How can we be life-givers instead of life-takers when we open our mouths to speak? When you are in the presence of a hurting person, do you join their vitriolic or fearful words with similar statements? -Or - Instead of seeing prayer…

“Your back side is as broad as the side of a barn,” said a mother to her daughter as the teen modeled her new jeans. Life-taking words?

Many of us struggle to reconcile our dreams with our reality: Parents of grown children are speechless when their cherished adult child makes life choices in direct conflict with Scriptural mandates…

When a person’s life seems out of control, either through their own choices or through no fault of their own, how can we pray? How can we pray for young adults facing a new world of choices they are ill equipped to make? When your daughter or son…

Carol and I were tired but excited as we landed in Japan for a week of speaking as well as counseling military wives, missionaries and Japanese women.  Our hostess, an older woman exuded warmth, encouragement and most of all, Jesus. Soon after we arrived…

In this week’s devotions, we will dig a little deeper into the power of prayer, and how it truly is a “treasure of the soul” that helps to equip us to offer life-giving encouragement to others….

In our first devotional this week, we talked about how spiritual mothering happens in the mundane moments of life. My friend Cindy shares how an act of mercy to a hurting friend turned into a “holy ground” moment…

Do you, like me, feel inadequate to take on the calling of “spiritual mother?” When feeling particularly low, I rewind the worst moments of parenting, wishing I could live my life over again. How can I encourage…

Did you know that women in the 1800’s rarely experienced menopause? Those of you who are struggling with that season of life probably want to know their secret. Well, here it is. Many women died in their thirties…

“Please, take a few breaths, I can’t understand what you are saying.” My friend’s sobs slowed as she breathed deeply and then spoke in a voice I could barely hear, “My child just told me that she sees nothing wrong with the life choices she is making…

Laura, our beloved daughter-in-love, sets a “House Beautiful” worthy table.  Mother of five, she never ceases to amaze me in the way she transforms old wood and throw away objects into stunning pieces. What makes her…

Clay pots. That is what we are. We are not made of silver or gold or even brass. We are fragile and when pressures of life crash down we crack. Sounds depressing, doesn’t it?

This powerful passage in Today’s Treasure deserves “digging deeper” effort. We can’t unpack its beauty in a devotional, but this week, let’s pull back the curtain a bit on the supernatural grace and hope in this passage…

“There is so much conflict in my church, I hate going. I feel as though church people are meaner than people outside the church.” I feel the pain of this woman who approached me after I spoke on the priceless gift of community. Sadly, too…

“Sharon, your daughter is getting married in December. You don’t care about your house right now, but you will when wedding guests start arriving. Let’s start with your dining room.” Our son, Mark and his friend Kelly were in a fatal car accident…

Sometimes dark clouds hover over my heart every morning. Often I can not pinpoint why I feel blue. My typical response to such feelings is to make a to-do-list of every task facing me that day (including loading the dishwasher…

The Apostle Paul outlines a description of a biblical encourager! Be one whose motive is to share the message of Christ through teaching, admonishing one another, expressing gratitude to our God, and in everything…

Jesus never calls us to a place of serving without also equipping us. In John 14 we see Him preparing His motley crew of disciples for His absence.  Their marching orders terrify and anger some of them. He reassures them that when…

When we experience sudden loss or death, we feel violated and tend to be paranoid about the “next shoe dropping”. After Mark’s death, every nerve tingled with the reality that if our youngest child and his friend could be in a fatal car…

Mark Twain’s books Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn captured my imagination during the hot summers of growing up in Middletown, Delaware. Though I haven’t read them in years it doesn’t take long to pull…