What does pure, unadulterated faith look like, the faith of a child that Jesus commended? I saw it in the face of my eighteen year old son and heard it in his voice, as we contemplated the possibility of brain surgery after eight years of tweaking and changing medications failed to stop his seizures. I …
Walking Down Briers
When I received my cancer diagnosis and we found that I would need radiation and chemotherapy before having surgery to remove my tumor, my husband began walking with me and the Danes twice daily, weather-permitting, to keep my heart healthy for surgery. Our community has many well-groomed walking trails, but Paul began cutting a trail …
The Right Emojis
When my daughter and her husband were dating, they texted long distance while he was away at college during the week and visited on weekends. They both had Apple smartphones so they regularly used emojis in their messages, and not those manufactured using punctuation creatively. According to Siri Knowledge, emojis originated in Japan and are …
Ice Cream For Breakfast
Thanksgiving means huge meals with all the family favorites, which unfortunately don’t come with labels. Potluck, for me this year, is like playing Russian Roulette with my insides! Since my cancer surgeries this past summer, my digestive system has been a little quirky. Suffice it to say, I’ve become aware of things that are necessary …
This Is My Story
My name is LeAnn. I am the eldest of three children and the mother of three married children. I am a brand new grandmother in training to Thomas, and a cancer survivor. My dad recently asked me to share my story with his church. I was honored for the chance to say thank you for …
Upheld
Baby’s First Bath Being a new mother is tough. I knew it well at one point (actually at three separate points) but over time I’ve forgotten. It’s amazing how memory has washed away the monotonous unpleasantness, leaving me with rose-colored snippets of raising my own children. I’ve had the immense privilege of walking with my …
Every Firstborn Male
One week ago, our daughter gave birth to her firstborn, a son. It just so happened that as I’ve been reading through the Bible, the timing of his birth overlapped perfectly with scripture. I love the way God highlights things in His Word as they pertain to my everyday life. I read with new eyes …
It Should Have Been Me
Slight pressure in my right hand pulled me toward consciousness as I fought to kick the covers from my legs. A female voice comforted me as she patted my legs and helped me to untangle my feet. The bright light overhead reminded me that I was waking from anesthesia and the sound of my husband’s …
Craving Comfort
Guest Post by Kimberly J. Branham “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort …
Intercede
Have you ever been guilty of saying, “I’ll pray for you,” but then letting it slip your mind or simply not taking the time to actually pray? I know I have. I also grow weary of repeating myself when a prayer seems to go unanswered for a long period of time. Sometimes I simply don’t …
A Fitting Reply 