"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."Matthew 7:13-14 (English Standard Version)On March 9, 1904, the ninth child was born to a couple in the small town of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. They named her Marcella. She … [Read more...] about The Narrow Gate
Encouragement
The White Blanket, Chocolate Malteds, and Lawrence Welk
"Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past..." Deuteronomy 32:7 (NIV)I have been thinking about my grandparents a lot. They, like many of my generation's grandparents, lived through the Great Depression. They had two of their three children during that turbulent time. My grandfather used to dig ditches for fifty cents a day to keep food on the table and a roof over the heads … [Read more...] about The White Blanket, Chocolate Malteds, and Lawrence Welk
The Comfort of a Friend
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."I John 4:7 (NIV)I first met Sharon in 1981 when her family joined ours on our mission station in Congo. We hit it off right away. When her family returned to the United States in 1984, our paths seemed to go in opposite directions. She came to my high school graduation open … [Read more...] about The Comfort of a Friend
The Cracking of the Mirror
"Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."I Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)I have a mirror hanging on my living room wall that I absolutely love. Its design and look are totally "me." I have rarely purchased … [Read more...] about The Cracking of the Mirror
When The Only Way Is Through It
"But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." Ephesians 4:7 (NIV)It was August 27, 2000 around 2:00 a.m. I woke with a start, realizing that my water had just broken. With this being my third child, I knew that the contractions that were non-existent at that minute were soon to become a force to be reckoned with. I reached across the covers and shook my husband awake. I … [Read more...] about When The Only Way Is Through It
When It Doesn’t Seem Like Anything Is Happening
"Jesus said to them, 'My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."'John 5:17 (New International Version)Hey girlfriends,I just wanted to remind all of us that even when it doesn't seem like anything is happening, our God is busying Himself with our every step. There have been and will continue to be seasons in our lives in which it seems that nothing is changing. We … [Read more...] about When It Doesn’t Seem Like Anything Is Happening
