Hope

  • Part Four: The Promised Provision

    Part Four: The Promised Provision

    My friends, are you ready for more of God’s amazing truth and love? Are you ready to have your thinking transformed a bit today? Let’s go back to the book of Jeremiah and take another look at King Zedekiah’s story. Let’s look at the first five verses of Jeremiah 34, because this is where things…

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  • Part Three: When Things Don’t Make Sense

    Part Three: When Things Don’t Make Sense

    Recently, I sat in a big room with about 50 people worshiping God in their own way, creating one big mass of noise. But when I closed my eyes, Holy Spirit tuned my ears to hear each individual sound-instruments, voices singing and praying. Each one was distinct and clear. Then I opened my eyes and…

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  • Part Two: Upgrades

    Part Two: Upgrades

    SUMites, I promised to share more of what God is showing me for our community right now. I believe this next part will be so encouraging to you and will strengthen your spirit greatly. Let’s go back to Isaiah 60. There are several parts to this chapter that God has in the works for us…

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  • Part One: We are the SUMites

    Part One: We are the SUMites

    SUMites, today I want to remind you who you are. Holy Spirit has impressed this upon me right now in conjunction with our SALVATION word for this year. And if I sound like a broken record about that word, understand that the Lord has told me I am to continually hold this before you and…

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  • A Past and Present Story

    A Past and Present Story

    Hello, SUM family. I'm with Lynn in wondering how this month has gone by so fast! Here I thought I'd run out of stories only to find I needed to pick and choose the best ones, because there are so many. And I will say they are truly God's stories-the evidence of His love and…

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  • How Did (and Do) We Honor Our Husbands?

    How Did (and Do) We Honor Our Husbands?

    SUM family, are you enjoying this walk down memory lane? It’s amazing to look back over our history and see how God has moved in the big picture of our community. I truly believe part of our continued growth and endurance as a ministry has been our desire to honor our husbands in doing this. …

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  • The His-story of SUM

    The His-story of SUM

    My SUM family, I have felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit to share how God has worked in very subtle ways to progress this ministry and the SUM family. This part of this story is probably one of my favorite parts because one, it shows how clearly God is in the smallest details and…

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  • God Keeps His Promises

    God Keeps His Promises

    My friends, I want to take our theme of standing for Jesus and move to standing on His promises. What does that mean? How do we identify a promise in the Bible? How do we pray and stand upon them, especially when what we see happening in our lives or those we love or in…

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  • Offended??? Really?? Oh, Come On Already!

    Offended??? Really?? Oh, Come On Already!

    I’m so mad the pastor said that to me! I can’t believe they didn’t invite my daughter to the party. I’m so hurt that they didn’t ask me to be part of the team. It’s unconscionable how they have taken advantage of me. I’m furious that she is always noticed, she is always selected, everything…

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  • The Call to Rest

    The Call to Rest

    My friends, my search for deeper understanding of God's call to rest has brought me to some interesting places. I'm excited to share what I have discovered with you.  As I pondered and prayed over this, Holy Spirit brought to mind first "trust" and "strength." Specifically these pieces of Scripture. Trust in the Lord with…

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  • Seeking a Deeper “Rest” (and an update)

    Seeking a Deeper “Rest” (and an update)

    In my post last week I touched on Mathew 16:24 about taking up our cross and standing for Jesus. My friends, I feel like Holy Spirit is sitting me on the subject of rest as a continuation of standing for Jesus. In fact, Abba whispered to my heart just recently. “Rest in Me, daughter.” Now…

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  • We Stand for Jesus

    We Stand for Jesus

    A week ago I shared in my post the things I am standing for. I sensed then Holy Spirit might be leading me to share a story that began in 2013 that had to do with the word and command in the Bible, to “stand.” Jesus presented it to me as a question, but its…

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  • No Greater Love

    No Greater Love

    My friends, I’m so glad to be back at home in Florida. I’m still catching up with emails, writing, and unpacking boxes, but my heart is relieved to be back not only in our Florida digs (well, our temporary ones until our house is completed) and back here with you. You are my precious friends.…

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  • I Created Bitterness – A Weird Confession – Chronicles of the Donovan Clan. Ouch!

    I Created Bitterness – A Weird Confession – Chronicles of the Donovan Clan. Ouch!

    So, I kinda feel like today is my confession. This post is likely to be raw and vulnerable but someone needs this word. Or perhaps it’s only me? Many times when I’m speaking people will ask me if I discern what God is doing in my husband’s faith life. I reply that unfortunately or perchance…

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  • Reflections on the Apostle Paul and Life

    Reflections on the Apostle Paul and Life

    Hello, my SUM family. I'm writing to you while on the road. An asphalt ribbon stretches before us as my hubby drives us across the United States. The U-haul attached to our trusty VW wagon holds the remainder of our possessions-at least all that we could fit. And in the backseat our 18 year old…

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  • The Tearing of the Veil

    The Tearing of the Veil

    My friends, I’m heading Holy Spirit’s nudge to write about the veil, which hung in the Jewish Tabernacle built by the Israelites and Moses per God's detailed specifications. I've always been fascinated with the veil and how it tore at the moment Jesus died. But let's go back to the first place the veil was…

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  • How Do You “Speak” God?

    How Do You “Speak” God?

    My friends, as I listened to a very gifted teacher at my recent healing rooms training I attended teach about our words, I knew right away this applied to our "how do we hear God" series, thus my title "How Do We "Speak" God?" It seems the natural progression, as Scripture says what we hold…

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  • How Do You “Hear” God…For Your Spouse?

    How Do You “Hear” God…For Your Spouse?

    My dear friends, I hope the journaling exercise to "pay attention" to how you hear God has been a blessing and encouragement to you. Your comments have encouraged me greatly! I love how God speaks to us in many ways and specifically to our need and relationship with Him. Let’s review that verse again: “So…

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  • A 76-Year Love Dance With Jesus

    A 76-Year Love Dance With Jesus

    My friends, can I just tell you how GLAD I am to be back at my desk and typing. I’m thrilled. After traveling in January, I came down with some serious illnesses and one in particular could have been devastating. I will share more about that as we move through the story I’m about to…

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  • The Light of Truth

    The Light of Truth

    My friends, I want to share a recent revelation with you. It was one of those moments that the truth of something I already knew finally hit all the way home. Have you had one of those moments-a suddenly moment-where something you thought you understood suddenly becomes clearer and more powerful?  For me is it…

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  • I’m Baaaaack…

    I’m Baaaaack…

    Dear SUM family, it's so good to be back with you! I'm still recovering from this crazy shoulder thing that went from surgery for a bone spur to a frozen shoulder needing "manipulation." But I am on the mend, doing my physical therapy diligently, and I received a high five (well, more like mid-way…) from…

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