Conflict and Challenges
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Trusting God is Like Building a Puzzle
My friends, I have to tell you I wrote this post partly on my iPhone as I did my walk and pray. I can only imagine that my fellow walkers and joggers thought I was a text addict, but when God has something to say, I’ve learned not to rely on my memory and write…
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God Set Me Up!
A couple weeks ago I wrote my post about the Israelites crossing the Jordan as a step of faith in their journey to claim their Promised Land. I also wrote about how this is our story as well, that we too have Jordans to cross and Jerichos to march around in order to claim the…
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Special Guest Today! Please Welcome Suzie Eller!
My precious friends, today I want to introduce you to Susanne (Suzie) Eller. She's been a great support to the SUM ministry and now we get to share her with you! Suzie's message of forgiveness in her book, The Unburdened Heart is desperately needed today and by so many. I hope you find answers and…
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Weekend Worship – God is Our Victory and He is Here!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. – 2…
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Who’s Your Daddy?
Okay, I’m totally ripping off Lynn and some tacky song thing, right? But it’s what popped into my head and those are usually my best lines. (wink) With that said, I’m going to share a few tidbits of my past that, well, I really didn’t plan or want to but God’s giving me the nudge…
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It’s a Weird Journey That We Are Traveling
Hi Everyone, So, it’s kinda weird for me to listen to myself talk on radio. But it’s even weirder to listen to myself talk on the radio with my husband standing right next to me. Sheesh! But, my guy did listen to the portion of the broadcast where Dennis spoke to him over the airwaves. …
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A Peek Into What’s Coming
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Lynn and I will be on FamilyLife Today. You’ll get to hear Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine ask us some pretty direct questions. And we loved every minute of it because one, we were able to share our hearts for our husbands and marriages and two, our readers here at…
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God’s Unexpected Healing, Part 2
My friends, last week I shared the first part of my unexpected healing at Bethel Church and God’s gift of truth from a dear woman named Helen. Now for the rest of the story. Or rather, the results of this dramatic healing in my life that keeps playing out on a daily basis. Wow! I…
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Was Jesus a Democrat or Republican?
Yep, it’s that time again. Every four years the Presidential politics rise up around our nation and especially around the Donovan house. How about you? I’m daring to talk about politics today because if your house is anything like mine, politics is a deep chasm of which my husband and I stand on opposite sides.…
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God, I Need to Hear From You
Ever have one of those weeks where you end in a completely different place than where you started? That’s what happened to me last week and this was the prayer of my heart. God, I need to hear from You. I needed direction, guidance and affirmation. You name it, I needed. Life had taken a…
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Arrogance or Confidence?
My call to jury duty last month was the closest I’ve come so far to being seated on a jury. In years past my number has either squeaked by anonymously, or, like last year, the jury was completed just before I would have been interviewed. It's a fascinating process and as I listened to the…
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The Call to Stand Firm
(This is from a 2009 post that I dug out and updated. It fits our ongoing series so well even after three years!) The stories in the Bible display a constant thread of struggle and perseverance. From Jacob to Joseph to Moses and the Israelites. In Genesis 32, Jacob is faced with a potential disaster.…
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Taking a Walk with Nehemiah, Part 2
On Tuesday we started our journey with Nehemiah and his calling to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. In the comments, Shelly pointed something amazing out in Nehemiah 2: After this post I was intrigued to read Nehemiah myself with the perspective of marriage at hand. Only made it to chapter 2 but what stood out was…
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Taking a Walk with Nehemiah, Part 1
If you're doing a read your Bible in a year plan, chances are you're reading in Nehemiah right now. I've been reading this story of rebuilding Jerusalem's wall with a new fascination. It's as if God is whispering in my ear as I read, asking, "Are you committed to building your marriage like Nehemiah fought…
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What Should I Do?
Or not do? That’s the flip side of this question. But I’m betting you’re wondering why I’m asking that question. Care to take a walk with me? The longer we walk with God the more aware we become of the unseen. We no longer accept what’s on the surface out of an understanding that there…
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Praying in the Spiritual Realm- A Chronicles Update
Why is it I’m always surprised by the warfare and the extreme challenges to come into my home life when we write about spiritual warfare or when we speak about a specific topic? I remember getting into some major brew-ha-has (is that a word?) with my husband when Dineen and I were in the middle…
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Weekend Devo – Sifted Like Wheat
Yesterday we were blessed by a POWERFUL reader letter. In it she mentions Luke 22:31-32: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” If you’ve read Peter’s story you…
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Who Are We Really Fighting?
Recently I watched the show Once Upon a Time. One of the characters, a young boy around the age of ten or so is keenly aware that his world is a battle between good and evil. In this particular episode Henry tells the one person he thinks can save them all, “Evil always wins.” Let…
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The Stories Behind the Story
Hello again, dear friends. First, I want to give a big hug and shout out to Lynn for letting me monopolize the blog this week to share this story with you. She rocks! Second, I want to thank you again for sharing this with me. It’s the culmination of a dream that started in 2009…
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An Interview with Lexie Baltimore, Part 2
Welcome back, everyone! Here's the second half of Lexie's interview. Okay, here’s a tough one, Lexie and I hope you don’t mind us asking, but I think it’s an area we should address. How did you wind up handling your feelings for Nate? First of all, I went to God and confessed them. I had…
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A Story and a Surprise!
I have a story to share with you. And a surprise. The story is about Lexie and Hugh Baltimore. Lexie is a believer who God uses in a very unique way to reach the lost. Her husband Hugh is an atheist. In the aftermath of a terrible loss, she’s trying to live out her faith…