embrace the gray

Commitment… Many years ago, I was asked to send out letters to churches inviting their women to participate in our annual Women of the Bible program. I sent out many letters but received little or no response. As I shared this with the President of our Women’s Ministry, she said, “You are just getting back what you’ve done, because you don’t answer your phone”.  I had to sit with that for a while and years later, it still...

Love Always Thinks the Best It is amazing to me how seemingly obscure things linger in my memory. One of those memories is the comment that a neighbor made when I was a teenager. My sister had just given birth to her first child at a young age. This neighbor said, “You will be next.” That day, I promised myself that would never happen. There have been other instances where I felt comments were made to demean me. I am writing...

Tell The Truth, Part 2   While on vacation, I was lounging by the pool when I was approached by someone selling timeshares. I initially declined but was enticed with the promise of cash or a weeklong stay in a local resort. So, I agreed to entertain his offer. At the end of his presentation, the representative noted that my husband must be present. When I told him that he wouldn’t be available, he explained that I could attend...

I recall when I punished my then seven-year-old daughter for lying. She was adamant that she’d completed reading a 200-page book in ten minutes. The most frustrating part was that she would not relent, despite asking for honesty numerous times. This only infuriated me. When I reflect upon just how angry I became, I can only imagine how God must feel when His children lie.   As an adult, I have lied, and I am not proud of it....

Jesus Isn’t Here for Peace…Matthew 10:34-39 says, “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household! If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if...

The God-Given Helper… One day I was getting some things together to take to my mom—things I had purchased and things other people had given her. As I was loading the car, I stopped to ensure that I had everything. I just knew I was missing something! So, I kept moving, thinking it would come to my memory. It did not. As it was nearing time for me to go, I stopped and prayed. “God,” I said, “show me what I am forgetting....