A Life of Gratitude

I know so many people going through difficult situations currently, ranging from relationship struggles to financial issues, health concerns to abuse. Regardless of the circumstances, it's just plain hard for so many people right now. As someone who easily empathizes with others, I often desire to rescue them from the situations they face. I just want to help in some way, to lessen the burden they carry. In this season, many of my friends are facing circumstances that seem impossible to be rescued from. I've found myself crying out to God, wanting to help but not knowing how, and feeling frustrated by it all.  As I was praying this morning, my mind was filled with a memory of something that caught my attention a few weeks ago. As I was working in our yard, replanting a few Hostas that haven't been thriving like they used to, I saw something incredible. I dug up one of the plants, clearing away the leaves and debris that surrounded the roots, and saw that one of the shoots h

During the post-abortion Bible studies I lead, we often talk about the story of the prodigal son found in Luke 15. I always ask the ladies how they can relate to this story. Last night, as we discussed this passage, one of the participants shared that she recently had the type of eye-opening moment mentioned in verse seventeen. It was a moment that caused her to truly see her need for a Savior, that she referred to as her "pig-slop moment." "He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you." Luke 15:11-32 (NLT) Many believers can relate to her statement because we'