“A Christian should never be bored.” Miss Betty instructed me for twenty-five years. She shared all manner of wisdom with me and, for some reason, this particular phrase sticks out in my mind. She said that Christ-followers always have something to do. As a child who cared mostly about amusing myself, this idea jolted me a little bit. “All those times I feel whiny and bored, I can be doing something to increase my Bible knowledge, helping a neighbor, or praying? But, those sound like work!” Miss Betty, indeed, was never bored. And if she was, she hid it well and then found something … [Read more...]

Who is that special person in your life who taught you the most about God? Who comes to your mind when you think of modern day heroes of the faith? Though I cannot credit any one person for teaching me the ways of Christ, there are a handful of people who certainly did more than their share! First and foremost, my mom was, and continues to be, an incredible influence for me spiritually. My paternal grandmother prayed like no one I have ever seen before or since. Miss Betty had an absolutely amazing gift for opening her home and ministering to weary souls. And my friend, Martha, has a way of … [Read more...]

“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Perhaps this saying seems a bit cliché, but it is nevertheless true. How many of us have run into a know-it-all at one time or another? Did we listen or care what the “genius” had to say? I doubt it. I am not interested in the thoughts or opinions of those who clearly do not care about me. However, as soon as someone takes the time to get to know me, even on the most basic level, my willingness to listen to their advice skyrockets. We are built for relationships and do not appreciate lectures. We want to connect … [Read more...]

I still remember the day Eric and I crossed the friendship/courtship threshold like it was yesterday. It was the summer after I graduated from college and I was preparing to move back to Lynchburg for graduate school. Months earlier, my heart had begun longing for him; but, alas, he did not have any romantic feelings for me at that time. Still, my decision to do my graduate work at Liberty might have had the tiniest bit to do with him. ~smile~ Mom and Dad graciously paid for my time in undergraduate; but, now that I was grown and moving into my apartment, it was time to stop living off … [Read more...]