Category: Gems About Jesus

  • This Week’s Mantra: Lord, I Trust You to Sustain Me

    Hello, tender friends! My little Boo Boo, with the smile that shines like a thousand splendid suns. Fun fact: My parents took DIY to a whole new level when I was growing up. They were too frugal to spend money on swim lessons, so my dad devised alternative educational methods. When I was 8 years…

  • Miracles on the Mission Field

    Hello, tender friends! I’ve always loved this story about God multiplying candy as he did the bread and fish in the Bible. The youth pastor and his family at the church where Anthony I met were missionaries in Costa Rica for years. As missionaries, they organized frequent outreaches that included serving meals and passing out…

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    The Case for Persisting in Prayer

    Hello, tender friends! These are two of my favorite promises of the Bible: But it doesn’t always feel like that, does it? As a kid I prayed, fervently, that my uncle would get sober and spare the family the pain of watching him slowly die. It didn’t work. So little flesh remained on his body…

  • Does Good Always Win?

    Hello, tender friends, and happy post Superbowl Monday! Just an FYI in case you were hoping to read about football, this post has nothing to do with a sporting win. We took Jacob to see a local community theater production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe this past weekend. Even though it was…

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    How Boo Boo Breaks My Heart

    Hello, tender friends! The earnest innocence of my little darling just breaks my heart. Last week he said, “Mommy, we will always be together!” I thought he was saying it because of things he’s heard me say about how I wish we could always stay together and that I hope he still loves us when…

  • Don’t Despise Small Beginnings

    Hello, tender friends! Sometimes God answers my prayers, and I almost forget that I even asked! I’m on the planning committee for a local writers group called Roanoke Valley Christian writers, which I’ve mentioned on here before. When the October speaker canceled, one of the other members of the planning committee asked if I could…

  • Where Is God Leading?

    Hello, tender friends! This is a continuation of last week’s post. Does God use things that we simply enjoy, with no obvious spiritual connection, to fulfill his purposes? Of course I know that he can, because God can do anything he wants, but I’m so used to the idea that following Jesus involves suffering that…

  • Scratching the Theater Itch

    Hello, tender friends! Here’s a fun fact that I’ve touched on lightly on here at times: my friend Gini and I competed at the STANJ (Speech and Theater Association of New Jersey) festival in high school. I never considered myself “funny,” but our theater teacher pushed us hard to take a comedic improv slot. I…

  • Loving God

    Hello, tender friends! Happy Monday from my little Boo Boo and me. I’ve had a breakthrough in understanding the first commandment. You know, that one that says to love the Lord with all your heart. This has never come easily to me. I know, I know, obeying the Lord’s commands is how we show we…

  • A Mini Vacay to God’s Country

    Hello, and happy Monday, tender friends! I’m sorry for my lack of a post last week. We took a mini vacay, and I didn’t realize how limited my internet would be! At first it concerned me. But then I embraced it for the blessing that it truly was. Last week we headed to the border…