Insomnia is a thief, for it robs us of needed rest for our bodies and our minds. And it seems insomnia is the first to jump on the bandwagon when trials come, making it impossible to find peace and have hope. As a teenager, I spent many a night alone as my mother worked the midnight... Continue Reading →
For nearly three years, we have lived next door to a mother and daughter who actually moved in the rental property next door the same week we bought our house. I never went over to saying hello, and they never came over to introduce themselves. It seems like knowing your neighbors is old-fashioned today. I... Continue Reading →
During an especially difficult time in my life, I wondered if the earth was some kind of cosmic prison for the rest of the universe, the place people are sent when they have misbehaved in the rest of the cosmos. Being born black in the South in the 1950s, female, poor, and unattractive by cultural... Continue Reading →
It's difficult and painful to realize that you have been wearing a mask for a long time, not really being as authentic as you should have been. It does not matter if the mask was worn unintentionally; what matters is finding the courage to admit that you need to change and to be real in... Continue Reading →
Sometimes one unexpected question can change the way you see yourself. For me, the question was asked after a lecture on domestic violence in one of my sociology questions. A young female student raised her hand and asked, "How did you become such a strong woman after all that you have been through?" I stopped... Continue Reading →
To me, one of the most painful times as a parent is when your toddler says, "I can do it myself!" Those words have stopped many a parent in their tracks, mouths agape, silently screaming, "No! Not Yet!" It is a downward slope from that moment to "I need the car tonight," and it seems... Continue Reading →
This last week, I accepted the position of Pastor of Senior Care, or Pastor of Adult Ministry, given the task of drawing people over age 50 to the church and keeping the ones we have satisfied with what the church offers for them. It is an awesome task, one that will keep me on my... Continue Reading →
On one of the legs of the flight from Portugal, I sat next to a young woman, possibly in her twenties, who coughed a lot but did not cover her mouth. Douglas and I gave her the evil eye, trying to embarrass her into using good manners, but to no avail. I should have spoken... Continue Reading →
Let us review the first five chapters of Romans. Ch 1. God’s wrath is revealed against mankind, because they knew God, but chose to reject Him. God gave them over to their lusts. God gave us the law, which showed us how to get to heaven. We just had to obey the Law completely. Ch... Continue Reading →
Being sick and confined to bed the last two weeks gave me time for serious reflection. When I was a little girl of age nine, I remember the older people in church thanking God for waking up in their "right mind." I did not fully understand then what they meant by having a right mind.... Continue Reading →
Help from Heaven 