Happy Monday, friends! I’m super excited to share today’s word with you. It was a little interesting come up with an applicable word for X, but I found one, and I don’t know about you, but it really speaks to where I am right now with my recent health issues and some other trials I’m facing. It’s a word that holds so much encouragement, I feel God whispering it to my soul as I type this out.

So, without further ado, x is for xerach! Yes, it’s a word. A wonderful word full of deep meaning.

Xerach is: Plant succession staring on bare ground or rock (an empty place or a hard surface) and culminating in a mature climax forest.

It is mature forest growing from the humblest of beginnings.  

A lone xerach flower blooming in the desert is a far mightier display of God’s might than a meadow full of them. If He’s planted you in a dry place, trust that He’ll bring you to bloom.

God says in His Word:
“For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” ~Isaiah 43:19

If you are struggling to grow in a dry, hard place, trust that God is at work and when you mature into full bloom, you will be a glorious reflection of Him to behold.

For Further Study: 

·      2 Corinthians 5:17 

·      Isaiah 66:22

·      Isaiah 11:1-9

·      Isaiah 41:18-20 (in addition to verse 19 above)  

·      Psalm 31:24

Here is a song that has spoken to me so much over the years when I’ve been in dry places. I hope it speaks to your heart today as well.

What song is speaking to you right now? Any that fill you with hope whenever you listen to it? I’d love if you’d share.

COLORING PAGE “X” FOR Xerach

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To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Have a blessed Monday!
 

In Christ,

Dani

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I finished writing a novella project I’m really excited about that will be part of a compilation novella entitled The Cost of Betrayal with Dee Henderson and Lynette Eason. It will be available next fall. I hope you’ll all enjoy it.

Today we’re going to talk about waiting. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of waiting. Patience is not my strong suit, though God has been trying to get the concept through my thick skull for a while now.

I don’t know what you might be waiting for—the right guy or girl to come along, the right job, a publishing contract, the latest novel from your favorite writer, or something even more serious like news from a biopsy or the fertility doctor.

Waiting can be so hard. Trust me, I know. I’ve waited beside deathbeds. I’ve waited in delivery rooms and inside the NICU. I’ve waited for a publishing contract for seven years before receiving one. So much waiting, but you know what I learned? We might be waiting, but God isn’t. He’s always at work. Working for our good and His will.

I love this verse from Isaiah:

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

~Isaiah 40:31

Those who trust in the Lord (even in waiting) will find new strength. I don’t know about you, but it’s been in some of my deepest periods of waiting that God has done the most work in me and looking back, I can see the journey He’s with me on. So, take heart, dear ones.

Waiting is tough, but those God calls, He equips. You’re going to make it in splendid fashion. ~Dani Pettrey

Coloring page “W” for Waiting

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If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

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To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

May God bless you in this time of waiting and may your trust in Him increase daily.

Blessings,
Dani

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We spent Thursday with our family. Friday we put up our tree and decorate our house with the kids and grandkids. Saturday we went to the tree farm with the gang and our kids cut down a tree for their house, and we got a second tree for out on our back deck. We set it up on a table and strung it with colorful lights. Now,  everyone driving up our hill at night can see it, and I get to look at it out my office window while I write.

Speaking of writing...I'm on 10-day sprint to my novella deadline. Prayers that God would let the words flow--the words and story He intends--would be wonderful! I've had so much fun writing this story and I can't wait to partner with my amazing friend and mentor, Dee Henderson, and the amazing Lynette Eason. The Cost of Betrayal is set to be released in October of 2018. I hope you'll all enjoy it.

Next up, I'm finishing up my line edits (the post-revision stage of fine-tuning line by line) on Dead Drift. It's been really fun to see how the Chesapeake Valor gang is going to wrap up....at least for now.

Today's letter is V and I chose the joy-filled word Victory to go with it. Victory and joy-filled? Yes, when it comes to Christ and what He's accomplished for us, nothing could be more joy-inducing. Christ's victory over death, on our behalf, is the greatest gift we will ever receive.

As we move into this Christmas season, we celebrate the birth of Christ, but let us not forget his death as well. Every day of our life can be filled with joy that is unshakable and deeply ingrained in our souls.

Because of Christ's victory and, our salvation in Him, we can live a life of boldness and freedom--all rooted in Him and His great love for us. What a glorious reason to celebrate this Christmas season.

I pray you have a joyful, victorious, Christ-focused week!

Download today’s Coloring page

“V” for Victory

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If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

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To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

The unknown can be scary, but at the same time, it's how we think about it and react to it that makes the difference. I know, I'm one to talk. I'm the 'what if?' girl. You know that girl? The one always fretting whether something bad is coming around the bend. Not sure why I choose to be that way.

Could be I had a rough upbringing (won't go into details), but I was scared a lot as a little girl and honestly a lot of that carried over, but I recently did Lysa Terkeurst's Uninvited Bible Study and it was revolutionary in my life.

Lysa--though I don't know her personally--shared so openly and honestly in her book how she shared so many of the same emotions growing up and how it affected her as an adult until she focused on Jesus. On His love for her.

God tells us in His Word:

If God knows the unknown and He promises to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future, then surely we can trust the unknown ride to Him because it's not unknown to Him. He sees it all, and knows what's coming around the bend and knows it's for our good. And, even more comforting is the fact that He's sitting right next to us on the ride. We can let go of our tight control on the bar and let our hands wave high in our deep trust in our Savior. He's got the ride so enjoy it!

How about you? Do you hold the bar tight or waves your hands in the air? While we're on the topic of roller coasters, favorite ride? Mine would have to be Griffon at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. Talk about a steep drop...

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“U” for Unknown

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If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

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To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you had a good weekend. I spent mine sick with a head cold, sinus infection and fun upper respiratory infection. But I was happy to catch a cold if it meant spending a few days up in Hershey, PA with my awesome gal-pal and fantastic fellow author (if you haven't read her, you MUST check her out), Kathryn Cushman.

Why did I share that? Because, I don't about you, but when I'm sick (which, unfortunately, is a lot of the time of late), I feel very vulnerable. I'm not able to do all the things I want to do and I feel like it's a great lesson in humility. I realize the truth that I don't, in fact, run my own little world.

I don't control the universe. I can't do it all. In fact, I can't do anything (that's right, anything) without God's enabling. When I'm sick I realize how fully dependent I am on God for the breath in my lungs (particularly when I'm stuffy and struggle to breathe), and the gift of waking up every morning (even if it's with coughing).

I am fully dependent on God.

Why am I such a slooowww learner and it takes me getting sick to get it through my thick skull to trust in Christ?

I'm currently participating in a fabulous Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study with Max Lucado based on his amazing book, Anxious for Nothing, along with their companion series Be Still and Know. Today's message was shared by Whitney Capps. I'm shocked to say this is my first time listening to her teaching, but it was incredible. She talked about all the striving we do and how it's a compensation for either insecurity or the need to feel 'in control.'

Hmmm. Sounds like exactly what I needed to hear today. And, if that wasn't God's voice echoing in my ear enough, this week Alistair Begg has been sharing fabulous images and quotes about trust. I'm sharing one here and giving all credit to Alistair Begg from his Truth for Life ministry.

Two fabulous ministries (Proverbs 31 and Truth for Life), two whispers from God when I most needed to hear the reminder--"Trust in Me." That's my paraphrase of this wonderful scripture verse:

Repeat this verse every day this week and I bet it'll change your outlook. It'll remind you that God is trustable. He has us. And, what a wonderful reminder it is.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope this post has been helpful. Let me know how God reminds you to trust in Him. Do you ever read a verse or participate in a Bible study that really speaks to your heart and deepest needs.

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“T” for Trust

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Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

You may have noticed we went from Q last week to S this week. That's because I made an oops and skipped Q and went from P to R. If you missed the R post, you can find it here. Phew. Glad to be caught up.

I don't know about you, but I like to be in control. Well, at least think I'm in control, but the fact is I'm not. God is, and He knows best. I don't. I can't see the big picture or the front of the tapestry. I can only see the back, which at times looks messy, complicated and incomplete. God sees the final image. He sees, from eternity, the plans He has for us, and knows what our lives will look like when He takes us home to Heaven--when we'll be complete in Him.

The Unseen

To be perfectly honest I struggle with this a lot. I mean really struggle. I like to know how everything is going to unfold. I don't like what appear to be unpleasant surprises or bumps in the road. And, believe me, my road is full of speed bumps I can't foresee.

Life is full of unforeseen speed bumps, as I like to call them. You know the struggles that jar us, that seem to pop out of nowhere, that jolt us and slow us down. Those struggles. They hurt, and we're often left wondering 'why?' Why couldn't God let us at least see it coming, but then that's the thing. Would it hurt less if we saw it coming? I doubt it.

In fact, I think just the opposite would happen. I think it would hurt more because we'd see all the bumps ahead on the narrow path and fear we'd never make it through. But God knows we will with His grace. He's got us. He carries us over those bumps and knows it's the path we need to take. He keeps us in suspense to protect our hearts from needless worry and fretting. He says in His Word:

“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs." ~Luke 12:29-30 NLT 

He knows what we need. He sees the path. The bumps in the road, in our lives, don't surprise Him. I love the Message's translation of this same verse:

“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself."

~Luke 12:29-30 MSG

Enjoy the Moment

God provides for all our needs. Most especially, I believe, for our struggles. He keeps us in suspense because He loves us and because He knows He has us. I believe....

If we could see the future we'd lose the joy of the moment.

It's why God keeps us in suspense.

So, take a deep breath and relax. He's got this. He's got you. Please don't think I'm saying this lightly. I need to remind myself of this daily. Multiple times a day in fact. It's one of my speed bumps. A recurring one. How I wish I was a fast learner, but I trust God will carry me through this season, through this struggle. I simply need to rest in Him.

For Further Study:

• Psalm 46:10
• Isaiah 41:10
• Philippians 4:6
• Psalm 62:1-7

How about you? Do you struggle with worry, the need to control, or are you entrusting your life to your Savior--all of it, even the messy, bumpy bits?

Download today’s Coloring page

“S” for Suspense

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If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

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To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

I'm embarrassed to say I clearly forgot my ABC's last week by putting R before Q. Thank you to everyone who emailed to let me know. I appreciate it. It was such a nice encouragement to know how much you are all enjoying this series. I blame my oops on my recent hospital stay, but really my forgetfulness was far more likely due to my hectic schedule right now. I'm juggling a lot,  and in all honesty I believe God used my hospital stay (for low sodium of all things--doing well now, thanks) to remind me of the importance of slowing down and simply being still.

In our rush around society we often forget to take a deep breath, to look out at the horizon, to soak in God's majestic creation surrounding us. To listen to our babies or grand babies (in my case) laughter, to watch a butterfly fluttering around the bush in the back yard, to enjoy the scent of fresh tomatoes and spices wafting off the stove from our cooking dinner. There are so many nuances in the quiet moments of life I fear we miss (I know I do) because we are racing around trying to check things off our To Do List for the day. But even more frightening, is....

Without quiet, how will you hear God's whispers? 

God says in His Word:

"After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." ~1 Kings 19:12

God came in a gentle whisper. A gentle whisper. How often are we quiet enough and still enough to hear that whisper? I admit in my case, not very often. And I worry what am I missing by staying so busy? What could God be whispering to my soul if I just slowed down long enough to hear Him?

I don't know about you, but it is in my quietest moments in which I hear God the loudest--during my quiet time with Him in the morning as the sun is rising in the sky, as I'm still and writing, as I sit and watch the ocean tides. He comes and calms my soul in a way I can't describe when I take time out and simply listen.

How about you? When do you hear God speak the loudest?

I pray you have a blessed Monday and I challenge you to take five minutes after reading this (and printing out your coloring page, of course :)) to simply sit and be still. Shut off your phone. Close your computer. And, just listen.

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“Q” for Quiet

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Blessings,

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Happy Monday, friends! This week I chose the word risk for our letter r. And, I truly believe the quote I shared above (partly because I wrote it, but partly because I sincerely believe it to be true. We all have a choice--view life as an adventurous or as commonplace. And, I don't know about you, but life is far from commonplace. Life is filled with moments--good moments, sad moments, happy ones, heart-crushing ones. Life is a collection of moments, but it's how we view and react to these moments which make up our life story. We can either fear the future and the unknown, or look forward to what God has in store for us.

God not only knows the plans He has for us...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Joshua 29:11

But He instructs us to boldly seek the adventure He has in store for us...

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9

The God of creation, the God Who knit us together in our mother's wombs, the One who knows the plans He has for us, tells us to be courageous. And, it's impossible to be courageous without taking risks.

Risks push us beyond our comfort zone. They make us take a leap of faith, to walk on water, to face giants. They require us to be dependent on God for our future and for His sustaining ability in the here and now. So, let's follow our Maker's instruction and follow our Lord's common to take risks, to be courageous, and to step out of our comfort zones.

Over the past two years, I've been accepting a number of speaking invitations, which really pulls me out of my comfort zone, but when I'm up there and sharing, I feel God with me in a special way. He meets me in that risk-filled moment when I fear I might forget what to say.

Where have you stepped out of your comfort zone in the last year? Is there something you've been wanting to try, but haven't found the courage yet? If so, what. And, if so, there's no better time than the present.

May your week and life be a full and rich adventure.

Download today’s Coloring page

“R” for Risk

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If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

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To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

I'm so excited to share today's P word with you--perseverance. It's kind of my life motto, and today I'm going to switch things up a bit and share a number of quotes that I feel deeply reflect the importance and motivation behind perseverance, as well as some wonderful Scripture verses to check out on perseverance.

If anyone mastered perseverance during His time on earth, it was Jesus. So many times he was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11) but he fought back with God's Word--sharper than a double-edged sword  (Hebrews 4:12). So many times he persevered when He was tired (John 4:6), sad (John 11:35), and unwanted (Mark 6:4). The greatest example of perseverance was His enduring the painstaking agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14 or Matthew 26) and on the Cross (Mark 15).

Anytime I'm struggling, waiting, or need to persevere I think of two people--my mom who persevered more than anyone I've met in life, and Jesus, who endured more He needed to persevere through than anyone.

I hope you'll take some time today to read about Jesus' time on earth. It can be found all throughout Scripture, but a great place to start is one of the Gospels. I, personally, love the Gospel of John. But some other verses to take a look at including the ones listed in parentheses above and these:

• Mark 10:27
• Hebrews 12:2
• Isaiah 53:5
• 1 Corinthians 15:57
• Ephesians 5:2

May the Lord strengthen you and His Holy Spirit fill you with endurance and perseverance to run the good race.

One more area where I find a lot of inspiration to fuel my perseverance is found in music. I have several songs which really inspire me. To me, it's amazing how a song can touch your soul and never leave. And, when you hear it again, it takes you right back to the first time you heard it. Here's one of my perseverance favorites. I hope you enjoy!

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_KXsMCJgBQ[/embed]

What about you? Do you have a favorite perseverance Scripture verse, quote, motto, or even song that inspires you? If so, I'd love to hear. 

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“P” for Perseverance

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To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

I chose the word obstacles for our letter today, because let's face it, we all encounter our fair share of obstacles. Whether it's an issue with our kid's homework or teacher, an issue on the job, a family issue, a spiritual issue--life is full of issues and obstacles, but it's how we react to the obstacles that matters.

It's a great idea to just weave around the obstacle and smile about it, and honestly I hope that's my attitude the majority of the time, but often the obstacles are so big and heavy that instead of swerving around them, we're forced to climb them. To sweat it out. To scramble our way up with God's help.

I love this verse from Isaiah:

"For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." ~Isaiah 41:13

No matter what obstacle we may be facing, and it may be a brutal one, we can rest assured God is right there with us. Holding us by His right hand and guiding us along the way.

I love Alistair Begg. He's an amazingly gifted preacher from Parkside Church in Cleveland, but he also has a ministry called Truth for Life. If you've never checked it out, you really should. I listen to a podcast nearly everyday and get the daily devotional. He's been gifted to preach the Word and does so verse by verse. If you're interested in some deep study, download a podcast.

Why do I bring this up? Not just because he's so gifted or because it's a ministry our family has supported for years, but because he often refers to Pilgrim's Progress and whenever I think of obstacles and enduring them, I think of Pilgrim. He faces so many obstacles and trials, but he manages to survive them all and you will to. God will carry you through. Maybe not in this life, but in eternity, and that's a beautiful gift to focus on when struggles are wearing on us.

May you find peace in His presence today and always.

For Further Study:

• Isaiah 40:31
• Isaiah 43:2
• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Joshua 1:9
• John 16:33

What Scripture book, poem, inspirational quote, book or ministry has been a source of inspiration to you when you face obstacles?

Download today’s Coloring page

“O” for Obstacles

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Blessings,

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Happy Monday, friends!

I'm a beach girl through and through. I want to live at the beach. In fact, it's one of the places that I really do live. Not physically own a house there, but a place where, when I'm there, I'm all there. I'm truly living. Do you know what I mean?

Living Distracted

We often go through life distracted. At least I do. So distracted. I'm always thinking of the things I haven't done or the items still awaiting me for the day. I hardly ever just stop and enjoy the moment. Enjoy the warmth of the sun on my skin or the feel of granules of sand slipping between my toes--but at the beach, I do. I stop and bask in the moment. I live. Really live. I enjoy my grand babies' laughter as their feet slosh in the sea's spray and feel the sand squish beneath my feet as I chase after one of them running headlong down the open stretch of surf before us. I sit with my daughter. Just sit and chat or stare out at the ocean.

I eat lunch in my beach chair. Have you noticed everything tastes better at the beach? Fresher? The flavors popping in contrast to the salt lingering in the air. Or, perhaps, I've just worked up a health appetite. I hold my husband's calloused hand as we go for a walk, the sun warm on our backs, the horizon never-ending before us. I love those hands that hold me close. I love him. And at that beach I slow down enough to realize the beauty of all the gifts I have before me.

Trusting God as We Navigate Life

I have a new gift. If you can look at Lupus as a gift. I just got diagnosed this week, but I know God doesn't allow anything in my life that hasn't passed by Him, that He doesn't have in His hands, that isn't for my best. How could Lupus be for my best? I don't know, but I'm not God. I simply trust. Trust that He has me through all that's to come.

Trust that the One who made the sand, the sun and the sea and keeps them in their space--the sun rising every morning and setting each evening, the ocean tides like clockwork, the sand--so lift and fragile--still lining the beach that I ran on as a child. If the God who controls nature, the rotating of the earth, the passing of each moment of time has me in His capable hands, I will rest in that. I will trust that the One who knows the hairs of my head knows exactly what's going on in my body and will carry me through this new path to navigate, and you can bet I'll be wearing flip flops the entire way.

Where are you most fully alive? In the woods, at the beach, or hugging your children tight? I'd love to hear.

Thanks for sharing your Monday morning with me. I look forward to it all week!

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“N” for Navigate

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Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

God's timing is always so perfect.  I'm sitting on my lanai in Kona, Hawaii. I'm here with my hubby celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Talk about meaning and memories. This week has been abundantly blessed with both!

You don't need to travel so far to experience meaning and memories. Both can be found everyday in simple moments with your family, in daily activities with friends, and in still, quiet moments with God.

A Life of Meaning & Memories

Choosing to live a life of meaning and memories means slowing down long enough to really take in the joys and blessings God's given you. Nothing brings me joy like seeing my grand babies'  sweet smiles or their adorable giggles when they belly laugh.

Children are so good at soaking in the beauties of nature--the warm rays of sunshine on your face, the cool breeze swirling leaves through the fall air, the flash of fireflies on warm summer nights, or the squish of sand between your toes. Kids are so good at really appreciating nature with all five of their senses. They are filled with curiosity and enthusiasm. I wish I was more like my grand babies.

While we've all been blessed with the precious gift of life, too often we (myself included) are so busy rushing around that we forget to stop and savor the little moments, but it's these moments--some as brief of a bird's song on the wind that can fill our lives with warm and lasting memories.

Fill your life with memories and meaning, not stuff and things. 

God's Creation

I do, however, find that time spent outdoors in God's majestic creation is a special place for me to feel closer to Him. Whether we're kayaking through the rolling rivers, hiking the tall hills and mountaintops, or simply enjoying a picnic on a rock at the summit. It's in these activities and moments in which my mind slows down enough and all my senses kick in so I can just feel enveloped by the Lord's presence and bask in His glorious creation surrounding me.

Do you have a special place where you feel closer to God?

I truly believe that memories and meaning are deeply connected with one another. All of our memories and moments build upon another and result in the culmination of the meaning of our lives, especially our lives in Christ.  Our lives are journeys to Him, and we are blessed to experience so much beauty and joy in the smallest of memories along the way.

For example, I was a little girl, I had a cardinal that would perch on my windowsill every day and sing to me. Whenever my mom saw a cardinal, she'd say 'there's your bird' and she bought me many cardinal gifts over the years. Every time I see a red Cardinal, I fondly remember my mom and my singing friend, and I'm filled with comfort.

Do you have any special memories from your childhood that linger still?

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“M” for Meaning

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Click to Tweet: Fill your life with memories and meaning, not stuff and things. 

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Praying today is full of wonderful memories for you,

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Happy Monday, friends!

I hope your day is off to a great coffee-fueled start. I'm dealing with jet lag. No fun. I'm going to be dragging and working on my deadline all week. If you could keep me in prayer, that would be wonderful, but we had the very best time.

I'll be sure to share some pictures on my Facebook Page this week. I've been struggling with health issues so it was such a blessing to be able to go and enjoy my time there. A great thanks to my friends who were praying me through! I hope you all have great friends in your life you love you and prayer for you, but I know you have at least one and the most important One--God.

Do you know God says:

"I have called you by name and you are mine." ~Isaiah 43:1b

The God of the entire universe and everything in it has called you by name. He knows you and he loves. And, most importantly, He is always with you. God says:

"...Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b

God loves us and is always with us. I can't think of a better friend. Someone who loves us despite our flaws, our mistakes, our pasts. Someone who loves us because we are His. Someone who never leaves our side. Amen?

For further study:

• Deuteronomy  7:9
• Psalm 86:15
• Psalm 136:26
• John 3:16
• Romans 5:8

What about you? Do you have a friend who has stuck by you in thick and thin? God has blessed me with Lisa who has been my friend for nineteen years and man have we had some adventures. I smile just reflecting on them. Take some time to reflect on your friendships and on God today and let him love on your heart.

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“L” for Love

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Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you've had a wonderful week! I can't believe it's September and while you're reading this I'll be off on an adventure celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary! I'm so excited I can hardly believe it. 25 years! I know many of you have been married a good number of years, some much longer and some not married yet, but today's letter and word are super applicable to marriage if you ask me. Kindness. It's hard to have a good marriage, near impossible if you aren't kind to one another. I love this verse from Scripture:

Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3 NASB

Without kindness and truth I dare say you don't have a marriage, let alone any relationship. And, the thing about kindness is it costs you nothing, but it's a great gift to the receiver. So chose to be a giver. Bless someone with kindness today!

For further study:

Ephesians 4:32

Acts 9:36

Micah 6:8

Hebrews 13:2

Romans 12:10

What about you? Do you know someone who is always kind and truthful? How has that person impacted your life? 

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“K” for Kind

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Happy Monday, friends!

I'm so glad you're here. Today's letter is J and what better word for J than joy. Joy is one of my favorite words because joy is such an amazing feeling and yet it's so much more than a feeling.

Joy is a Gift

Joy, I believe, is a gift of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). A gift that is given so that we may have joy despite our circumstances. Joy is different than happiness in that way. Sorrow can erase happiness, but it cannot eradicate our joy. We can have joy despite sorrow. Why? Because of 1 Peter 8:

^" Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 

Our joy is not a feeling, it is a deeply rooted gift inside our souls that rejoices because we are saved!

Do you know this joy? I pray you do. Here are some verses to study more about the joy that is or can be yours in Christ:

• Romans 15:13
• John 16:22
• Hebrews 12:2
• Galatians 5:22
• Nehemiah 8:10
• John 15:11

Live in the light of joy.

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“J” for Joy

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In Christ's joy,

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Happy Monday, friends!

I'm so excited to share today's word with you. For 'I' I choose imagined.

God imagined the world and everything in it before it began.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." ~Genesis 1:1

It's that amazing to think about?

God's Imagination

God imagined it all, and the Bible tells us He created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). God has got to have a great imagination to create the zebra, platypus, the human eye and the list goes on.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." ~Psalm 19:1

The beauty of God's creation and the expression of His imagination is everywhere, and being made in His image, we also have the gift of imagination. As a writer, it's critical. Without God's leading and an imagination, I'd never be able to create characters or tell a story. Artists need imagination. Moms need imagination. We all do. Think how boring life would be if you could never daydream, never visualize something new, never imagine a goal to work towards.

How are you using your imagination? What's your favorite way of expressing it? 

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“I” for Imagination

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Blessings,

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Happy Monday, friends! Is there any word more beautiful than Hope?

Dictionary.com describes hope as:

the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best

No offense to Dictionary.com, but I totally disagree. Hope is not a feeling. It's a belief. Belief and trust in the One who is our hope. The One who is the anchor for our soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19)

I love the reference to an anchor. While thinking on hope the following definition came to mind.

Hope is your beacon in the dark shoals of life. Let it shine! 

Again, I love the ocean imagery. If you don't know, I'm a beach girl through and through. I married a Navy guy who loves to dive. My girls and grand babies are all swimmers. I have a shirt that says Part-time Mermaid (though my puppy ate a whole in the center of it--though I digress...). Needless to say if it involves water or the beach, I'm there.

However, here's the thing about the ocean, you can never turn your back on it. As beautiful and majestic as it is, it can also be deadly with rip currents, strong undertows, and when the storms come, unbelievably powerful and destructive. But, God says we don't have to fear. He has given us hope (Jeremiah 14:22). He is with us through deep waters (Isaiah 43:2).

We don't need to fear the storms of life. God is our anchor, firm and secure. He is with us in deep waters. He is the light of the world. He brings light to dark places and we can too. God calls us to be a light on a hill (Matt 5;14). Our hope is our light in the dark places and times of life. Hold on tight to the light and let it shine!

Some further Bible reading:

• Romans 15:13
• Titus 2:13
• Jeremiah 29:11
• Psalm 3:2-6
• Psalm 147:11

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“H” for Hope

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Blessings,

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Happy Monday, friends!

Today's letter is G and it stands for one of my favorite words--GRACE. Awe just washes over me at the sound of that word.

“But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."

~Romans 11:6

 There are many different definitions for Grace, but they way I describe it is:

Grace is the abundant overflow of God’s goodness. 

Without grace we'd still be under the law. A law none of us could keep.

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard."

~Romans 3:23 NLT

But God in His graciousness and in an amazing outpouring of His love allowed His one and only Son die on the cross for our sins, so that we are no longer under the law, but are free to live in God's amazing grace.

Amazing Grace. I love the hymn, but I also love Chris Tomlin's version, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone). I thought I'd share it with you so it can brighten your day. Soak in the words of grace.

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“G” for Grace

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Blessings,

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Happy Monday, friends!

What do you think of when you think of freedom? I often think of 4th of July, of our flag, of the free nation we live in and the awesome soldiers who give their lives to keep us free. But freedom means something even more. Someone even greater than a solider died to set us free from a war far worse than anything we've seen on earth, and there have been some horrific wars (all wars are horrific) on earth. I'm talking about the freedom we have in Christ.

You see, there is a irrevocable war raging ever since Eve first took a bite of that fruit, ever since Lucifer grew prideful. There is a war for our souls. Not to sound all dramatic, but those are facts. The truth of this war and the battle our souls can be found in God's Word.

Here are a few references to get you started:

• Genesis 3
• Romans 5
• 1 Peter 3:18
• Revelation

But the beauty in all of this is that the war is already won, the outcome already known, and our souls--if Jesus is our Savior--are safe in His hands. This earth is not our final home nor this life the only one we will know. We will live forever with our Savior in Heaven. We will walk on streets of gold. There will be no more pain or sadness. Can you imagine? No more pain or sadness.

We'll get to be with our Savior forever. And, that knowledge gives us the freedom to live without fear of death or all the 'what if's?' They are already known by the One Who holds time. Who knows the end. Who died so there is no end--only eternity spent at His side. Take a minute and thank Him for that freedom today and walk in the joy it brings.

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

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"F" for Freedom

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Happy Monday, friends! Thanks so much for joining me. Today's letter is E and for it I chose the word extraordinary. I love this word because it literally means extra ordinary. Or, if you want to get more technical, Dictionary.com defines extraordinary like this:

1. beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established

2. exceptional in character, amount, extent, degree, etc.; noteworthy; remarkable 

I personally love the first definition. Beyond what is ordinary. 

I like it so much because for us, to become beyond what is ordinary, we need God. God takes the ordinary (though if you think about it, nothing God created is ordinary. Everything is a masterpiece and work of art, but I digress.) and makes us extraordinary. He equips us through His Holy Spirit to accomplish extraordinary tasks, to break the bond of what is regular, and to become remarkable.

 

A few examples from the Bible that I love are:

• David defeats Goliath. A young boy with a sling and a rock defeats a mighty warrior. ( 1 Samuel 17)
• The walls of Jericho come tumbling down from just the blare of horns and days of marching around them. (Joshua 6)
• Sarah gives birth to Issac when she is in her nineties. (Genesis 21)

There are so many more stories of God using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary tasks through His equipping.

I have several examples from my own life to share:

• The gift of birth is extraordinary, and I had the privilege of giving birth to two beautiful daughters.
• Writing is a gift from the Lord. I've written and published eight novels. Eight. All through God's equipping.
• He has made me a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." ~ Psalm 40:2

What extraordinary thing has God done in your life?  Let me know in the comments below. 

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"E" for Extraordinary

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Blessings,

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