Louder Than the Voices

 Good morning! A few weeks ago, we did something that was pretty special for our family. For the first time since Robert became an adult, we took a family vacation together. When he accepted his new job, he told me, "In six months, I get a week of vacation, and I want us to go to Branson." My response wasn't, "We'll figure it out when the time comes." It was, "Then we need to start saving now." Because he was making a good income, I told him that if we were all going to enjoy the trip, he needed to contribute one-third of the cost. So together we sat down and created a budget and a savings plan. It fit right alongside my own budget and savings goals. By the time vacation arrived, we knew exactly how much money we had available. We enjoyed ourselves, saw the shows we wanted to see, ate good food, and made wonderful memories. Did we go a little over budget? Yes. But here's the difference--we weren't putting those memories on credit cards that...

 Good morning, Happy Independence Day and Happy 250th America! Today America celebrates 250 years of independence, it is  a day that reminds us of the courage, sacrifice, and determination of those who fought for freedom. As Christians, we can celebrate our country and be thankful for the liberties we enjoy. We should pray for our nation, honor those who have served, and be grateful that we live in a place where we can openly worship God. But Independence Day also invites us to ask a deeper question: What does freedom really mean? The Bible teaches that while political freedom is valuable, there is another kind of freedom that every person needs. Freedom From Sin Before Christ, we weren't truly free, we were slaves to sin. John 8:34 says, "Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." He broke our chains, He paid our debt, He opened the prison door. Freedom to Live Differently Christian freedom isn't permission to do whatever we want. It is the ability to become wh...

 Happy Saturday morning! I hope everyone is doing well this morning. I must report back that our vacation was great and honestly, I don't think any of us realized how badly we needed it. We got back to reality Saturday evening and I think I realized, maybe for the first time in my life, how much a reset can truly help. Of course, problems didn't just go away while we were gone, we just put them on hold for a week. I had just this week made some decisions about Mom's stuff, some decisions that would have went against what the experts were telling me to do. I had faith over fear on my mind. Then, other things happened and I realized God was showing me I needed to go back to my original plan, so I thought I would share what I worked through this week. My favorite Bible verse since I was 11 has been Isaiah 41:10 . Fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee on the right hand of my rig...

 What if rest isn't a reward for finishing everything? What if rest is an act of obedience? As we prepare for vacation, God has been reminding me that rest is not laziness—it's part of His design. Robert's boss requires him to take two weeks away from the shop each year because he knows burnout serves no one. I realized I wasn't much different. I had every day of our vacation planned and packed with activities. Then when our lives were turned upside down, we made a different choice. We stopped buying tickets to shows, purchased three comfortable zero-gravity chairs, and gathered some good books instead. We're intentionally making room to slow down, breathe, and allow God to renew our hearts, minds, and spirits. Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is simply rest in His presence. I started really studying rest and came up with some things to share. #1: Jesus invited people to rest     Mark 6:31     "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get so...

  "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." — Philippians 4:7 I am still working on thank you notes, so many people have done so many things for us in the last month, it has been overwhelming, and overwhelmingly comforting. There are seasons in life when the words "thank you" seem completely inadequate. How do you thank the friends who sat beside you when your heart was breaking? How do you thank the family members who showed up without being asked? How do you express gratitude to people who carried part of your burden when you were too exhausted to carry it yourself? The truth is, sometimes "thank you" isn't enough. But perhaps that's because what we're really grateful for is something bigger than the people themselves. We are grateful that God placed them in our lives in the first place. Every card, every hug, every meal, every text message, every prayer, every pers...

 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7 The last two weeks have shown me this verse in a way I never fully understood before. Grief is heavy. It shows up in quiet moments, in songs, in empty chairs, in routines that suddenly feel different. But even in the sorrow, God has been so faithful to remind me that I am not carrying this alone. I have seen the hands and feet of Jesus through family and friends who have rallied around us. Through prayers, messages, hugs, food, phone calls, and simply people showing up when we needed them most. Sometimes comfort comes through words, and sometimes it comes through someone just sitting beside you reminding you that you are loved. And somehow, even in the sadness, God keeps giving me little moments that make me smile. A memory of Mom will suddenly pop into my mind. A phrase she used to say. A song she loved. A funny story someone shares at just the right t...