A warm welcome to you! Thank you for stopping by. As you read through my pages, I believe you will find that I am just like you—a woman who loves the Lord and cherishes His grace. And, like you, I sometimes grow weary from the journey. I have experienced many difficult places in my life—a brother’s suicide, my mom’s young death, cancer, a prodigal child, extensive unemployment. There have been times when I thought I couldn’t go on. But, God…don’t you love that? But God carried me through and opened my eyes to see Him in my midst. He opened my ears to hear His sweet whispers of love.
Take hope in the knowledge that you are cherished by the One who made you—you are sheltered in the shadow of His wing, close to His heart. It is my prayer that as we get to know one another you, too, will see beyond the veil and will learn to say, “Even so, I walk in the Presence of the Lord”
With joy,
Nan
A Longing to Know Him … Just Because
The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I gain an understanding of Who He is and who I am not. I’m very thankful for this insight –- I see it as a gift from the One I seek.
The Lord exhorts us in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
Seeking Him with a deep longing of the heart …
A longing to know Him …
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A Prayer When Life’s Path Gets Muddy
Lord, great is Your faithfulness! You are high and lifted up, exalted above the earth. You alone are worthy of praise.
May I never praise You only for the good things, but may I always praise You for who You are and because You deserve all praise. May I always have a thankful heart that is not contingent on circumstances, but is always grateful for Your love and abiding presence.
You’re stretching me, growing me and I know many who feel the same. You have created us for such a time as this and it is our desire to serve You well.
But it’s hard.
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Quietly Following the Shepherd, One Step At a Time
Blue is getting older. He’s not quite as rambunctious or hard-headed, and rarely needs a leash as we trek up our mountain road.
He stays close to me.
Quite often Blue will pick up a scent and stop to investigate on the edge of our road, nose scrunching rapidly up and down.
I’ll continue to walk on ahead.
Then I’ll stop, turn, pat my leg, and say, “Come, on, Blue. Let’s go.”
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A Prayer When the Consequences of Obedience are Hard
Lord, You are beautiful in holiness, magnificent beyond comprehension. If I should go to the highest heaven You are there; or to the depths of hell, You are there also.
You carry me to the mountaintops and comfort me in the valleys deep.
Your love astounds me.
The more and more I desire to make You Lord, the harder it is — sweeter than anything imaginable — but hard.
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I Heard Her Song Through the Impending Darkness
There’s a dark cloud on the horizon — the deep charcoal winter-kind-of-dark cloud. A storm is coming with significant snowfall and fierce winds. A gray veil is settling over the mountain valley as the snow clouds roll in, softening the harsh brown of winter.
I sipped my coffee as I watched the sultry winter clouds deepen over the ridge.
To my right, down towards the old apple tree, a burst of sunlight made its way through the clouds and I could hear her song — a meadowlark rejoicing in the warmth of the unexpected light. Her song trilled across the impending darkness — perhaps in spite of the darkness and comforted my restless spirit.
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A Prayer When You Need to Take His Hand, Walk, and Trust
Lord, You shine as the noonday sun lighting my darkness. You are the Morning Star, the Waymaker, the Faithful God who tenderly watches over me.
I praise You for these truths, Lord. I praise You for Your goodness, for being my Sure Place to hold onto when the earth trembles beneath me.
Sometimes, I feel like my feet are encased in concrete — heavy-laden, unable to move forward.
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Thus Far He Has Helped Us
It was a long hike. I had veered off the gravel road that ribboned across the mountain valley and chose a trail created by the multitude of deer that grazed this land.
My breathing was a bit labored as I hoisted myself onto the rocky ledge overlooking the river below. I bent over with hands on my knees to catch my breath, only to lose it again once I raised up and took in the glorious sight below.
Sunshine glimmered across the river in the alcoves where the flow was serene. Ferns blanketed the banks in the shadows of hemlocks, pine, and oak. Hills rose and fell, sculpting the land all the way to the summit on which we stood.
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A Prayer When You Want to Rejoice, But …
Lord, what a Mighty God You are! You are faithful and true, merciful and kind. You work miracles in our midst, even when we aren’t aware of it.
You, Lord, are worthy of praise.
Remind us of this, Lord.
Remind us that, even when life is hard, we can — and should — rejoice in You. Always.
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A Christmas Prayer ~ Jesus, I Want to be Your Bethlehem
Oh this, His birthday, may our hearts become His Bethlehem. "So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to...
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