A messy garden with ferns and shrubbery

My Messy Garden

FEELING THE NEED for a concentrated time of prayer one morning, I stepped onto the patio with Bible in hand. I felt unsettled and discouraged.  Things were not going as I thought they should, and I felt my heart tugging in several directions.  The needs in my life seemed numerous. I longed for direction, but my prayers seemed to hang suspended…

Bright star in a night sky

A Star to Guide Us

SITTING BENEATH THE STARS at a Christmas concert in the park, I listened to the familiar strains of “We Three Kings” soaring sweetly into the air. As I lifted  my eyes to gaze through the interplay of branches above me, my mind drifted with the words of the song.  I thought about those three kings and the star they followed. …

I voted stickers

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

SO HERE WE ARE in the midst of this messy political season– accusations, half-truths and, contradictory statements swirling around us from everywhere.  How do we navigate through the confusion to land on the truth of where God would lead us? In the last few weeks my Bible study has been studying Jesus’ letters to the seven churches in Revelation.  In…

And The Flowers Fall

And The Flowers Fall

THE FLOWERS SENT by my publisher after the death of my husband were beautiful. The red and white roses, settled amidst the drama of orchids and the soft gracefulness of blue hydrangeas blended together in a stunning Christmas arrangement that lifted my spirits in the sad days following my husband’s death. Now the flowers were dying. As I gathered the…

When New Life Appears

When New Life Appears

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 37:5, 6b When the city arborist stopped by to tell us they had received a grant to plant new trees in our neighborhood, we were delighted. We would…

man and woman embracing with sorrow in their eyes

Can Separated Couples Reconcile? Bringing about Reconciliation after Separation

  This is Part 3 of a 4 part series on separation. You can read Part 1, and 2 on Heart Talk. The question that hangs in the air after a separation occurs is, “Can separated couples reconcile? Is it really possible? Are there success stories of couples who have done this? And how is bringing about a reconciliation possible…

A beautiful Akita dog

Grieving the Death of My Dog

IN THE WEE HOURS of Tuesday morning I sat beside our much-loved 15 year old Akita as he passed from this life. With grief flooding my heart, I prayed that he was entering into a Heaven where God promises that “the wolf will live with the lamb.” Although scripture doesn’t specifically say it, I interpret that to mean that our…

Hand reaching out and letting go

The Ring of Power and Letting Go

Recently I sat at a table having dessert with four women who are presently in different stages of transition after marital crisis, some in recovery, others experiencing continued uncertainty and/or upheaval. One of the women whose marriage had made tremendous progress toward healing, began talking about the importance of “letting go,” a subject I also talk about frequently. The young…