Guard Our Hearts, Lord!

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One woman who had sat in a Bible-teaching church Sunday after Sunday for over 10 years told me something one day that took my breath away. She had been having an affair with her best friend’s husband! Those in her world had counseled her, confronted her in love, shown her care and compassion – everything possible to help her see the trauma she was causing two families – then one day she eloped with this man! When she arrived back in town, I saw her at one of our children’s sporting events. She was so excited. She was flitting from…

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Buckingham Strong

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On one of our trips overseas we were able to take a day and spend it in London, England. The highlight for me were the guards of Buckingham Palace. Those guards were so self disciplined, vigilant and stalwart—nothing could shake them from their duty! It reminded me of 1 Cor 15:58, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (CSB) I have always pondered, just “HOW can I be steadfast and immovable in a world that always seems to shake us…

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Good News of Great Joy!

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  I often give Christmas messages for women’s ministries, and one is entitled “Christmas Joy”. Joy is the beautiful result of Christ coming at Christmas. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (Luke 2:10) In my book, LOL with God,  (co-authored Dawn Wilson) we chronicle just a few of the over 350 verses that speak to joy: 1 Chronicles 16:27—“Strength and joy [are] in his dwelling place.” (Dwell with God and find joy!) Job 33:26—“He prays to God and finds favor with…

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Sunday Reflection: Keep Hope Alive

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In today’s world with frightening headlines blasting the worst possible scenarios into our homes, and the stress of the daily responsibility of providing for ourselves and our families weighing heavy on our hearts, coupled with the unpredictable, unwelcome, unwanted, unbelievably hard or harsh circumstances like floods, fires, relationship strife, death and disease it is very easy to get depressed, discouraged and down-trodden. But God has a solution for our despairing hearts! While writing my newest book (co-authored with Bible teacher Jean E Jones and artist Karla Dornacher), Discovering Hope in the Psalms: A Creative Biblical Experience, Jean, in passing said,…

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My Favorite Book. Is It Yours? By Darlene Franklin

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My Favorite Book. It Is Yours? by Darlene Franklin     Since I’m an author, it’s not surprising that I read. Some books I never finish, some I’ve read five times. But even with my favorite books, I reach a saturation point and let them gather dust on a special shelf. But there is one book I started reading as a child which I find as endlessly fascinating and worthy of study as the first time I opened it over fifty years ago: my Bible. No other book stirs so much discussion with friends and strangers. Whenever I’m sad, it gives me…

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The Beauty of Meanwhile

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                            It's Grace Fox with a devotional thought to start your week. Sometimes life leaves us baffled or bruised. We wonder if God is as wise as He claims to be, and we question why circumstances don’t happen how and when we wish they would. When I feel this way, I take courage from the Scriptures. Recently I read about the prophet Samuel’s boyhood. One word—meanwhile—popped up several times in the account. It reminded me that, no matter what life looks like, God’s at work behind the…

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