by Angele Tanyeri
The Collyde Summit is a gathering of passionate believers in the NY, NJ, and PA area, who love Jesus and are convicted to become world changers. Collyde turned out to be a life-changing experience for me! To gather and worship in this way was profound. It also gave me a chance to ‘collide’ with individuals I may not have had an opportunity to meet otherwise.
by Elise Daly Parker
So for pretty much the 30+ years my beloved and I have been married, we have been “working” on our finances. Initially, it was just a matter of trying to be responsible with our money and not get in over our heads with debt. Truth be told, our success was short term. Some of this was circumstantial – unanticipated life and salary changes threw us for a loop. But, really? We overspent.
by Kathleen Whittam
There is a nickname for people who only go to church on Christmas and Easter--a ChrEaster. My mom has long been a fan of the Christmas cactus, a plant that, oddly enough, blooms around Christmas as well as Easter. I started calling them a ChrEaster Cactus.
By Beth Stiff
I wanted to start from the beginning...
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.~ Genesis 1:1-2
My focal point was going to be on the three words God says over and over again in the first chapter of Genesis: “…it is good."
He looked at all He created and said it was good. ~ Genesis 1:31
Starting from the beginning sounded like a good plan because I’m currently reading from the Book of Genesis and those three words jumped off the pages as I read. If we believe everything He said as truth, and he says those three words several times, I’m thinking those words are rather important. [Continue Reading...]
by Elise Daly Parker
Even if you don’t go for a big New Year’s Eve celebration, the New Year can mark a fresh start, a new beginning, a shift in focus. It’s a good time to take a look back at the past, and consider a vision for the year ahead.
Many people choose a New Year’s resolution or two… [Continue Reading...]
by Megan Romeo
Although I accept with hands open, parenting can also be hard on most days. You know those kinda’ days, where we want to hold our hands closed - fall onto our bed with a tired heart - and have no room to even ask for new mercies because we are out of steam.
by Kimberly Coyle
Every week, I convinced myself it was time to release my dream of becoming a professional writer, and every week I found myself sitting in front of the computer screen or spiral-bound notebook laying down words again.
By Susan Panzica
Matthew 14 opens with the horrific, senseless beheading of Jesus’s cousin, John the Baptist. In His grief, Jesus sought solitude and set out by boat to a remote, desolate place. But crowds of people, over 5000 men plus women and children, followed Him along the shore. Jesus had compassion on them. Can this familiar story speak to us today?
By Chelle Wilson
Today wasn’t a good day. I was feeling pressed down on every side; discouraged, devoid of Hope, ready to pack it in and join the circus (that’s usually the image that comes to mind when I’m ready to give up. I don’t think I’d ever really run away and join the circus; I doubt they’d have me, but it’s a nice fantasy when I need one. I digress.) Instead, My Beloved and I watched Nature on PBS.
Jesus, the omniscient, all-knowing God. The One who knows our every thought and every word before we even speak them. He knew exactly what the blind beggars needed. There was no guesswork involved. Jesus could have sent power to heal them three miles away. He needn't stop and ask, "What do you want me to do for you?" [Continue Reading...]
By Megan Romeo
Can you believe it, friends? Summer is just about officially over and we are falling into a new season. Between making a splash at the pool, park adventures, and beach visits, it’s been quite a busy summer for my little family of three. We’ve satisfied what I crave in all seasons - making memories, snapping pictures, and enjoying the slower pace, wishing time would stand still! But, why in my heart-of-hearts, with all this summer joy, is such a deep hurt still lingering? [Continue Reading...]
by Chelle Wilson
I sat in the circle with my sisters today. One recent glorious afternoon, beneath a clear blue sky, I fellowshipped with my sisters in our Circle of Faith. For some of us, it was “hello, again.” For me, it was finding the piece of myself I never knew wasn’t there. I encountered friends I knew and friends I didn’t know I didn’t know. Let me tell you about our circle… [Continue Reading...]
by Kristin Hill Taylor
The people we love aren’t perfect. Consequences of poor choices fill our days – sometimes they are our own poor choices and other times the consequences are the ripples from other people around us. Sadly, conflict weaves its way into relationships, people don’t seek Jesus, and bad things happen to good people. [Continue Reading...]
By Micalagh Beckwith Moritz
For me, it has been eye-opening living in Belize, Central America, where there are over 350 species of birds in a very small country (not to mention the amount of bugs who feed those birds). The more I see of God’s awe-inspiring creation, the more I am compelled to work to save it. [Continue Reading...]
by Becky Crenshaw
It was our last walk on the beach. The pink sun glittered down on white sand as our ten feet marked their way across the Destin beach. Our family kicked off summer on these Florida shores - seven summer days of castles, cannonballs, and snow cones, each day a celebration of a school year complete. [Continue Reading...]
by Kimberly Coyle
I signed up for the race because I need the goal of a finish line for motivation to run. I need to pay some money, put my name on a list, and make a promise I plan to keep at 6:45 every weekday morning. It was my first relay race, the first race in which I promised someone other than myself that I would show up and do the hard work of running three legs in twenty-four sleepless hours. [Continue Reading...]
By Nancy Gentile
My husband John asked me to bring our youngest daughter, Julie, a senior, to the airport to fly back to the University of Arizona. We have three daughters, all of whom have gone to colleges a plane ride away from home. But John is usually the one who takes them to and from the airport. This time, I was the designated parent. Let's just say I don't do airports well! [Continue Reading...]
by Kristin Hill Taylor
I’ve stared at my phone, thinking I could will it to ring. I’ve wondered if my friend was ever going to understand what I meant to say. I’ve spent years trying to get pregnant only to realize that wasn’t God’s plan for us. I’ve journeyed through two adoption processes full of anticipation, and waited unsuccessfully for others that never worked out. Waiting has been a theme in my life – and I’m guessing you’re no stranger to waiting either. [Continue Reading...]
by Becky Crenshaw
Summer days can be long.
And this one day in particular was overcast and cool. A day when the pool was not an option, but neither was spending another minute inside the 2100 square feet of our home.
I called my neighbor and asked her if she wanted to take her two kids plus my three to a park nearby. Without hesitation she said yes. Within the hour I had loaded her crew with mine and off we went to shake off the indoor woolies on a too-long summer afternoon. [Continue Reading...]
By Susan Panzica
I sat in the front row of the Christian high school auditorium, waiting to be introduced, about to speak to the students and faculty about who I am in Christ, reflecting on the morning that had turned into a comedy of errors! My hair was a mess. I tried on four outfits before settling on one that hid most of the major flaws. A heavy load of coins in my blazer pocket slipped through a small hole and were circling and jingling around the hem of the blazer! [Continue Reading...]
By Micalagh Moritz
Sometimes we as Christians don’t allow ourselves to ask the questions. Or we move too quickly to give answers - for ourselves or others - offering automatic responses, like, “It’ll all work out in the end,” or “Just trust God,” or a dozen other similar phrases. I myself am guilty of this. I want a quick resolution; I want the uncomfortable feelings to end right now. [Continue Reading...]
By Joy Charles Kay
Anyone who knows me knows that my family loves lacrosse.
My son has been playing for years, my husband and I watch it on TV, go to random youth games, oh and I also have a blog dedicated to lacrosse moms. It has become my passion to watch my son and his teammates play. For nearly ten years, my husband and I have traveled the East Coast lugging chairs, Gatorade, blankets, coolers, chips, sandwiches, and everything else across turf and grass fields. [Continue Reading...]
by Angele Tanyeri
“You must be an angel!” is the response I often get when I introduce myself. That’s because my first name, Angele, is derived from the word “angel,” meaning “divine messenger” or “messenger of God.” Gosh, if I had a coin for every time I heard that over the years, I would be a rich women. As always, I smile graciously while every fiber in my body wants to do otherwise. [Continue Reading...]
by Beth Stiff
The halfway mark of my husband’s deployment approached. It had been a long, cold winter and I needed to get away. Thankfully, I have a son and daughter-in-law who live in sunny San Diego, so I knew exactly where to go.The dreaded "D" word, deployment, has been our reality this year. My son is in the Navy and leaves for his first deployment this summer. [Continue Reading...]
by Joyce Rayner
Is faith a part of our being? Does our faith give us peace…that perfect peace that we often hear about? Peace above human understanding? The peace we cannot explain? That peace which calms us in the midst of our storms? [Continue Reading...]
