Family Camp, an idyllic location in the middle of the piney woods of East Texas where families unplug from the world and spend a week with the Lord and each other. We made plans almost a year ago to come to Family Camp. We sat on the waiting list until a few months ago, but now we are here! My family of four bursts at the seams with excitement looking at all the activities in store for us. The view … Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Faith Beyond Fear
The dreaded F word, FEAR. It rears its ugly head often in my life even though God says, “Do not fear.” Plagued by fear of not being good enough, I have struggled with this issue due to abuse in my early childhood and young adulthood, leaving me to feel like not even God could use me. In reality, this fear manipulated me into believing Satan’s words instead of God’s. I struggled to believe God really loved me. Yes, He sent … Continue reading →
I have become a collector of hearts, but I do not collect just any hearts. They are gifts from my daughter, Danielle. Each is like a time capsule, capturing a memory from her youth. One is a foil heart. She added two colors of ink to make it extra pretty. Yet another is a heart-shaped rock she found in the garden. I still remember her squeal of delight with this discovery. She skipped to me, carrying her little rock. … Continue reading →
I sat at my kitchen table, staring into space as my brother packed to visit my sister. He spent two weeks with me following the death of my sweet husband, Sam. My fears realized, it was time to lean in even harder to the Lord. “Are you going to be okay?” my brother said before he left. “You know what? I need to learn to be on my own. I may as well start now.” I opened my computer and … Continue reading →
Eating Disorder A few years ago, as I wrote about in my last post, I experienced a season of one difficult situation after another. During that time, eating became an issue. Some people stress-eat. You know them, the ones who in stressful times are always hungry or want chocolate. During my stressful season, I became a stress no-eater. In two months, I lost over fifty pounds, and an eating disorder became part of my life. I had a group of … Continue reading →
Two and a half years ago, I faltered under the weight of anxiety and depression and couldn’t imagine a life where moving beyond fear was possible. My marriage teetered on the edge. Night terrors and flashbacks due to childhood trauma and sexual abuse plagued my nights and crept into my days. I mothered my children out of unseen fears. At the end of myself, I contemplated removing myself from this world. I was falling apart in every area of my … Continue reading →
When We Give Our Fears to God: A Mother’s Journey
There are few sounds like that of a mother crying over her child. A heart-broken mother, a terrified mother, a lost, angry, confused and wounded mother holds nothing back but weeps out grief in anguished sobs that come from deep within her DNA. Where is God? How could this be His plan? The pain can so overwhelm and consume us that for an instant we feel we have lost the presence of God. Perhaps it is a shadow of how … Continue reading →
Why We’re Afraid to Explore Our Faith
My sweet mama. All my life, she’s been my spiritual mentor. A spiritual giant really. She’s been my Sunday School teacher and my Bible drills instructor. We’ve read a yearly Bible reading plan together. She served as the women’s ministry director at her church the same time I held the same role at mine. Often, when we talk on the phone, we dive into deep theological waters. We love Jesus and his church. She knows all the ways I’ve been … Continue reading →
A Baby Step of Faith
Crunching numbers has never been my strong suit. As a word person, and not a math person, I avoid it when possible. When I reflect on it, however, I realize how important numbers have been on my personal journey to faith beyond fear. Eleven years ago, I gave birth to my first daughter. When she was three, I left her overnight for the first time. It wasn’t easy being away, but it was necessary, seeing how I was at the … Continue reading →
Expected Visitor: A Devotional of Faith Beyond Fear
Expected Visitor Jenny expected a visitor, so as moonbeams danced through the curtains, she welcomed the day. She sipped cocoa, rocked in her easy chair, and thanked God for His Word. Her Bible was to her the best love-letter ever; each promise masterfully written for her. She thought about the Bible Study she attended two days ago, and how the group asked God to enable them to reach someone trapped in a cult religion. The leader prayed, “Lord Jesus, grant … Continue reading →
