Navigating the Advice of Others
In a trial of any kind, you’ll get all sorts of advice. Others think they know what you’re going through. But they don’t. Friends want to help you. They really do, and they think they’re being helpful. People have the best intentions. But, sometimes they give advice based on what they think or feel and not according to what God says about it. When in our prodigal season, close family members advised us in opposite directions from what God was saying to us. People think the prodigal son story gives us all the answers. Let them go. Like the prodigal,
30-10 Praise Challenge is Here!
This praise challenge is the perfect way to renew your mind and bring peace and joy to your life! All week, I have been looking forward to sharing this with you – this thirty days of praise for ten minutes each day. I’m so excited for you! You will quickly feel renewed and energized – more in love with the Lord than ever. Loving life again – afresh. Whether you’re a little sad these days, somewhat depressed, greatly shaken, or singing happily, praising God will transform your life. What prompted me to write this challenge of praise? I hate to
A Freebie For Parents of Prodigals (and Their Praying Friends)
Parents of a prodigal need major prayer support. If you have a friend with a prodigal, praying scripture is a quiet and meaningful way to minister to them. And, you can do it from the comfort of your own home – from your own comfy chair or sofa. When our child left as a prodigal, we were thrown into devastation and hit our knees in prayer. We found very little to no help from the church universal for our specific situation, and our local church (as an organization) didn’t know how to help us, either. We were scrambling for a
Poof! Have it Your Way!
I love how the brother of Jesus speaks plainly and clearly in his New Testament book of James. He gets down to the nitty-gritty in his five chapters, and he doesn’t mince words. If we get confused about God’s intentions for our actions, James is certain to straighten us out! The first part of James 4:2 is fairly sharp as he says we want what we don’t have, so we scheme and kill to get it. We are jealous of what others have, but we can’t get it, so we fight and wage war to take it away from them.
Change Your Eating Style for LIFE
I barely scratched the surface in my post about losing weight in our fifties (How I Ruined My Friend’s 50th Birthday!) A few of you fellow embracers expressed an interest in hearing more about healthful lifestyle changes. My healthy eating journey is unusual, for sure. But, I hope you find the information helpful in some way for your situation. The first step for getting healthy is to eliminate all sugar and processed foods, especially foods from a box. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. That means skipping the processed food boxes and buying fresh green veggies, whole fruit, meat,
Sharing Our Burdens, Our Depression, and Our Joys!
Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week. Were you aware? I wasn’t aware of that. Also, how I missed you all last week! No reason for alarm – just a busy week, that’s all. To make it up to you, I plan to publish two posts this week. How’s that? I could never cover all the different tough and triumphant seasons we might face in our lives. Since we all experience varied seasons, I want to send you to articles by other writers that will give you encouragement in seasons I don’t cover here. Not that I wish more tough
To The Mother of a Prodigal: You Are NOT a Bad Mom!
If you are the mom of a prodigal child, you may feel like a failure. You think you’ve somehow wasted these last umpteen years since your child was born. But, you are NOT the worthless mother that you think you must be to have landed with a prodigal child. Your years weren’t a waste. The hours of sweat, tears, and investment into your child’s life were definitely meaningful. And, you will see the results of your efforts some day. If you raised your prodigal in a Christian home, showing them the examples and Biblical teachings of living the Christian life,
How NOT To Be An Old Bitty
I’ve heard the term “old bitty” my entire life. I might (or might not) have even called someone by that term on occasion quietly to myself. Any proper Southern woman would never say that directly to someone’s face. That just wouldn’t do! Do you have an occasional fear of becoming an old bitty? What would qualify us as such? First we must decide on a spelling. Urban Dictionary spells it “Bitty”. Dictionary.com spells it “Biddy”. Both sites define an old bitty as someone who is unpleasant. The term “bitter” comes to mind. Bitty is a derivative of bitter, so Bitty
It’s in the “Trusting”
I know personally how hard it is to embrace a prodigal season. When your child turns their back on the faith you exampled to them throughout their growing years, it is devastating. Their betrayal of you and to God is so painful. The idea of embracing this season seems sickening. Your heart is broken. I get it. How could God allow this to happen? You may ask, “Why, Lord?” When faced with any hard season, trusting God is essential. It’s especially hard when you fear for your child and all they will endure. You fear the damage that will be
The Hardest Seasons
I have a fairly long list of friends who are the topic of my prayers – and their prodigal (teen and adult) children. Once you have a prodigal of your own, you identify with the emotional trauma others are going through. It can be the most gut-wrenching of seasons! Several weeks ago, as I recovered from sickness after my first chemo treatment, God and I had a discussion about the true desires of my heart. My previous plans for this blog were suddenly blurry and uncertain. I knew God was up to something, so I asked Him, “How can I
Finishing Well – A Gift to Generations
One week ago today, when news came that Billy Graham had died, I didn’t get down in the dumps over it. I celebrated! In my mind, I joined the worship – not of Billy but of Jesus for the life of Billy Graham. Billy would never want us to worship him, but rather his Savior! His focus was always pointing others to Jesus. That was the true pattern of his life. I don’t think I ever knew of a more Christ-like person. Did (or do) you? He treated others with love and forgiveness, no matter what they had done or
Meet My Friend, Cathy
When facing surgery, even minor surgery, I try to focus on something other than the reality of what’s ahead. You’ve heard it before. Laughter is the best medicine. The physical effects of laughter: it boosts your energy, strengthens your immune system, and protects you from the damage of stress. It decreases pain, decreases stress hormone levels, and improves your mood. All are good things we need when having surgery! God tells us in His Word: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. (Proverbs 17:22) Introducing my new friend, Cathy! Actually, Cathy isn’t a
Ten More Good Years
He said she only had about ten more good years. What? Only ten good ones before the aging tide swallows us into a sea of doctor visits and pain from this ailment or that? Five years ago, a friend told me something profound. She said her older brother told her she should do all she wanted to do in her lifetime – and very soon. He said she only had about ten more good years. What? A. L. I’ve never forgotten that statement, and neither has my friend. My friend and I laugh about her brother’s remark every time we’re
My Story, My Song
When God led me to create this blog about embracing the fifty and beyond season of life, I had no clue what was ahead, what was in store for me in my 57th year. With the diagnosis of two diseases, I refuse to allow these struggles to bring a negative tone to my writing. Yes, God is mighty, and He is with me! Every Christian has great hope in the Lord. We are assured of our safety as we cling to Him. Image Source I promise to give updates about general medical aspects here and there, but in no way
How I Ruined My Friend’s 50th Birthday
Are you a menopausal mama who struggles to lose weight? If so, I hope you’re encouraged by today’s post. If you aren’t someone who struggles with weight, share this article with friends who might! 🙂 Do you often regret predicting what may lie ahead in someone’s life? Why do I have to negatively share what to expect during mental pause (my term for menopause)? Sometimes I really put my foot in it! I apologized to a friend recently for ruining her big 5-0 celebration earlier this year. I ruined it by giving her some (unsolicited) advice about aging through her
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