“And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, ‘Get up, and do not be afraid.'” (Matthew 17:7 NASB) There are many times in Scripture when Jesus said, “Fear not. Don’t be afraid.” These are commands that indicate the choice is ours to make. I’m sure I’m not alone in struggling with this. Fear has a tendency to overtake and overwhelm. It is a powerful emotion. But, it is just that: an emotion. Most of us are often convinced that emotions happen to us, that we cannot control them. This notion, however, is a lie. One that our Enemy, the father of lies, perpetrates. If you have been with…

I do not like shopping for clothes. I enjoy having new clothes, and I enjoy dressing when the result is attractive and gives me a boost of confidence. But, the work of looking, assessing and deciding is not something I enjoy. I have friends and family who are quite good at it, and I am ashamed to say that sometimes I’m envious of their skill in this area. If my monetary resources were sufficiently abundant, I’d most assuredly hire someone to attend to my sartorial needs and whims. The sweetest gifts my sister ever gave me were the times she took me shopping and made all the decisions. She has…

It is an alarming feeling to be lost. I’m sure most of us have experienced this discombobulating sensation at some point in our lives. It is different than wandering with no clear destination in mind. Being lost indicates a journey of purpose in which the path to achieve said destiny has become more than elusive. When I was growing up (in the time before there were electronic navigational tools), having a map in the glove box was a necessity. Although, comprehending the information on the map was no small feat, especially if you did not know where you were in relation to the roads and towns represented there. In those…

My husband threw a party for my birthday last week. Well, I guess, not so much threw a party as gathered one. The only throwing involved was with bean bags for the Corn Hole game, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. There was Badminton, too. The old folks sat on the screened porch with iced tea and sodas, and the young parents wandered among the people groups like so many bees among the flowers. My husband, ever the grill master, did not disappoint, and the store-bought cake was positively sublime. It was a lovely party. Of course, a gathering of that size (20 adults and 15 children) places certain demands upon…