, or converse with someone from the Bible.

Of this I am sure, my senses will be sharp and clear, able to experience new sounds, colors, and sensations. My knees won’t hurt and my strength won’t fail. My mind will perceive thoughts and facts I cannot now imagine. New discoveries await me, and everything I encounter will be pure, clean, enthralling. My joy will soar, my intellect will satisfy, peace will envelop me. But wait, I’m getting carried away. Back to our topic. Before this wonderful life begins in the next world, this one must end—and it will do so in the ultimate heat wave. Look at 2 Peter 3:10.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. 
The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, 
and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare [be burned up].

This reminds us just how temporal Earth is. Lest this distress you, remember that our future is an upgrade. It is not less, but more. It’s more than the inadequate picture I painted in my opening paragraphs, but I cannot stretch my mind far enough to describe it better.

Peter follows verse 10 with a question: “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” Pause and calmly think about that.

The answer to his question is given a few verses later:

“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this,
make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.”

I look forward to Jesus’ return. I am at peace with God. I long for the beauty He will bring out of ashes.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Heat Wave Ravages Our Country, 4

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

Lest you accuse me of exaggerating my title, let me clarify—not all heat waves are physical. An emotional heat wave is storming our land. As per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, overheated people are “marked by anger or passion,” and today there are a lot of overheated people in the USA. Please note, this is a bipartisan observation.

How I long for mature conversations, intelligent and well-thought-out, unsullied with cursing and swearing. How I cringe when adults who are purported to be educated and wise exhibit behavior I admonished when raising my children. How I pray for reason and respect to be valued, and for dialogue to reflect Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:29:

“Don’t use foul or abusive language.
Let everything you say be good and helpful,
so that your words will be an
encouragement to those who hear them.”,

I can only start with myself. Do my words ignite or inspire? Do they accuse or advocate? Do they edify or smother? Demean or discuss? Discourage or persuade?

One last thought from James, chapter 4:

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters… Your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone… is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?”

Let’s do our best to relieve the heat wave ravaging our land.

Heat Wave, 3

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

We appreciate the warmth of the sun—its health benefits for our bodies, and the energy it imparts to plants. But even though God has perfectly distanced it from Earth, there are times when the heat is just too much!

Heat waves leave us sweaty, sticky, and lethargic. Abundant sun can burn our skin, sear our plants, and scorch our forests.

Emotional heat waves have a similar impact. The heat of tension triggers our tempers. The heat of anger becomes explosive. The heat of pressures robs us of wisdom. The heat of trials sparks panic.

In both types of heat wave, a long, cool drink of water goes a long way in lowering our temperature. Physically, water is crucial for rehydration, regulates body temperature, and is readily available. Emotionally, the process of pouring the water, adding some ice and lemon, and slowly sipping a full glass can serve to calm us and give us pause to process our thoughts.

The best water is found in the spiritual realm. Jesus offers us water that can quench our thirst and satisfy our souls. Longing and frustration, fear and anxiety can be assuaged by Jesus’ living water. I say it “can” quench because it’s not a magic potion to be swallowed without appreciation. Our thirst will only be satisfied when we pause, delight in the water of life, and surrender ourselves to God, frequently stilling our hearts before Him to drink in His words.

If you find yourself in a personal heat wave, I invite you to respond to Jesus’ invitation in John 10:14:

Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.
It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.