What She Said! Holly Mackle What She Said! Holly Mackle

She Blooms

I might not labor or spin, but I sure do know how to worry. I can fret with the best of them—I can spin possible negative outcomes that would make TV writers beg me to lend them a twist…

Read More
What She Said! Paula Miles What She Said! Paula Miles

Better Than Life

“Your steadfast love is better than life.” To be steadfast means to be resolutely firm and unchanging, firmly fixed in place; immovable. The steadfast love of God is unchanging and is shown toward those of us who…

Read More
What She Said! Patsy Kuipers What She Said! Patsy Kuipers

Purposeful Pondering

There are a number of days and seasons throughout the year when I intentionally open my figurative chest of memories, select the appropriate box and carefully remove the lid so I can inspect the contents. Sometimes the momentous events that trigger my reflections

Read More
What She Said! Patsy Kuipers What She Said! Patsy Kuipers

Death Benefits

I’ve been known to gasp over a post-Christmas credit card bill or cringe when writing my annual property tax check, but this may have been a first – tears filled my eyes as I gazed at a deposit to my account…

Read More
What She Said! Patsy Kuipers What She Said! Patsy Kuipers

A Time to Heal

Watching my hand heal from carpal tunnel surgery several years ago provided daily reinforcement of the truth of Psalm 139:14: we are fearfully and wonderfully made. It also reminded me…

Read More
What She Said! Patsy Kuipers What She Said! Patsy Kuipers

Surprise!

Another April 19th was drawing to a close. Like all the others since my husband Ray’s sudden death in 1997, it had been a day of remembrance, tinged with sorrow and….

Read More
What She Said! Patsy Kuipers What She Said! Patsy Kuipers

The Ring

So many unpleasant, unfamiliar decisions accompany the sudden death of a beloved spouse. The first few days after my husband Ray’s passing found me shrouded in a protective state of shock, barely able to…

Read More
What She Said! Patsy Kuipers What She Said! Patsy Kuipers

In a Moment

Like most people, I’ve experienced numerous life-changing moments. But one, in a windowless hospital room with my 7- and 10-year-old daughters by my side, eclipses them all…

Read More
What She Said! Sharon Betters What She Said! Sharon Betters

Wisdom from a Widow

Twenty—three years ago, Patsy Kuipers, our Guest Writer this week, lost her thirty-nine year old husband Ray. His death was sudden and unexpected. Suddenly, life as she knew it and dreamed about was over…

Read More