Hello friends! Perhaps you noticed I’ve been out-of-pocket for some time now. I lost my sister to cancer in January after a long battle, and tomorrow marks two years since my husband suddenly died. To be honest, some days are a struggle. Yet I’ve missed connecting with you, especially in this time of isolation. This story is from an…
A friend literally just sent this video to me. It’s such a beautiful expression of the inexpressible. This is for everyone grieving the loss of a loved one this Christmas. My heart goes out to each of you. I don’t know the details of your loss, or the depth of your pain—but Jesus does. My prayer is that you…
Last Christmas was my “first” without Charlie. I felt the void of my husband’s absence—an ache deep in my soul that could not be denied. My family wouldn’t be sharing a meal till later that evening, so overwhelmed, I laid down to seek the solace of sleep. At one of the most heart-wrenching moments of my journey, I cried…
My child, Give it to Me—the burden that is beyond your capacity to carry. Rest, dear one. Trust in Me, and in My capacity to carry the load. Don’t run up ahead, wondering how to handle the unknown. Trust Me with tomorrow. Stay with Me here, in this moment. It’s the place where we can meet. The place you…
Over the past couple of days, I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude. Several devotionals have landed in my inbox, encouraging me to have a grateful heart. I want to share with you a story about a woman who demonstrates her love and gratitude for Jesus in a genuinely stunning act of worship. Each time I read this account,…
This morning I acknowledge the tug of war within. Part of me wants to move forward, stepping into all I believe God has for my future. At the same time, another part of me holds back. On April 13, 2018, The man I was married to for 38 years died in his sleep. He was just 61. It’s been…
In His presence is fullness of joy…” Psalm 16:11 Yesterday marked an extraordinary moment in the timeline of my story. I am a storyteller—and although I love telling other people’s stories, the story I’m most qualified to talk about is my own. On October 3rd, 2005, I was transported to the hospital because of severe chest pain. After performing…
In a few hours, I will face another series of “firsts.” My first Thanksgiving without my husband. My first time getting together with several members of his family in Chicago—Charlie’s absence acutely obvious. On top of that, Friday would have been his sixty-second birthday. I’ve shed more than a few tears these past few days. None of this is…
If Charlie were still here, September first would have found us celebrating our thirty-eighth wedding anniversary. Needless to say, it was a rough weekend. I hear the first holiday or special celebration is the worst. All I know is I’m not sure from one moment to the next how I will feel or what I will need to face. The…
Sunrises have always transported me to a happy place. As a teenager, several times I rode my bike across the bridge in Daytona Beach. Sitting cross-legged on the sand, I would keep my eyes glued to the horizon, not wanting to miss a single moment of the “show.” As the sun slowly began to rise, the sky was…
