I received an email yesterday from a woman I “met” through this blog. She was hurting and asked for prayer (what an honor to be asked to pray for her!) and I wrote her back this reply. (I’ve changed the name of course.) Dear Teri, I have been praying for you since I read your email—and I’m just so very, very sorry that relationships are so painful for you. I’d like to actually write something specific and (potentially) encouraging … but I can’t tell from your email what the problem is (other than that you are suffering terribly). Were I one of the women in your church that you are…

Those of you who attended my “alumni/advanced” retreat last week in Texas will remember me telling the story of Rick, Annette & Christina Friesen. Christina was the fifteen year old girl who had spent her entire life in foster care/group homes but one day in the summer of 2005 found herself on an airplane next to one of the directors at Peacemaker Ministries, Rick Friesen. To make a long story short, Rick was so struck by this sweet teenager (who was, again, on her way to a new group home) that he and his wife spent weeks finding her (with only her first name and the information that she was…

This morning I called up a woman in my church that I really don’t know very well–but I’ve always wanted to get to know more. (She has ministered grace to our Body in such humble, sweet, intelligent ways … well … she just seemed like the kind of person everyone would always want to spend time with.) It was … funny / strange / a little embarrassing to call her, though … “Ummm, Hi! How are you? Hey–would you ever consider visiting with me for awhile? I’d like to seek your counsel and wisdom on some heart issues and I was wondering if we could visit and maybe, you know,…

Jill Carratini (at RZIM) has written another amazing essay that drew me to the throne of God in worship–and I hope will do the same for you. Please click through and read it! Here’s a snippet just to encourage you to take a few minutes and read this essay:   “Someone once told me that the opposite of Christlikeness is not sinfulness like we might expect but apathy. The idea that follows is that even the worst sinner who cries out to God is actually closer to the heart of Christ than the one who stands apathetically. The woman caught in adultery and clinging to the feet of Christ was…

I think about this topic a lot. PLUS — it’s a great conversation opener–especially for evangelism. So how would you answer these questions? 1. Where did I come from? (origin) 2. Why am I here? (purpose) 3. How should I live? (morality) 4. Where am I going? (What is my ultimate destiny?)   Isn’t it wonderful (full of wonder!) to be created by God; living for His glory; guided with clear commandments; with the hope and assurance of our Ultimate Home in Heaven with God one day? Grace abounds! Happy Wednesday to all — Love, Tara B.  

I picked up an old copy of Jane Eyre last night as I was waiting for Fred to get home. (He’s been out until 10:30 or 11:00 every night this week preparing materials for my women’s event next week. Boy does he work hard to serve!) In the Preface, M. Currer (AKA Charlotte Bronte) makes this astute observation: “Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. The pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns.” Ahhhhhhh … there’s a reason they call ’em the classics, eh?  …

I’m going through my day and striving to remember this: God  is FOR His children! And He is mighty to save. Amen & Amen  

More from Jill Carattini (at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries); this time on Willful Heartache: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). The heart most open toward God is a heart that is broken before Him. Contrition is a word we now use infrequently, though it remains a powerful call to one of the deepest places of worship. As David discovered, it is not an easy call to answer; it runs counter to our instinct to run, calling us instead to come near with a broken heart. The word “contrite” derives from the Latin word contritus, meaning…

I received this email from a woman who won a prize for completing my “peacemaking women” survey and boy! It was SO encouraging that I thought I would share it with you too. Love to all, Tara B. “I just had to let you know how our sovereign God works through others. I received your package in the mail today and was in disbelief when I opened the package. You sent me a copy of Dr. Welch’s book on depression and there is no way you could have known that I had been trying to figure out a quick way to get a copy to give a friend of mine.…

I just received a wonderfully encouraging email that included a link to a John Piper sermon and I thought it might be a blessing to you too: The Man Went Down to His House Justified I encourage you to drink it in and head into your day with your heart fixed firmly on the Saving, Redeeming, Steadfast Love of the Lord! To tempt you a little, I’ll let you know that in this sermon, Pastor Piper asks three questions: 1. What difference does it make that the eternal, incarnate, fully divine, fully human, sinless Son of God spoke this? 2. What difference does it make that his main reason for…