By Ti’eshia Moore
I never thought that having a career would be harder than that Wednesday morning. I’d been called by my son’s daycare for the seventh time in a month over a dangerously high fever. Something was wrong.
After a number of doctor’s visits, sleepless nights, and pacing through my son’s room, we discovered that consistent inner ear infections were the culprit. It was serious but treatable. Thankfully, God’s grace covered my baby boy and he was able to continue living a normal, healthy life after a few medical procedures. [Continue Reading...]
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For those who know me well, it comes as no surprise that I’m working on keeping a civil or silent tongue in my head. It's not that I'm mean, just prone to be snarky. I didn’t have the best day yesterday, so rather than succumbing to frustration and the guilt associated with failing (again), I walked the dog. He’s cheaper than therapy and keeps all my secrets. I also use the quiet time (since Sando’s not a chatterbox) to pray, be still, and listen to hear answers to problems I’m facing. [Continue Reading...]
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WHAT ARE YOU READING?
Is there a book that you just can't seem to put down, that's teaching you a profound spiritual lesson, or making you laugh amid your struggles? We want to hear about it!
There are two ways you can join us here on First Friday Book Faves! Tell us in the comments what you are reading or use the LinkUp below to share your blog post about a favorite book you've read. [Continue Reading…]
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by Susanne Ciancio, LPC
This month I'd like to look at some practical tips about what to do if we find ourselves struggling in a chronically toxic or imbalanced relationship.
First things first: I need to examine my own heart. Seek The Lord, not other people who may know this friend. Ask Him to reveal my heart and why I'm feeling so irritated and resentful. I may have been practicing a lot of people-pleasing and self-deception myself. Have I pretended to be more kind and patient than I truly felt so now I'm about to blow a gasket? [Continue Reading…]
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by Diana Jones
My husband started a new position as Dean of Students/School Counselor in a charter school in a low-income and high-risk neighborhood. While a wonderful opportunity for him to serve the community, it means longer hours away from our family. I am now the parent in charge of drop off, pick up, homework, dinner, and after-school activities, plus I’ve got full-time job.
The transition hasn’t been easy for me! [Continue Reading…]
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by Amy Carroll and Tanya McAvoy
As a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker team, I have the advantage of being surrounded by women who have blazed a path in front of me. When I needed help creating a message, Micca Campbell and Karen Ehman helped me. When I felt reluctant and unsure about promoting that message, I was trained along with our team by marketing experts and our fearless leader, Lysa TerKeurst.
I love lots of things about being part of a ministry team, but mostly I love not being alone. [Continue Reading...]
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by Kendra Roehl
Christmas. It’s a season of giving to others and remembering Jesus and his birth.
But for many of us, especially with children, our season of celebration can turn into one of duty and chaos as we shop, buy, bake, and wrap our way through. Suddenly this time of year when we want to reflect, relax, and make memories becomes anything BUT what we’ve dreamt it could be! [Continue Reading...]
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By Noelle Rhodes
I look out my living room window and see shattered glass everywhere. My eyes blur with exhaustion, but for the moment, I am sobered by the sight before me.
The night before, Troy and I had been lying in bed watching a television program together. The plot was set in Venezuela. I turned to Troy and said, “The Lord knows me well. I don’t think I could be a missionary to Venezuela. Thankfully, He sent me to Northern Ireland. I’ll take the rain and the riots over hot weather and big bugs any day.” [Continue Reading…]
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by Elise Daly Parker
‘Tis the season for gift giving. And we’ve come across some unique gift sites we thought you’d like to know about. They’re non-profits that pay it forward every time you buy a gift through them.
Check our list out…
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By Susan Panzica
“Mom!! He didn’t say his thank you!” [Eyes blazing, finger pointing, hand on hip, you get the picture.]
From the time they could speak, I drilled my kids with the importance of saying their “thank yous.” So when a classmate didn’t express his appreciation to my then four-year-old son, AJ was duly indignant.
What’s a mom to do? Think quick!
I answered that if we get a “thank you” here on earth, that’ll be all the thanks we get, but if we don’t receive a “thank you” here on earth, God will reward us in heaven. And that’s even better than an earthly “thank you.” (Matt. 6:1-4) [Continue Reading…]
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By Micalagh Beckwith Moritz
Lately, I have been going to church a lot. Every day, in fact. Several times a day. Not in the way you might think, though. I don’t actually mean I go into a church building, attend a church service, sing worship songs with a congregation several times a day. What I mean is, I have changed my outlook on church. I have been viewing every place I go as a place to meet God. And I have been pleasantly surprised. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love attending a church service on Sunday. I see it as vital to my Christian journey, to connect regularly with the body of Christ, to the larger Christian church. My journey would be incomplete without engaging in such communal worship, singing hymns, receiving Communion, and meeting afterwards for coffee and conversation. But Sunday services are [Continue Reading…]
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by Denise Trio
Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has just alerted us that we’ve reached our cruising altitude. You’re now free to move about the cabin,” the flight attendant chirped over the loudspeaker in our tiny airplane heading from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, to Nassau, Bahamas.
What seemed like less than five minutes later, I heard her voice again announcing that we had begun our initial descent and anyone moving about the cabin had to return to their seats with seat belts securely fastened. Our flight time that August morning lasted a total of 26 minutes. [Continue Reading...]
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by Tracie Miles
The holidays can make us feel all shaken up from the inside out, but holiday stress does not have to be our fate!
Whether you love the holiday season or dread it, stress tends to weave itself into our lives at one time or another. Unfortunately, the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas can be a season of tension and anxiety regardless of our personal feelings about it. [Continue Reading...]
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By Beth Stiff
The only thoughts occupying my mind these days are ones related to my husband’s upcoming deployment. This deployment will be a first for my family. One thing I’m sure of as my family enters this new season—God is with us.
The same God here with me today and always is the same God who will be with my husband while he is miles and miles away from home. The same God happens to be with you too wherever you may be. At times, this can be hard for me to wrap my mind around. [Continue Reading...]
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by Kimberly Amici
On Oct. 29 multi-platinum Christian artist Chris Tomlin released his first live DVD project. The two-disc Burning Lights Deluxe Tour Edition, includes a previously released studio album plus a DVD of his show performed at the famed Red Rocks, the open-air amphitheater, just 10 miles west of Denver, Colorado .
We have teamed up with Capitol Christian Music Group to give away three copies of Burning Lights: Deluxe Edition CD/DVD. [Continue Reading...]
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By Susanne Ciancio, LPC
Types of Friendships That May Need Some Adjustments
The term "breakup" isn't commonly used when friendships end, but if you've ever experienced it, it does feel like a breakup. There are lots of feelings that go along with this...both positive and negative. Depending on the circumstances, there can be true loss and grieving or possibly even relief when friendships end. Why do friends break up?
Let's look at three types of friendships that may end in breakups. [Continue Reading...]
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by Chelle Wilson
It’s time for another sermon from the dog.
I’ve been taken to task three times this morning by people who love me for retreating into my miserableness and robbing people who need it of my sunshine (and here I was thinking my miserableness was all about me….hrmph!).
Every morning, I hear the conversely plaintive, playful, pleading cries of our doggy requesting his morning walk. His faith is unassailable, like mine needs to be. There is no quavering uncertainty about whether he will be leashed, walked, watered, fed, played with, or adored. [Continue Reading...]
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What are you reading?
That's the question we will be asking COF contributors and you, our readers, each month. Is there a book that you just can't seem to put down, that's teaching you a profound spiritual lesson, or making you laugh amid your struggles? We want to hear about it!
There are two ways you can join us! Tell us in the comments what you are reading or use the LinkUp below to share your blog post about a favorite book you've read. [Continue Reading...]
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by Martha Wentz
As a small child, my daughter Kimberly had bronchial asthma. As a result, we were constantly in the doctor’s office. And every other month, we’d have to make a trip to the emergency room. Late one night, she began to experience a severe asthmatic attack. My husband Michael was exhausted and needed to be up early for work so I drove her to the hospital, twenty miles away from our house. [Continue Reading...]
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In our Spotlight this month is Beth Nelson, Owner and Director – Visiting Angels, Caregiver Extraordinaire
“When you can’t be there, our angels can.”
I was heavily influenced by my mother’s faith and her endless gratitude. Even in the difficult times she would strongly express her thanks. “Thank you God for this sunny day, the flowers, the ocean…” This foundation of praise that my mom passed on to me led me to my own faith…I never doubted God was real. [Continue Reading...]
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