LIVE READY

Things never discovered or heard of before,

    things beyond our ability to imagine[n]—

    these are the many things God has in store

    for all his lovers.

Every day that we live, we are one day closer to meeting our Maker. Let us live in a way that brings glory to Your name Lord and above all let us live ready. I always feel like I need to get my house in order in more than one way, to be ready to go. Sometimes I wonder if that’s why I don’t work harder to do just that? Because although to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, if we’ve personally accepted Him, there’s always a part that wants to live to see Shiloh’s baby, to see Mathis grow, to see the great way the Lord is going to take the disasters and chaos of our lives and use it to HIS GREAT GLORY!



Many times the way is troubling and wearisome and dreams that have died seem hard to revive. That’s when He gives the new dream.

Some new dreams are happening right now though with eyes of the earth we may not be able to truly see that He is at work, sending journeymates, sending angels to surround and hedge in our loved ones. Oh to see with new eyes, eyes that look on with love.



The Word of the Lord that He brought to mind as I was writing:

1 Corinthians 2 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Paul’s Reliance on Spiritual Power

2 My brothers and sisters,^[a] when I first came to proclaim to you the secrets^[b] of God, I refused to come as an expert, trying to impress you with my eloquent speech and lofty wisdom. ² For while I was with you I was determined to be consumed with one topic—Jesus, the crucified Messiah.^{[c] 3} I stood before you feeling inadequate, filled with reverence for God,^[d] and trembling under the sense of the importance of my words.^{[e] 4} The message I preached and how I preached it was not an attempt to sway you with persuasive arguments but to prove to you the almighty power of God’s Holy Spirit. ⁵ For God intended that your faith not be established on man’s wisdom but by trusting in his almighty power.

Wisdom from God

⁶ However, there is a wisdom that we continually speak of when we are among the spiritually mature.^[f] It’s wisdom that didn’t originate in this present age, nor did it come from the rulers of this age who are in the process of being dethroned.^{[g] 7} Instead, we^[h] continually speak of this wonderful wisdom that comes from God, hidden before now in a mystery.^[i] It is his secret plan, destined^[j] before the ages, to bring us into glory.^{[k] 8} None of the rulers of this present world order understood it,^[l] for if they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of shining glory.^{[m] 9} This is why the Scriptures say:

Things never discovered or heard of before,
    things beyond our ability to imagine^[n]—
    these are the many things God has in store
    for all his lovers.^[o]

¹⁰ But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit.^[p] Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things. ¹¹ After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.

¹² For we did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that grace has lavished upon us. ¹³ And we^[q] articulate these realities with the words imparted to us by the Spirit and not with the words taught by human wisdom. We join together Spirit-revealed truths with Spirit-revealed words.^{[r] 14} Someone living on an entirely human level^[s] rejects^[t] the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. ¹⁵ Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things, and they are subject to the scrutiny of no one but God. ¹⁶ For Who has ever intimately known the mind of the Lord Yahweh[u] well enough to become his counselor?[v]

Christ has, and we possess Christ’s perceptions.[w]

This and That for Today

“Judge tenderly if you must. There is usually a side you have not heard, a story you know nothing about, and a battle waged that you are not having to fight.” TRACI LEA LARUSSA FROM TENDING DANDELIONS

"Every morning

 I lay out the pieces of my life

 on your altar

 and watch for fire to descend."

From "Love out Loud": "O Lord, I give my life to you." Psalm 25:1

 When we consecrate ourselves to the Lord, we give Him everything, we should also know that we give Him everything we are not.

God knows everything about you and loves you unconditionally, so hold nothing back from Him. Let go of everything as an offering to your Lord, and you will be amazed at how free you will feel.

Love God today; If your are ready to consecrate yourself to God Lift your hand to Him and simply say, Lord, I give you my life...everything I am and everything I am not." Joyce Meyer

Praying for all who need healing in any way today and adding prayers for single mothers. Lord please provide for their needs and wrap Your big Father arms around them and their children. Don't miss this song, it is one of my favorites:) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaxxtIxXKF0


Prophecy by Brother C. L. Moore in 1984 & 1986


And I shall cause thee to have ministry among the sisters and I shall give thee favor. But thou shalt also wait upon thy God and I will give thee a tender heart and yea even more than thou dost even have this night. Thou shalt be broken by My word and by My presence many times but not destroyed nor cast down.


I shall fashion you again and again and each time that I mold and touch thee thou shalt rise up in more of a new transformed creation than you were before you came into the presence of your God.

1986 for Donna:  Many have been the winds Many have been the storms There’s been times you’ve been shaken There’s been times you thought you were out of the barn (?) But the Lord says, I do place thee and though I shake thee I’ll never leave thee and I will keep thee and Surely a lamb is sufficient for the house Claim it, rest in it, shout it and rejoice in it and wait to see the Lord To reveal it. (Amber, my lamb, was born 2 years later)

For Bill: Surely stand in the gap, stand in the gap And I will give those that will stand with thee. You say, this is not the order I dreamed of Well, God didn’t ask for your order God just asked for you to be in submission to His plans His ways and His means Therefore says the Lord, I will clothe thee And I will cause the tongue ye to speak a word Thou hast not known and A word will be in strength When you thought you were totally weak.

Book Review; Murder at the Canaveral Diner (A Florida Murder Mystery Novel) by Jay Heavner

Murder at the Canaveral Diner (A Florida Murder Mystery Novel) by Jay Heavner is a genre that I don’t normally read. But Jay is a fellow member of Word Weavers Volusia County member and I like to encourage and support our members. As I told Jay recently there were some parts I absolutely loved and some that really grossed me out, such as the description of the crime scene.


That being said, I love reading books that have actual locations that I’m familiar with. I’m acquainted with a lot of the locations in Brevard County as I lived down there for some years. I’m also familiar with the route they took past St. Augustine to the FL/GA line and probably the many rest stops they took a break at. Actually, I was surprised at the number of pit stops that the guys made and the references to that. LOL!

There were some scenes in Chapter 9 that were hilarious. Chapters 14 and 15 have some great content, very pro-life and anti-slavery. I love when Roger talked about his wife. I have to say Chapter 16 was a bit hard for me. As for Roger, he had a sad backstory and Bill seemed to be a likable fellow, but together they seemed like a lot of guys I’ve known from the South. I loved the conversation that Roger had with the Pastor and anytime the book went to spiritual matters. Great quotes, “God’s like that, always there watching even when we can’t see or feel His presence.” And later he said, "Anytime, Roger. Anytime. My door’s always open to those truly in need. Remember, Roger, there’s none so damaged that he cannot be fixed by the hand of Almighty God. God loves you. His love for imperfect and fault-filled people is matchless and too big to be measured. It lasts a lifetime and beyond that. You’re His one of a kind wonderful masterpiece that cannot be replaced. He always has His eye on you.”


I’m not sure if this would be considered a Christian book, but I appreciate the parts that were. It was certainly a mystery novel and that seems to be what Jay writes best.

This review is my own opinion, having bought the book from Jay under no obligation to give a good review. I’ll be checking out some of his older books, I’m sure when I get some extra reading time.

BOOK REVIEW of THE HEART OF A KING by Jill Eileen Smith

 THE HEART OF A KING by Jill Eileen Smith


This is the first novel I’ve read by the author but I have a feeling it won’t be my last. 


I love reading historical Biblical fiction and Jill made the words and people in the Bible come alive.  I love the familiarity of passages of scripture interwoven in the dialogues of Solomon and his mother and wives.


I sometimes wished he’d used his God-given wisdom in a better way as far as family relationships. Especially when he compromised the commands of the Lord. 


It was beautifully written, very descriptive and kept me turning pages.


I look forward to reading the next book by Jill. Write on!


Thanks for my complimentary copy from Revell on the author's behalf. I was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

What to Do When You Feel Dumped On

What to Do When You Feel Dumped On

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and

shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in,

their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.

~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

“In the end only three things matter; how much you loved, how gently you lived and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.  (ANON OR HAND OF GOD from TENDING DANDELIONS)

Lord, sometimes I feel like a dumping ground. A place that people who have life issues that they’re not working on, try to spread their venom and death. Let me not get caught up in their many dramas, I pray. Help me to keep my eyes up on You, ever mindful that You are a kind and loving God and Father.



You keep me when I don’t want to be kept, and You vindicate and reveal truth in Your timing. I lean on You. I trust in You. You’ve said in Your Word, many are the afflictions of the righteous but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Psalm 34 is one of my favorite psalms. THE WORD OF THE LORD

I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the LORD;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

Magnify the LORD with me;

let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He answered me;

He delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to Him are radiant with joy;

their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him;

He saved him from all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,

and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Fear the LORD, you His saints,

for those who fear Him lack nothing.

Young lions go lacking and hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Who is the man who delights in life,

who desires to see good days?

Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from deceitful speech.

Turn away from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,

and His ears are inclined to their cry.

But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,

to sever their memory from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears;

He delivers them from all their troubles.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted;

He saves the contrite in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the LORD delivers him from them all.

He protects all his bones;

not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked,

and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

The LORD redeems His servants,

and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Sometimes the only thing to do when you feel like a dumping ground is remove yourself from the drama until it runs its course. That being said, it’s not always easy but it may be necessary for a time. People pushing your buttons are doing it for a response and even if it’s a bad one, they feel vindicated that they’ve won or had the last word.

Mark Gregston speaks about this, “Drama draws and demands our attention.  Kids are the same way.  They perform.  They magnify things.  They embellish their stories.  They are crying out for people to look at them.  The essence of drama is conflict, so when kids look for attention, they often use conflict as a means to get it.



The problem is that once we respond to that drama, we often become part of it.  Unwittingly, we get sucked in.  Hey, this is your teen we’re talking about.  He or she knows exactly what buttons to push that incite your emotion.  Right?  It’s tempting to respond by matching, or increasing, the level of conflict.  And the result is always the same:  a virtual meltdown between child and parent.  Once we get hooked into his or her emotion, we can become defensive … only adding fuel to the fire.” https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/teens/drama-responding-to-your-teen.html





This is how I want to be, instead of a dumping ground, a watered garden of the Lord.



The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. (From Isaiah 58)





Personally, I find that my heart loses joy and my body may even respond with health issues when I allow myself to take it all in to myself, as if I could fix anything but myself. Prayer is a wonderful tool that the Lord gives us. It can be used to change the coldest heart to the glory of the Lord. When joy runs low, I return to “living from the heart that Jesus gave me.” It helps a lot in the world we live in, to try to live that way.


Dumping ground or watered garden? Sometimes the choice is up to us.

SHINE YOUR LIGHT

I like to save things. It’s always hard for me to throw away things or even sometimes to give them away, because it seems like we may need it for something down the road and not have it. I’ve recently learned the hard way, that saving my writings for a better day to send out, a better edit or a better market was perhaps not the best thing. When even THE GEEK SQUAD couldn’t help us, I’ve had to accept what I cannot change, that at least six years of work is lost. I feel like a part of me is lost, many times, as some things just can’t be recreated, especially poetry.

Not that I didn’t give away a lot of it but a lot sat in my computer, waiting until it was good enough to share or send out.





This is one thing that I’ve learned: Don’t hide, save or store away your gifts, no matter how small they seem to you.



Bill and I both have this thing about looking around, seeing the people with REAL giftings, talents and yes, at times even beauty, and thinking that we perhaps got overlooked. We have most of the time felt to be the “least of these” and that’s not always a bad thing, as it keeps us from being haughty.



When I was a little girl, I could play piano “by ear” or “by heart”. When there was a painful trauma in my childhood, I let the enemy quieten that gift; a gift that could’ve been honed for the Lord. It is to my shame I admit this; I have many pictures of me, age five, at my grandmother’s recitals, playing before a whole church of people. In rereading THE CREATIVE CALL by Janice Elsheimer, I’m tempted to retry playing. But as life seems to continually get in the way of living, my time is really not my own, even more so, lately.



The words to the children’s song, THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, were running through my head as I wrote this. Hide it under a bushel. No! I’m going to let it shine.



So today I’m having some regrets but I can’t live there. I will focus on things that I can change, focus on the WORD OF THE LORD, try to find what my new season is, and BE GRATEFUL. I will try my best not to hide my gifts under a bushel. I will try to live better and along the way, one of the best things I’ve found that I am good at, is encouraging YOU and your beautiful giftings. While I can’t be your personal cheerleader, I do say, go out there and SHINE, people. You are unique, you are SPECIAL, you are CALLED OF GOD. Use your gifts.





Let your light shine. Today!



Beautiful, new version of song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVeB7ACVgO0



Older version; gospel version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx3nTsFJEQE



Kid’s version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki5CA4oXL7w

A Letter to Somebody’s Mother, or Sister or Daughter

A Letter to Somebody’s Mother, or Sister or Daughter 

Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let bitterness steal your sweetness.  

IAIN S. THOMAS  from TENDING DANDELIONS

“If it’s not kind or helpful, I won’t say it. If I can’t make the world and the people around me a better place, I can, at least, not make it worse."

 SANDY SWENSON from TENDING DANDELIONS

Today as I thought about many mothers, sisters, or daughters among us, thoughts of so many of y’all nearly overwhelmed me. I so wish sometimes when we pray, that we would always have the perfect answer in the way that makes everyone happy. Sadly, we don’t always get that “happily ever after” answer but we can always pray that the Lord do what He knows is the very best for the person. 


I thought back to when I felt led to create the Somebody’s Mother Online Prayer Support Group, and how it was just me and one other mother, Beverly Collins. Look what the Lord has done! It was created only as a prayer support group, because that’s what the Lord called me to do. Pray and whenever possible to walk alongside with those hurting mothers, sisters or daughters. 


At some point if you’re a woman, you’ve been one of those, maybe all three. We want to hold you up before the Lord when you think you can’t put one foot in front of the other to do the next best thing. We want you to find the peace that passes all understanding. We want you to find Jesus as your source and answer.


As a little girl, I was drawn early to the Lord. He has always been with me, even when I wasn’t always fully with Him. A few years back someone asked my brother, Charles, “How’s your sister, the rock?” Trust me, I’m not the rock but He is THE ROCK. He rocks my world with lovingkindness in the very worst situations because only HE CAN!


I guess the reason I’m writing this today is to say, I’m feeling you, sisters and moms. I’m feeling the mom who lost a child, I’m feeling the mom who can’t provide for her children, I’m feeling the mom who thinks she’s failed her child and that things are really bad right now. I wish I could make all things new. I can only point you to Jesus. He will be all things to you, when no one else can give that word of comfort. His Word will revive you; His word will guide you; His love renews you.


So, it’s Friday and as we pray for the unspoken requests today, the ones we can’t articulate to others; the Lord knows the desires of our hearts as we lay them before Him.  


“You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
      You have recorded each one in your book. “(NLT) Psalm 56:8


Yes, we will cry on this earth. HE SEES! He will not forget you. He will wipe away all tears one day. Tears and prayers are precious to Him. So are you! LOVE, HOPE AND PRAYERS, DONNA COLLINS TINSLEY, A SISTER AMONG YOU

BLOGGING ABOUT BOOKS TODAY

Today I was thinking about my top favorite books for helping families who have recovery, family pain and addiction issues. These books, in particular I’m thinking of, and I’m posting these in no particular order, although most recently I’ve read Pam's and Sandy’s book daily, as they are so relevant to what I’m going through right now. I’ve actually read these all more than once. And each was for “such a time as this.”


PRAYING OUR LOVED ONE HOME by Pam Lanhart



She had me at the introduction, “The summer of brokenness. That is what I call the season of the darkest days of my life.” For me, I call it the “year of the greatest heartbreak.”

I’m on my second reading of this book, and I fully believe I’ll probably use it with my Bible and several other devotional books, every day of my life. For as long as I live.

I was already a fan of Pam’s devotions as she has been so faithful to post on our Facebook group page, Somebody’s Mother Online Prayer Support Group. The opening scripture is a promise: His love will lead them home. Exodus 15:13


https://www.amazon.com/Praying-Our-Loved-One-Home/dp/B07NWZZS16/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=Pam+Jones+Lanhart&qid=1566561999&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0



Sandy Swenson’s Tending Dandelions: https://www.amazon.com/Tending-Dandelions-Meditations-Addicted-Children/dp/1616497203/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NWA1FAAE65HN&keywords=sandy+swenson&qid=1553526482&s=gateway&sprefix=Sandy+Swens%2Caps%2C305&sr=8-1
Not only did I feel Sandy’s pain I was pretty sure she feels mine and a host of other people’s, too. The subtitle, HONEST MEDITATIONS FOR MOTHERS WITH ADDICTED CHILDREN, is true but it can also be used and pondered by most anyone, especially if you feel like you are or have been codependent.

Some of the titles of the meditations were poignant, such as: THE LAND OF TEARS, TO LOVE AN ADDICT, TOUGHEST LOVE OF ALL, and BETTER, NOT BITTER.

Sandy poured her experience, strength and hope into these pages and this quote had her name written all over it:

"Some people make your laugh a little louder, your smile a little brighter, and your life a little better. Try to be one of those people. (ANONYMOUS) from TENDING DANDELIONS




I'm not sure if this is my most recent review or not; lost some files on the computer. I was thinking about books that have helped me along the way. My review: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2OYXZFXC7EJMH/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0692631704

Why Don't They JUST QUIT?: Hope for families struggling with addiction. 5th Edition

by Joe Herzanek (Author), Judy Herzanek (Contributor)

 Joe covers it all and is a "must have" for your library and a great resource to recommend. I can't say enough about this book and their website.

 "Addiction is an equal opportunity destroyer" was the most profound quote written by Joe Herzanek in "Why Don't They Just Quit?" If you are a parent of an addict you will relate to that quote profoundly. This book should be in every home if addiction has challenged your family in any way. "Why Don't They Just Quit?" is a family education course in a very easy to read book with bold subtitles, questions and answers and others stories at the end. Hope is woven all through it. There are contemporary quotes throughout, and scripture is interwoven as well as comments from the family who went through the trenches with Joe Herzanek. He has paid his dues in addiction and recovery and has gone on to be a blessing to others through his work as an addictions counselor, as a chaplain at the Boulder County Jail and the president and founder of Changing Lives Foundation.

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Dont-They-JUST-QUIT/dp/0692631704/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8&utm_content=buffer7bdb0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR3MlCwbrEf5-60CnGQ2ldC0bQvmKo2cuhGVsDD4Ap7yRakRi0ttPX3YNLI


Praying for Your Addicted Loved One: 90 in 90 

by Sharron Cosby (Author)

This was one of my first “go to” books that was a comfort to my soul. I know Sharron and I always say, she’s the “Real deal and total package!” Her journey is unique but her focus on bible study and prayer are strong and powerful. https://www.amazon.com/Praying-Your-Addicted-Loved-One-ebook/dp/B00EXUE12Q/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=Sharron+Knight+Cosby&qid=1553527273&s=digital-text&sr=1-1-fkmr0



Another book I love for different reasons is: When I Lay My Isaac Down: Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances. I can’t say enough about Carol’s faith and the love and hope she spreads is nothing short of a miracle of God. She glows with the Spirit’s enabling on her life. I recommend all her books but this one and A New Kind of Normal: Hope-Filled Choices When Life Turns Upside Down, are my favorites.

https://www.amazon.com/When-Lay-Isaac-Down-Circumstances/dp/161291442X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23NGMMDB08W6J&keywords=carol+kent+books&qid=1554810777&s=books&sprefix=carol+kent%2Cstripbooks%2C169&sr=1-1



I also love The Power of a Praying Parent in the mini-books size. I wasn’t able to find the link to that one,  but here is one:


 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0736957677?aaxitk=uBduH2oV.66Xd-WTjo0s-Q&pd_rd_i=0736957677&pf_rd_p=9420597b-7dad-4cbd-a28d-7d676ac67378&hsa_cr_id=6450710550401&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F612lxbfpCtL.jpg&sb-ci-a=0736957677

All these books are unique and awesome and meet a need for information, wisdom and all-around sanity for living. Even if your addicted (or mentally ill/or fill in the blanks) loved one doesn’t live with you it can still affect your life strongly. You may even see signs that are similar in your sober relatives, codependency and what they call in programs, “isms”.  


I love these books, love these authors, I hope to have my devotion book right up there with them one day.



Come join with us over at Somebody’s Mother Online Prayer Support Group. We’ll hold you up in prayer.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/119408188089314/

Tickety-Boo, This and That and Pressing On

Tickety-Boo, This and That and Pressing On



I never knew what Tickety-Boo meant until today. Tickety-boo is an old British saying meaning everything is in good order, or just fine. How many of us would like to have that kind of life, one that is in good order or just fine? I’ll probably not start saying that phrase, though, or you may think I’m Mary Poppins. 


I’ve been thinking about gifts and talents, especially regarding writing, as leading a small group puts more accountability upon me, to continue to learn and grow myself. As I teach WRITING STRATEGIES, by Rosemary Upton, I’m going through the book, The Creative Call: An Artist's Response to the Way of the Spirit Book by Janice Elsheimer, one more time, myself.


Many of you know that I’ve had a computer crash that may have been the end of most of my writings. In Jesus name I say that is not true, and today we are going to THE GEEK SQUAD, and drop the computer off. But it has got me thinking about not being faithful with the many devotionals, articles and manuscripts that the Lord gave me over the years. Many things I wrote, I realize, needed to sit and be seasoned and edited. Many were just procrastinated about, and some were sent as gifts to people, hopefully to help lesson their burdens or to show them what I went through, myself. 


But these scriptures (shown in many versions here) are some that I need to take to heart. The Lord has been SO GOOD to me. I will always give JESUS credit and praise His name. 


To whom much is given much will be required.

“Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!” From Luke 12:48

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” NASB

“And those who have been entrusted with great responsibility will be held more responsible to their master.” TPT


Thinking of these verses and also the chapter about the unfaithful servant; I’d never want to be called that. I will strive to press on, with whatever writings I can retrieve, and be faithful to whatever the Lord has called me to. It’s been cool, reliving with my group, what prompted me to write in the first place, some of my blunders, and the joy and pain of sharing the realities of life with others. I’m so proud of my group; I see greatness within them and call it forth in Jesus name.


Praying we all will have a Tickety-boo life, soon.

Recognizable; My Thoughts on Florida Christian Writer’s Conference, 2019

Do you agree it’s true that we all want to be recognized in some way or the other? That isn’t always something we want to admit, but even the old television program, Cheers’ theme was “You want to go where everybody knows your name.”

It was so cool to go to the Florida Christian Writer’s Conference and see some familiar faces there that I recognized. It is nearly like being on holy ground, the beauty of nature there at Lake Yale is so abundant. 


Once, many years back, when I was in my forties, I was at the Volusia County Fair. A woman came up to me and said she’d been a nurse on duty the day I gave birth to my daughter, Regina, at Halifax Hospital. It had been over 25 years since that wonderful event and I was shocked that she’d recognized me. Maybe because I’d only been fifteen at the time and that was unusual; I hate to say I didn’t recognize her, but that she recognized me, made me feel good. 


When I walked into Carol Kent’s class and her husband Gene, walked up to me, I recognized him immediately. I follow their ministry as Carol’s story has gripped my heart and I, too, know a mother’s sorrow when things don’t work out as we’d hoped for our children.


Although we have very different stories and situations, we share the common bond; love for our children. Although their walk has been painful, Carol is always ready to share the good news of what the Lord our God, is doing in Jason’s life. 


I believe that there is a supernatural anointing upon their lives. There is no way that Gene and Carol and Jason would have the strength, energy or the great passion that they have without it. In the old days, it might’ve been called, a “Holy Unction.” It’s a work of the Holy Spirit to do what is impossible to be done on this earth. Sometimes when there is great trauma in a family, just getting up the next day and pressing on is a miracle in itself.


I really meant it when I told Carol, I registered for the one-day commute to the conference, just to give her a real, in-person hug. It was something I really felt like I needed to do, not for her, but maybe for me. I so appreciate the fact that when all things were darkest in her life, she stepped up, pressed on and did the “next best thing.”  The Lord has been magnified and I am grateful for Carol and the many unsung heroes we meet daily, moms doing what moms do best; love their children, unconditionally. I guess I could start a fan club, but really, we know she’d point us to JESUS. 


Instead of stressing because I was unable to meet all the people I wanted to meet at the conference, I decided to just enjoy what I could. I was able to have extra time with our Word Weaver’s Volusia County group president, Tania, who rode over with me. I was honored to attend Carol’s class, Julie Lavender’s class and a portion of Bob Hostetler’s class (I learned a lot in just that short time.) Keynote speaker, Liz Curtis Higgs was as awesome and funny as I’d always known she would be. Although I wasn’t able to attend Alice Klies’s class, I learned that she sends in four submissions a month to Chicken Soup for the Soul. Wow! No wonder it took me so long to finally be accepted in one. Look for my story “THE THREE MUSKETEERS” in the LIFE LESSONS FROM THE DOG book. 


To those I just saw from afar and didn’t get to spend time with, know you are in my heart and prayers. 


FCWC next conference at Lake Yale will be in October instead of March. This conference is one of the best in the country in my opinion. I have so many good memories of my times spent there. Thanks to all who gave of their time to bless us so much. And Sarah Bulls, may a special blessing come to you for making me those two awesome appointments. I had the time of my life.