“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  Matthew 14:27 (NIV) Do you think your life would change if you read the bible every day? I believe it will. Right now, I am going through a 21 day Fall in Love with God’s Word Challenge with some other amazing ladies.…

Tomorrow is my 40th birthday. Four decades old. Wow!  I am excited to celebrate and reflect on the many ways God has worked in my life these last forty years. God’s Word has played a big role in my life.

I have been thinking a lot about praise lately. Why is praise important? Why do we need to praise? I believe there are so many reasons to praise God. The bible is filled with scriptures about praise. Today, I share three of those scripture verses with you and the reasons to praise.

It happened just over a year ago. The unexpected. We were at the park for lunch just like any other summer day. And then, Analiah fell and broke her wrist in two places and her humorous bone just above the elbow. How do you find God in the unexpected? As I reflect on this past summer, I realized how God was right there. In so many ways.

12 Springs and 70 Palm Trees. Doesn’t this just sound so amazing and warm? Sign me up, please! Tucked away on Exodus 15 we find a verse about 12 springs and 70 palm trees. The Israelites were camping beside the water. Before arriving at this spot, the Israelites had encountered some tough situations. Let’s see what we can learn from them.

“When can I have a turn again?” whined Analiah. My response was that her turn would be soon. Caleb and Analiah were outside with a board and nails. The only problem was that there was only one hammer. And if your kids are anything like mine, sharing can be tough.

The sting of rejection. Not good enough. Always trying to measure up. When you just want to feel loved. These emotions are familiar to many of us. We all have been rejected in some way. How do we move past the rejection? How do we feel fully loved?

Do you take your children to see Santa Claus? It’s a beloved tradition of many families. A visit with Santa Claus comes once a year and is anticipated by many. Did you know that every day you can bring your children to Jesus? Not in the physical sense but in prayer.

According to my seven-year-old, I need new eyes. I giggled inside when Analiah told me this while at the library the other day. Earlier this year I had my contact exam. The doctor said my eyes are doing great. So why did Analiah think I needed new eyes?

Two kids, two boards, nails and one hammer. Caleb and Analiah were outside working on a project. Analiah went first with the hammer. Then, Caleb took his turn hammering nails into the board. Analiah complained and whined, “When can I have a turn again?” I responded that her turn would be soon. Next, I encouraged her to cheer Caleb on while he worked. At first, Analiah didn’t like the idea. She was so focused on getting her turn that Analiah didn’t want to cheer her brother on.