A Few Truths I’ve Learned Living with Brokenness …
In Others’ Words: When We Give What We Have
I love to give gifts to family members and friends. The funny thing is, in the past, I often gave a gift and accompanied it with an apology. “If you don’t like it, you can exchange it.” “If that’s not exactly what you wanted, there’s a gift receipt in there …” Oftentimes, the person hadn’t even seen what I’d given …
In Others’ Words: A Simple Hope
I know many of us are counting the days down to Christmas — that gift-giving day that out-gives all other days in the year. And if you’re wondering, there are 47 days until Christmas. 4-7. And yet, not all of us celebrate Christmas. But gift-giving? It’s a year-round activity, what with birthdays and anniversaries and even “for no special reason” …
In Others’ Words: The Importance of Dreams
Someone came up to me the other day and said, “I didn’t know you were an author!” I smiled and said, “Yes, I am.” Whenever someone says something like this to me, I pause and remember I’m living my dream. This crazy, challenging, some-days-I’m-not-sure-I can-do-it career? It’s my childhood dream come true. And sometimes, I forget it all started because …
In Others’ Words: Cheap Medicine
In 2007, I was hit with a serious illness that took me down for four months. To be frank, it was a year before I looked in the mirror and recognized myself again. And I still live with the repercussions of that life-threatening illness. During my recovery time, friends loaned my husband a DVD and said, “We thought Beth might …
In Others’ Words: Filling Voids
Some truths are more harsh than others. Some people avoid the word “sin.” They consider it outdated. Old-fashioned. We don’t sin anymore. We make mistakes. Get tripped up. Commit an error. But I prefer to call a sin a sin because it reminds me that my wrong action has wounded my soul — and possibly someone else’s soul, too. I …
In Others’ Words: A Quote for July 4, 2018
I am proud to be an American. I am thankful to be an American. And on Wednesday, July 4, I will celebrate being an American. America is not perfect — but I don’t think it was ever set up to be so. This country was established on ideals such as courage and freedom and equality, but imperfect people founded this …
In Others’ Words: Preparing for Tomorrow
Even as I prep this post, I’m mulling over the quote: “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” I agree with H. Jackson Brown Jr. . . . and then, part of me trips over the words “doing your best.” “Doing your best” doesn’t mean today went exactly as you planned. “Doing your best” doesn’t mean …
In Others’ Words: The Second Chance of Easter
Easter is the biggest, grandest second chance in the history of mankind. We like to dress Easter up in new clothes or disguise it as the Easter Bunny, but the truth is . . . the Truth is, Easter is all about God saying, “I want more for you” — and then providing the way for us to have …
In Others’ Words: Hope to Win
For some people, hoping to win might fall into the category of “”wishing doesn’t make it so,” — a quote attributed to novelist Lev Grossman. But there’s something to be said about mindset, isn’t there? You have to think like a winner — believe you can win — if you’re going to act like a winner. Perform like a winner. …