LISTEN “In the beginning, God created…” Silas finished painting the world the other day; it was a Social Studies project where he chose to create a poster-size map of the world labeling the continents and oceans. According to Silas, it had to be painted, no markers. One evening, while he worked and I made dinner, Silas…
Tears In a Bottle
LISTEN “You have stored my tears in your bottle and counted each of them.” “Mom, what are we supposed to do when we feel like crying? Are we supposed to pray or….” My daughter asked one night, after I had crawled into bed with her and held her tight, and cried like a baby stricken…
Living Thirsty
LISTEN (This was first posted as a reflection for Good Friday in April of 2012) “The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water.” Have you ever noticed when someone is uncomfortable; the first response is to do or say something to help minimize the discomfort. I find it odd…
Summer Update – 2021
Dear Faithful Readers, I want to thank you for your consistent support of the God’s Word Gives Hope blog. Your reading, sharing, and comments encourage me to continue the work God has placed on my heart to lead people into God’s Word as a primary source for direction and encouragement in their lives. I will…
Prosperous Possibilities
Listen “In all they do, they prosper.” We desire it, we feel we need it, but we don’t know how to get it. Scroll through Facebook, browse the books at the checkout, or look at the ads that pop up on our computers; they are there. The numerous options are there enticing us to better…
Helpless To Helped
“My heart trusts in God, and he helps me.” It was cold, cloudy, wet, and dreary the weekend we traveled to Cartersville, Georgia, to interview for a potential staff position at a church. Our daughter was eighteen at the time and son fourteen, both plenty old enough to stay by themselves in our sunny warm…
Undone Dreams
“For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.” Am I where I desired to be at this point in my life? No! I am not where I expected to be at this point in my life. I had dreams, aspirations, and a personal God-given mission. How does one deal with the disheartening…
When God Smiles
“May the LORD smile on you…” The smile of a toddler when they see their mom has arrived to pick them up. The smile of friends when seeing each other for the first time in years. The heart of a parent glowing on the face when their son or daughter has returned safely and willingly…
2021 Winter on the Heals of Spring – Camp Update
Winter 2020/21 was a bit brutal with Covid making its mark. To be a super contagious virus, Covid swept through our family independently. Each of us have had it at different times avoiding catching it from each other. Silas came down with it in October, after being exposed to someone who had it. He had…
Can Christmas Be Stress Free?
Revised post from December 2012 “Focus, Silas, focus,” seems to play like a broken record around our house these days. Off to accomplish the simple instruction to brush his teeth, which should be a quiet affair. From the bathroom, I hear singing and the countertop has become the little drummer boy’s drum. Instead of yelling from…