BLOGS
Strength and comfort for the new year
The new year rang in and we’re taking down the tree. It’s the calm after the storm. But for many there were storms within the storm. Some may have been blustery, and others passed without notice. Holidays with family and friends can create the moments that memories...
A Christmas Note
Dear Friends, Forgive the long delay since I last blogged. I have had the wonderful blessing of family and puppies filling the house. Yes, not one but two puppies – one our daughter’s. We call it the “Dog and Tony Show.” If you haven’t had a puppy in the house lately,...
Another Heavenly Birthday
Nov. 12th marked another heavenly birthday for my daughter Dawn. I’ll never know if she would have become the Olympic ice skater or hand surgeon that she dreamed of becoming, or if she would have a family of her own and I would be a grandmother several times over by...
Have you turned your back on God?
This week, my husband John and I were remembering back on the time after my first husband, Gerry, and our children, Dawn, Stephen, and Michael lost their lives in a fiery car crash. John related how my therapist asked him, “how does she not hate God?” When tragedies...
10-4
Various agencies use the term 10-4 meaning “ok,” “understood,” and “message received.” It just so happens my birthday is on 10-4. This year I began my day as usual kneeling to pray. I always close by praying for the people and situations on the hand-written lists...
Escape the Coming Night
Life can feel unpredictable these days. We feel distracted, confused and at times anxious. We don’t want to worry, but we do. As children of the one true God, we are called to faith not fear, but, we fear what the future holds and we fear that life as we know it is...
A Gold Star Tribute
Their pain is not forgotten. A Gold Star Tribute: August is a heart-wrenching month for me and it just got worse this year with the senseless deaths of 11 US Marines, an Army Soldier and a Navy Medic. To our Gold Star families - I am so very sorry for your...
Hope
Friends, a thought for today. “…what we need to know, is not just that God exists, not just that beyond the steely brightness of the stars there is a cosmic intelligence of some kind that keeps the whole show going, but that there is a God right here in the thick of...
Another Year
August twelfth marks another year since my husband, Gerry, and our three young children, Dawn, Stephen and Michael were killed in a tragic car accident. Throughout these years people have often said to me, “I don’t know how you do it.” How do I do it? For me, the path...
Prayers Answered
Last Thursday morning before John drove me to the hospital, I sat in our butterfly garden and prayed, "Lord Jesus, I want to thank you for the amazing group of prayer warriors that you have placed in my life." I pray with them this morning Lord, according to your...
Finding Faith in a Foxhole
I am sure that you may have hear the quote, "There are no atheists in foxholes." One of the explanations of the term is that in times of great fear or impending catastrophe, men and women will believe in, or hope for a “higher power” that will be merciful and lift...
Father’s Day 2021
Happy Father’s Day to all of our wonderful dads and to all men who have been a ‘dad’ to others in so many ways. We are so very grateful for your love, your tireless energy, and the caring you show in providing for your families in every way. May God bless and protect...
Forever
This week, I came across a famous comment by a popular comedian of the 1900’s named Groucho Marx. He quipped, “These are my principles. And you if you don’t like them… I have others.” Unfortunately, I’m sure we can all think of people that Groucho’s ‘joke’ may...
Words to build by
Have you ever lived in a house that was getting a new roof? For the last two weeks the rhythmic pounding of the roofers started each morning by 8am. On occasion an exceptionally loud bang would startle me. Today is Sunday and I am happy to be able to hear the ticking...
@living_through_loss
It’s hard to hear the answer to prayer through the background noise of our tears and the desperation of loss. But it is not to say that God is absent in the tragedies of life. In my experience, He works faithfully and powerfully even when the heart cannot feel it...
Why must we suffer?
As I bow my head to pray these days, I find myself praying for more and more people who are suffering. I pray for their healing and comfort, and for their families to endure. And, as I find myself adding to this list seemingly every day, and with it being the Easter...
The Olive Tree
Long ago there was a monk who needed olive oil, so he planted a small olive tree. After he planted it, he prayed, “Lord, please send gentle showers. My tree needs water so its tender roots will drink and grow." And the Lord sent gentle showers. The monk prayed again....
Who?
Who? Who’s Habakkuk? This past week our Bible group wrapped up the study of the Book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk is one of the minor prophets of the Bible. The group of twelve “minor” prophets were named so, not because their words were of less value, but because their...
Tell your story
Last week I was asked to submit a quote for a magazine article on grief. The writer wanted me to answer the question, “when you are grieving what is the most helpful thing someone could say to or do for you?” She asked me to do it in one or two sentences! It was no...
I hope you dance
This past weekend, I decided to reorganize my study. Mostly, this involved moving some furniture around, rearranging pictures, and sorting through myriad books collected over the years. As with any such task, the process served to be a stroll through the past....
Dying Grace
There is living grace and saving grace, but have you heard of dying grace? Perhaps not, because while you are saved and living, you are not in need of dying grace. Like manna in the desert, God provides us with the portion of grace that we need for each day. The...
Speak to God’s glory
We must “...open our mouth and speak to His glory,” Louie Giglio recently said in a sermon. Times are tough. We all need encouragement and inspiration to get through these days. If you have been saved by God’s grace through your faith, won’t you multiply that grace by...
A Prayer for our New Year
2020 marked one of the most trying years of many of our lives. From the unprecedented global pandemic to civil and political unrest to school and business closures, the list goes on and on before we even get to the many who have experienced loss in all these...
A Christmas Gift
This past week my author friend Kimberly Duffy asked a question on Instagram, “Did you get anything [for Christmas] you didn’t know you wanted but has proven to be the best thing?” I received one such gift that I thought fit Kim’s description. At first it was a...
It’s busy!
It’s busy, and the busyness and distractions of daily life can pull us away from our spirituality and closeness to the Lord. But what if we fill our busyness with the presence of God so that it no longer pulls us away from Him, but speaks directly to us of Him? For a...
A Day of Joy
by Will Searcy Today is a special Sunday. We are all well aware that Christmas is right around the corner. As with every year, this time comes with its annual traditions, festivities, and a certain level of stress. For some of us, its nostalgia can...
Take His Hand
Dear Friends, We are in the midst of Advent, a season of great hope and expectation. The Love that came for us so very long ago continues to beckon our hearts today. I have been following Louis Giglio’s daily devotional for Advent, “Waiting Here For You,” and I would...
Finding time for God
Each of us has an appointed number of days on this earth but do we ever take the time to think about what that means? Psalm 90:12 says, ‘teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’ What does it mean to ‘number our days?’ It means to...
Heavenly Birthdays
November 12th marks another heavenly birthday for my precious daughter, Dawn. When I think of her, I smile through my tears at the memory of her warm, sunny smile that would brighten the cloudiest day. At eight years old Dawn brought endless joy to her family and...
Take care of yourself
Hope everyone had restful weekends and are recharged for the week! In light of World Mental Health Day this month (and considering we are entering the winter months of a pandemic quarantine) I’ve decided to share Dr. Laurie Santos’ top suggestions for maintaining...
Remembering our Guardian Angels
In our country, we are facing many difficulties and uncertainties. With a pandemic that has lasted now more than six months, businesses struggling, people uncertain about their next paycheck, and the uncertainty of a major election thrown on top of all of it, we...
The Song of St. Francis
I was born on October 4th. Growing up my birthday was a special day not just because it was my birthday, but because it fell on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis was a popular saint in the Catholic community and especially in the Italian-Catholic...
What are you doing?
God is always providing us with new opportunities and calling us to varied roles in our life. Sometimes we may feel like we are not doing what we think He is calling us to do. Maybe we feel like we should be achieving greater things while we cultivate the same field...
I am clean
Last month my husband and I bought an older home. We knew there were lots of renovations we would have to oversee, and a significant one was replacing the kitchen flooring. It was a lovely stone floor twenty-five years ago, but so dark and discolored by years of wear...
A Prayer During the Pandemic
A Prayer During the Pandemic Since the Coronavirus pandemic forced my church to go virtual, the pastor has begun praying the following prayer. Each time I pray it, it really centers me. I remember to focus on what is important, which is why I thought I would...
The Rock we stand on
While I’ve written often about managing stress, overcoming failure, balancing pressure, and other similar topics, I wanted to use this blog to bring those themes back to the Bible. I certainly employ the outlets and techniques I write about, and find many ways to...
Faithfulness in the storm
As I prayed for inspiration for a blog this week, the threat of a hurricane, COVID-19, and the challenging times that we are facing, made me think of this blog. Written four years ago, it could not be more relevant to our struggles today. 2016 - Traveling back from...
COVID-19 GRIEF
“Why can’t I sleep?” “Where are my glasses?” “Why can’t I focus?” “Where did I put my keys?” If lately you have been asking these questions and more, the reason may be unrecognized grief. Yes, grief. COVID-19 has triggered the grief response in us: We are having...
Happy 4th of July
Today in the United States we celebrate Independence Day. A day commemorating when Thirteen American colonies moved to escape tyranny and establish a free and independent nation. A nation that would firmly rely on the protection of "divine Providence." A country...
Accompaniment
This week, the word accompaniment popped into my head. It all started with a lesson in teaching my three-year-old the importance of making good choices. Long story short, he made a poor choice, which resulted in consequences that he did not like, even though he was...
Thank you, Dad
Did you know that Father’s Day was a day for the celebration of fatherhood in Catholic Europe dating back to 1508? It was usually celebrated on March 19th, the feast day of Saint Joseph, who is considered the earthly father of Jesus. This celebration was brought to...
A Prayer for Justice
Lord, I pray for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and other innocent black lives that were senselessly taken before their time I pray for your black children whose lives continue to be threatened and impacted by racism in our society today I pray for your...
“Crisis Fatigue”
As you head out today, do you smile as the clouds course across the sky, or do you reach for your umbrella? Do you see the glory of God’s creation in a meadow of wildflowers or do recoil at the thought of bug bites? These days when “Snoopy” kisses you do you hug him...
Why not try kindness?
I was stopped at a red light yesterday, and I saw a sign on the corner. It simply stated, "Why not try kindness?" I'll admit, I applauded in my car. Over the past week, I have gone through each day with a heavy heart. As if the pandemic and shut down were not enough...
Pressure to Productive
During quarantine, I’ve heard many describe a feeling of guilt or pressure to do more. This idea that being stuck at home should make us suddenly extremely productive. The idea that we should be working longer hours, accomplishing more tasks and chores, or getting...
Don’t Despair!
When King David was at a point of despair in his life, he gave himself a pep talk and penned these words: I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for...
His Promise
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Joel 2:32) What a comforting thought! There are no souls in hell who love, trust, worship and call on the name of the Lord. When we love, trust in and serve Jesus Christ we are saved. It would be contrary to...
Treatment for Coronavirus
It has almost been two months since the Coronoavirus was declared a pandemic. Like many of you, I have spent those months at home, struggling to adjust to a change in life as we have always known it. While I could discuss at length the struggles we've endured, I don't...
Thank and Love One Another
(I am so incredibly proud – and thankful – for our precious daughter, Meredith, and for her blog this week. John and I were blessed to have her home with us for five weeks – and we miss her!! This picture was taken on a windy after dinner walk...
Stand firm
“It [is] the best of times, it [is] the worst of times.”1 This phrase of Charles Dickens can apply to many conflicts. Today, for all of us, in the middle of this life-changing pandemic, those words are relevant to our response to present situation. We can’t control...
Alleluia forever!
Dear Friends, Easter is our feast of freedom. It fills the lives it touches with Joy. The world needed a promise of unconditional love, of undeserved mercy, and of amazing grace. Christ is risen, we are forgiven, and love has won for us an eternal victory. Our life...
Today, tomorrow and always
One night, a couple of weeks ago, after Coronavirus ‘social distancing’ became our new reality, John and I woke up in the early hours of the morning. Our thoughts were agitating on the safety of our children, our extended family and friends, and what we would need to...
A time of choosing
On Wednesday, Pope Francis gave a beautiful and poignant blessing to the world and prayed for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. It was incredibly powerful, and I encourage you to read the full text here. Amid his beautiful analogy in which he compared us facing this...
Be of good courage
"Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength." Napoleon Bonaparte During this difficult time, we can "be strong and of good courage." We 'do not fear...for the LORD our God, He is the One who goes with us. He will not leave...
My rock in times of trouble
Dear Friends, This past week, with a very heavy heart, I had to cancel our Bible Study. It was the last class of a twenty-three-session study on the Life of David and I agonized over my decision. But we have more than ten people in our group and the health of my...
The Coronavirus
Corona means crown. The virus is called corona because under a microscope it appears to have a halo or crown around it. But there is nothing regal about a virus. In fact, a virus is not even a living organism. It can’t think, grow or heal itself. It can replicate...
Remember your hat!
Yesterday I almost left for our walk - without my hat, and it reminded me of a day when I did forget that hat. Every morning John and I take an hour-long walk. We live in a warm, sunny climate, so we never leave without our sunglasses and our signature hats. They are...
Get up and Grow
I love inspiration quotes and puns and this recent phrase on LinkedIn really stuck with me. Get up and Go conveys this idea of rushing out the door in the morning and apathetically sprinting through your daily tasks, whereas Get up and Grow makes me think about...
An exercise in loving your neighbor
Next time you're out driving and you are stopped at a busy intersection, I want you to try something. Without getting too distracted and missing the green light (I don't want to advocate reckless driving - so do this only for a few moments while stopped at a red...
A box of red flowers
A brown cardboard box filled with crimson carnations sat on a bench at Jupiter Beach this Thursday. It was Valentine’s Day, and large writing on the box proclaimed, “Valentine’s Day S---s.” It said if you are having a bad day, take a flower. This is the second...
Remembering our sons
Three months ago, I published my blog, Remembering Our Daughters. Today, I would like to remember our sons. This past New Year’s Eve, my son Stephen would have been thirty-seven, and my son Michael would be thirty-four tomorrow, February 11th. I can remember the...
Be ready for what tomorrow brings
There was a loud unidentifiable noise last Monday on our morning walk. My husband and I were at a point on the walk where the Sea Grapes obscured our vision of the beach. But up ahead, we could see a small crowd gathering. A paraglider had crashed into the ocean. The...
Count your blessings
The author, Thomas Fuller, once wrote that the darkest hour was just before dawn. Just as the sun sets and rises on each new day, so are we confronted with different ‘nights’ in our lives. Sometimes they're small. Maybe someone cut us off in traffic when we were...
Be a person after God’s heart
King David, once a shepherd and musician, who killed Goliath, was on the run. His handsome, popular but treacherous son was hunting him down to kill him and make himself king. David and his trustworthy soldiers and servants were dirty, hungry and tired as they fled on...
Go where the water is!
Recently, one of my roommates introduced me to a wonderful church in our area, and after a hiatus from church-going, I feel compelled to continue attending this vibrant and energizing house of worship. The message presented last Sunday was inspiring and illuminating...
Hope for the New Year
Pictured: Will (on right) and his friend DJ at the National Championship It is the hope of a New Year! If I am to be honest, that is a strangely difficult phrase for me to say. It is not that I am without hope. Rather, I find myself so filled with gratitude for the...
A bold New Year’s resolution
Today with the glow of the joy and peace of Christ’s birth, we prepare to ring in the new year – 2020 is upon us. We pivot from the goodness of humanity into the challenges and brokenness of daily life. Some are starting new jobs, new lives together, and new families,...
Remembering our brothers and sisters
(Pictured is my brother Sonny, my sister-in-law, Carol, me & John) The hope filled season of Advent and Christmas changes the busyness of our often over programmed lives. As we deck the halls with reds and greens, string lights and hum Christmas carols, the spirit...
What makes you happy?
I was traveling back from Thanksgiving break – a day of airports, flights, and down time – and was finally able to begin the bestselling novel Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. It was, as described, “compulsively readable”, and I tore through it. The plot was...
The Greatest Sports Writer
I love sports for many reasons. There are the games, the strategy, and the competition amongst different personalities with varying skill, all with the same desire. This combination proves, time and again, to be the perfect script for palpable drama and stories that...
Lessons from Madelyn
by Rosa Fini-Sullivan, MD Some places reflect eternity easily. Perhaps you have a special place where your heart can shed the layers of this world. A place where you go apart, to tune in, to open the heart's door. A place where you are able to be still, to await God's...
Tell your story
Dear Friends, This past weekend I was up north and gave a talk on Saturday morning at The New England Prayer Center breakfast. I agreed to give this talk before I found out that the topic was “Heroes of Faith.” I never considered myself a hero in any realm, and I have...
Remembering our daughters
Dawn (far right) with her skating friends. This coming Tuesday, my daughter Dawn, would be thirty-nine years old. She was a sweet and precious girl who moved to heaven when she was just eight years old. I am writing this birthday blog today not just for my daughter...
“Godwinks” get me every time
Are you about ready to give up on something? Do you feel like you have been working and working but getting nowhere? Well, I feel your frustration. For three years, Will and I have been struggling to get out our message of hope through our manuscript. It’s pretty well...
Happy all Hallow’s Eve
As all of those with children or grandchildren are aware this time of year, Halloween, or "All Hallow's Eve," is right around the corner. While we spend time carving pumpkins, eating sweets, and dressing in costumes, we can also take some time to celebrate the origins...
Food for the Soul
Whether you’re preparing it, eating it, or sharing it, food is something that brings us all together. Of course, we need food to survive, but we also think about it every day for other reasons. We give thanks for those whose hard work gave us the ingredients,...
Blueberry Muffins, anyone?
Meredith and her boyfriend, Eli, had a 7 AM flight out of DC this morning to come home for a visit. Knowing they would not have time for breakfast before leaving, I put out a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, a pumpkin-chocolate chip pound cake, and some of my homemade...
God’s Plan
Some days we are reminded that God is in control, and we are better off to just trust and accept what comes our way. For me, today was one such day. More accurately, this afternoon was. My wife was planning on going out for a birthday celebratory dinner with her...
Falling short and God’s forgiveness
We don’t need to be told that we all mess up, make mistakes, and well, flat out sin. The good news is that our failures need not define us. David committed adultery, Moses had anger issues, Rahab was a prostitute, Peter denied Christ, and Paul persecuted Christians....
A story of faith
One of my favorite Bible verses regarding our faith consists of a prayer of the Lord Jesus Himself. In Luke chapter 22, Jesus and His disciples are around the Last Supper table and Jesus addresses the apostle Peter: “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for...
Louder Than Words
On my last trip of the summer, I traveled to Japan with my parents and brother. Speaking about it after the fact, I’ve described it as more of an adventure than a vacation. Between the extreme travel time, the daily exploration of the cities, and the non-stop learning...
Save the Bahamas
I woke up to this reading on Tuesday morning, after going to sleep the night before with images of destruction in the Bahamas etched in my mind. "Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written for you. For you...
Thoughts on Grief – Part 2
“My heart was racing so fast it jerked me up off my pillows as I gasped for air in my sea of uncontrollable panic. Fear flowed through my veins warning me something horrific was about to happen, but it already had. My consciousness was out of sync as it dashed between...
Faith that doesn’t fail
The religious author, Søren Kierkegaard writes: “When in the dark night of suffering sagacity cannot see a handbreadth ahead of it, then faith can see God, since faith sees best in the dark.” Friends, True heroes of faith are those whose suffering has no appreciable...
Is God “mad” at me?
A friend once asked, “Do you think God is mad at me”? Bryan felt that God was calling him to change some destructive behaviors in his life, and he was hearing but not acting on God’s call. It was a question I took some time to think about, and while I was thinking, I...
Thoughts on Grief – Part 1
by Donna Marie Berger When we are coasting along a smooth, straight road and the sun is shining, it is so easy to say, “Praise God!” We thank Him and trust Him and love Him for all the good things in our life. But what happens when dark clouds roll in bringing job...
“swiftly fly the years…”
by Donna Marie Berger The Bible tells us that ‘children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3 NLT), and Jesus says, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me.” (Mark 9:37 NLT) It seems like yesterday my husband and I welcomed Laura...
Act With Mercy
by Will Searcy This past Sunday, we heard the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). This beautiful teaching is not only inspirational, but is also Jesus's parable that summarizes God's law and reveals the key to eternal life. In it, Jesus affirmed the scholar's...
A weekend meditation
by Meredith Berger This was the first official week of my new position at work, and I started Monday coming off of a 4-day road trip with seven friends. While it’s been very exciting, it’s also been a whirlwind, and sitting down to write hasn’t been so easy. Do you...
The freedom to be free
This week we celebrated Independence Day, a holiday commemorating the day that the thirteen American colonies declared themselves a new nation free from British rule. The colonists fought for freedom from being ruled by a government that had become oppressive. After...
Try something new
photo by designecologist from Pexels by Donna Marie Berger Last week I attended an acting class at the Burt Reynolds Institute in North Palm Beach, Florida. I am working on upcoming speaking engagements and wanted some feedback on my presentation. My dear friend,...
Living in Summer for Winter
photo by Chris Lawton/Unsplash With the official beginning of summer and the transition from the Easter season into ordinary time, I began thinking about the seasons of our lives. I think of myself as being in the summer of my life, God willing, and in thinking of...
Happy Father’s Day
by Donna Marie Berger Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Teach your children in the way they should go; and even when they are old they will not depart from it.” Today I would like to celebrate all the dads out there who give of themselves in so many ways on a daily basis...
Faith in Peru
By Meredith Berger & Eli Newschaffer We recently returned from Cusco, after 9 days in Peru. It was a beautiful trip and we were impressed by the stunning views, delicious food, and especially the strong link between the city, its historical roots, and faith....
A son of God
by Will Searcy On May 30, God blessed my family with the addition of a baby boy. Luke Anthony Searcy was born at 8:06 a.m. and weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces. To try to summarize or characterize the emotion of a new child is a task that is well beyond my ability, but I...
Jesus took the wheel
Photo by Iván Rivero from Pexels by Donna Marie Berger It’s a fourteen-hour drive from Charlottesville, VA to our home in Florida. Halfway home we stopped in Charleston for the night. After that much needed rest, we started out on the home stretch. John...
Blessings on your graduation
To our son on his graduation By Donna Marie and John Berger May 19, 2019 Dearest Christian, As you graduate, our hearts are overflowing with joy for the person you have become and what you have accomplished. We are so very proud of you! You already know that life is a...
Margin Living
Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash by Jennifer Deinard, ACC True love is found at the margins. I know this to be true. I was never a margin girl until I was twenty-three years old. Before then I was an only daughter of two loving parents, well educated in private...
Hallelujah!
Photo by Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash by Will Searcy As I sat with my family in our pew on Easter Sunday, I was truly happy. It has been three years since my mother passed, and sitting with all my siblings and father, our family felt as close to whole as I have...
Dominion over the fish
by Meredith Berger Last Sunday I celebrated Easter with my boyfriend Eli’s family in Westchester, Pennsylvania. Moments after getting out of our car, Eli’s uncle motioned for us to follow him into the backyard. There, in a muddy runoff stream, was a great big Koi...
A tale of two umbrellas
by Donna Marie Berger I was getting out of my car at Publix, when a bolt of lightning, followed by a crash of thunder literally shoved me back into the car. Those who are familiar with the tropical climate of south Florida are used to the whimsy of the weather here....
Cross equals love, love equals Cross
by Will Searcy We are already halfway through Lent, which means Easter will be here before we know it. While our minds may wander to thoughts of food and family, parties and planning, we must also focus on what makes this joyous occasion possible. Without Good Friday,...
Stomach bugs and God’s love
by Meredith Berger Last week I fell extremely ill very suddenly. I woke up a little shaky with a slight fever, but made it into my office. Then things began unraveling quickly. My fever spiked, my chills grew, and nausea hit. I went home with flu medicine and didn’t...
The “mix-up”
by Donna Marie Berger One day last month my son called to say he was sick and had run out of his vitamin supplements. Having been a nurse practitioner, I have a company I order supplements from, and I told him I would place an order for him. I ordered him Vitamin C,...
A St. Patrick’s Day Prayer
“What a friend we have in Jesus…What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! Listen here by Donna Marie Berger An acquaintance of mine presented me with a whole new perspective on prayer today. I have known Eileen for about six months. I had seen her often...
Finding Heaven in Lent
photo by Ahna Ziegler/Unsplash.com by Will Searcy This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, and aside from being that one day a year when conspicuous smudges on people's face often go unmentioned, it marked the beginning of Lent. The confusion over Lent, its practice,...
Kindness or Honesty, finding the balance
by Meredith Berger I have had anxiety lately about the difference between being kind and being honest. This is something I’ve thought about a lot over the years (after I dabbled with moral philosophy back in college.) More recently though, in frustrating situations...
Be A Blessing!
by Donna Marie Berger A few days ago, I called a restaurant in Charlottesville, VA to make a dinner reservation for the evening of my son’s graduation. The mention of graduation sparked a conversation with the man who answered my call. He related to me that his son...
How Much Is Enough? What is God calling us to?
Photo by Franco Lanfredi on Unsplash by Will Searcy During the holidays, I was traveling with family, so I happened to attend a different church. It was snowing when we arrived. We crossed a short wooden bridge over a small creek and were met by a colorfully lit...
Turning sorrow into healing
by Donna Marie Berger On February 11th, my precious son, Michael would have been 33 years old. Last week, my first-cousin, Frank, buried his beautiful 31-year-old daughter, Monica. This month will mark the first anniversary of the death of my nephew, Al. With life,...
What’s your love language?
by Meredith Berger Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, and most people I know have little prepared. Perhaps they’ve brainstormed, waivered on a few options, but just can’t seem to commit to a gift. It’s a lot of pressure to prove your love in one day, and after all, we...
Reflecting ‘His light’
by Donna Marie Berger The news cycle is 24 hours a day of unmitigated misery. We are constantly bombarded by negativity, hatred and disrespect. And, then comes a ‘random act of kindness’ that breaks through the darkness reflecting the light of God…. I have a dear...
Will it take another 20 years?
by Donna Marie Berger I have begun preparing our Bible Study of the First book of Samuel which starts up soon. Some of the early chapters record the history of how the people of Israel turned away from God and how their faith eroded. The elders had failed to...
Evaluating our Heart
Photo by Malcolm Garret from Pexels by Will Searcy Next time you’re out driving and you are stopped at a busy intersection, I want you to try something. Without getting too distracted and missing the green light (I don’t want to advocate reckless...
Resolute Resolutions
by Meredith Berger 2019 is here! Did we achieve everything we wanted to in 2018? Probably not. Did our previous resolutions last more than a few months? Also no. Last year I wrote my New Year’s blog on seeing resolutions as a way to challenge yourself to do more...
Happy New Year
Stephen Michaud 12/31/1982 - 8/12/1989 Holidays with family and friends can create the moments that memories are made of. But the many faces of loss can rub the shine off those special times. The holiday can become a time of sadness instead of celebration when it...
Grow Our Hearts Three Sizes
by Will Searcy We are well into the Advent season, and as with every year, we celebrate both a mixture of our faith and the secular customs of Christmas. I think for most of us, especially if you have small children like me, it can be tempting to get so caught up in...
Through It All
Dear Friends, That greatest love that was poured out for us so long ago unceasingly calls us to prepare our hearts for the Lord. Bing Crosby once crooned, “the secret of Christmas [is] not the things you do at Christmas time, but the Christmas things you do all year...
I ruined the cookies
by Meredith Berger ~ Reading my Mom’s blog last week reminded me how important is it to find a reason to be thankful even when it feels like everything is falling apart. This mentality of giving thanks is not isolated to Thanksgiving, and we are called to live it...
Do you know…?
by Donna Berger ~ Do you know that thankful people are happier and healthier? Scientific studies actually show that thankful people are happier, have stronger relationships, and have higher functioning immune systems. “Be thankful,” or “Give Thanks,” this holiday...
Saved?!
by Donna Berger During a dinner conversation a while back, a long-suffering friend of mine commented that he wasn’t sure he was ‘saved’ and questioned, “how do I know if I am saved?” The question needed to be answered, but the conversation moved on. The apostle Thomas...
Hope Personified
by Will Searcy This past weekend, I was scrolling through Twitter to get updated on the day's news when a video caught my eye. It showed a boy receiving a football jersey as a gift, and his reaction was not what you would...
Burning the candle at both ends
by Meredith Berger Do you ever feel like you’re trapped in a loop? Like one of those scenes in a movie when the sun sets and the moon rises and then the moon sets and the sun rises, and so on, in rapid succession? Your weeks blending together, the hours in the day...
Saved by grace through faith
by Donna Berger This fall our Bible group is studying the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians. The letter is highly regarded as Paul’s greatest work and has been called among many praises, “the holy of holies of Paul’s writings.” It is cleanly divided into two part:...
Thy Will, Not My Will
Recently, I've been thinking about the situation Mary found herself in when the angel Gabriel came to her with great news (or what we all now know to be the greatest news this world has ever or will ever receive). I try to put myself in her shoes, a young, likely...
Live in the light
by Donna Berger Last weekend, I was in Gainesville (FL) at the Senior Games. Adults 50 years and older can compete in athletic events such as archery, bowling, golf, pickle ball, swimming and more. At the track and field events, I was inspired by the dedication of...
Conquering Fears
This weekend I went to Richmond, VA and visited my friend Anna who is a talented rider. I've been afraid of horses my entire life (they are HUGE!), but she taught me how gentle and obedient they are, and by the end of the day I was comfortably riding and feeding them....
I Want to Get Better
This past Friday, I went and visited my childhood nanny in the hospital. "Lee Lee," as my siblings and I called her, was like another mother to us. She fed us, taught us, and disciplined us far more than she should have needed to, but never more than she should have....
A chance encounter
by Donna Berger Recently I was on my morning walk, when I noticed a woman up ahead of me wearing jogging clothes but walking in a pair of dress sandals. As I closed the gap between us, I wondered about the unusual combination. Unless you are headed down to the beach,...
God’s Plan
by Meredith Berger There are times we reflect back on, in which we thought we knew best, when, in fact God’s plan was much better than our own. Situations where we perhaps inserted ourselves, confident we were right, only to find the Lord saw us somewhere else....
Judas Among Us
Last weekend, I celebrated a joint birthday party for my two boys, who turned three and one years old. It was a time for celebration and also a time for reflection. Particularly with my oldest, I cannot believe where the time has gone. I remember him being like his...
How do you do it?
By Donna Berger This past week marked twenty-nine years since my husband, Gerry, and our three young children, Dawn, Stephen and Michael were killed in a tragic car accident. Throughout those years people have often said to me, “I don’t know how you do it.” How do I...
Are we only good when things are bad?
by Meredith Berger I was on a drive back from a beautiful small town in Virginia where my boyfriend and I had spent the weekend. It was so relaxing, driving the lush Blue Ridge Highway and stopping at overlooks to take in the mountain air. As we headed to D.C., I...
Faith when the unimaginable happens
by Donna Berger When Tia Coleman got on the Branson Duck Boat two weeks ago with her ten family members, she never dreamed she would be only one of two members of the Coleman family to survive the trip. It was a heart-breaking tragedy for everyone involved, but I...
“I Love You Just the Way You Are”
by Will Searcy This weekend, when flipping through the channels looking for something to watch, I stumbled upon a documentary entitled "Mr. Rogers and Me." Admittedly, I do not recall watching "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" as a child, though I'm sure I did, but I...
What do you really need?
by Meredith Berger The topic of “need” came up this week a few times, and has had me thinking about what is truly essential to my life. It started with an anecdote from Church, where the priest told us about a trip where he and his entire group lost their luggage....
Let’s Pray
by Donna Berger Why do we pray? God certainly does not need us to tell Him what the desires of our heart are or what our needs are. He knows them even before we do. He can set our table each night at 6pm and lay out a feast for us. But the Lord loves us too much to...
Land of the Free
As we celebrate the freedom our country enjoys, and as we reflect on the sacrifices to preserve the freedom that many men and women have made over the centuries, I also wanted to reflect on our own personal freedom. We are free people with the free will to do as we...
Relationships
by Meredith Berger For my birthday, my friend gave me a very thoughtful gift - “Heart Talk” by Cleo Wade, and an invite to go see her speak in DC. This gift was perfect, since my friend and I are both constantly discussing emotional intelligence, especially in...
OMG!
by Donna Berger ~ The third of the ten commandments says, "Don't take the name of the Lord your God in vain." For as long as I can remember, and now with increasing frequency, references to God are commonplace. “OMG!” “God!” “Jesus!” And, what seems to be a favorite...
Why don’t we listen?
by Will Searcy I'm typing to you amidst hour-two of my two-year-old refusing to chew and swallow the food in his mouth. My wife and I have tried everything. We've enticed him with promises of chocolate, books, and playtime after he finishes the food in his mouth,...
What Lies Beneath
Recently, I noticed a friend getting frustrated at seemingly insignificant things. I noticed another retreating to be alone and pulling back from social life, and yet another struggling to focus on work. It can be difficult as a friend or a colleague to deal with...
Deliver us from evil
by Donna Berger ~ Most people have not read through the entire book of Daniel in the Bible. Surely many have heard the story of God delivering Daniel from the lion’s den or saving Daniel’s friends from the fiery furnace. We recognize familiar verses from it such as...
Prayer works
by Will Searcy ~ Last week was a trial, of sorts, for me. It began on a high note, with my wife and I celebrating an early anniversary. We had received a free night's stay at a local hotel, so we spent Saturday relaxing in the hotel pool before coming home to our...
Would you say something?
by Meredith Berger ~ This week I’ve had a few out of the ordinary experiences that have really tested my faith. For my commute to work, I use a ride share service that places me with different drivers each day. It’s convenient, and usually causes no issues – on the...
The valley of vision
Will was away this week, so in lieu of his blog, I would like to share a meditation with you. There is a book entitled The Valley of Vision which is a collection of Puritan prayers. These beautiful seventeenth century prayers are meditations that inspire our faith. I...
Pepperoni Pizza
by Donna Berger - I am so filled with joy when I see young people who are faith-filled and trust in the Lord as they face challenges in life. This week’s blog, with his permission, is written by one such young man. My cousin, Chris, is a smart and personable...
Honor Thy Father and Mother
This past weekend my parents came to visit me in D.C. I don’t see them very often because they live in Florida, so it’s special when we have a few days together. We planned meals and activities (including the Museum of the Bible, which was extraordinary), and tried to...
All Authority Over Heaven and Earth
by Will Searcy - This past week, I was listening to EWTN radio, and the hosts asked their listeners to share an experience with a piece of nature or creation that revealed God to them. There were some very good answers, ranging from animals to the Holy Land, and I...
Death by Suicide – Part II
by Donna Berger - Last month in my blog, Death by Suicide – Part I, I spoke of the challenges of having a loved one suffering from the depression and despair that can lead to suicide, and, the complicated grief of survivors that follows when a loved one dies by...
Can A Religion Exist without God?
I was recently having a conversation about the merits of human-led religion, and if man is willful and powerful enough to lead one successfully. As a Christian, I don’t know how one could have a religion without a God, but those I spoke with seemed to think it was not...
A Better Plan
by Will Searcy March Madness is my favorite sporting event each year. As Christians, we are meant to hope, and nothing breeds hope quite like the opening long weekend of the college basketball tournament. About three-quarters of the field of 68 teams is comprised of...
Death By Suicide – Part I
Losing a loved one breaks our heart, but when that loved one has taken his or her own life, their death presents a unique set of challenges in grieving for those left behind. The ‘complicated grief’ of suicide can leave family and friends feeling weakened and even...
Put aside your pride
by Meredith Berger Every Wednesday I teach English to adults at the Ethiopian Community Development Center near my home in Arlington, VA. It is both exciting and challenging to be the sole instructor for 10 students, teaching complex sentence structures,...
Back to Basics
by Will Searcy Our world has a lot of trouble right now. You can hardly turn on a television or look at your phone or tablet without seeing another example of death, destruction, and discouragement. While we must fight these evils in our world, I also think that we...
Got Joy?
by Donna Berger How are you feeling today? Does the weight of the world have your shoulders sagging? Or, is there a spring in your step because you have the ‘joy’ that lightens your load? The dictionary says joy is “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” But...
Was God in Parkland?
“Where was God?” In the aftermath of the Parkland school tragedy, this question has been asked over and over in print, on television and on the internet. There have even been t-shirts printed up with a “Where was God?” logo. Our culture increasingly subjects God to...
Lost and Found
I had a plethora of topics to choose from for this week’s blog. I considered writing a piece on Ash Wednesday, Mardi Gras, Lent, or even Valentine’s Day. However, (sorry to disappoint) I had something happen to me recently that I felt many could relate to, and I...
Are We Irredeemable or Immortal?
Nick Foles, the Super Bowl winning MVP quarterback, had far from a smooth ascent to his current position atop the football world. Just a year and a half ago, he was released (or fired) over the phone on the reality show, "Hard Knocks." Before deciding to sign with the...
Surviving the fire
Some of us hope and even pray to escape life’s trials and tribulations. As Christians we believe that God is always with us, holding us up with His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10) - and He is. But if we live long enough, something eventually falls apart. Loved...
Faith and Football
Competitive. Aggressive. Physical injury. Heightened emotions. Dangerous loyalty. Those are descriptions that come to mind when I think of the sport of football. Words that don’t immediately come to mind are Christian community, team bible study, and faith. Yes, there...
Thank you for your dream
Thank You for your Dream Monday, we celebrated Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and as I listened to the radio in my car, the host decided to play the most famous portion of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Many of us have heard these inspirational five...
Daniel’s God
It’s 2018! Most of the decorations are snug in their boxes and the last of the Christmas goodies have been polished off. I pray that everyone has a heart full of the miracle of Christmas that will last all the year through. The kids have headed back to work and...
A New Year Purpose
Well, it’s 2018 now and you probably saw the title of this blog and thought, “oh no, not another person trying to guilt me into keeping my New Year resolutions…” I assure you, I’m not here to tell you to cut those carbs or stop that spending. Instead, I’m writing this...
The Dream We Dream
One common trait across all mankind is the propensity to dream. Our dreams aren't all the same, and what some long for may be foolish to another, but from the time we are children, we have dreams for how our life will go. Even the most cynical people in the world have...
Trust in Your Safety System
John and I had just finished up some Christmas shopping at the mall and were headed home. Taking the left on Center Street, we were almost back when an alarm in my car sounded and the screen on my dash flashed bright red with large white letters that said, BRAKE. My...
The pain and joy in waiting
It’s the first week of December, which means it’s officially socially acceptable to start stringing lights, donning your favorite seasonal sweater, and drinking hot chocolate by a fire. Or, if you’re like me, you began your dive into the ‘holiday spirit’ a little...
Does It Actually Work?
We live in a results-driven world. Most endeavors we entertain are weighed with the benefits in mind as opposed to the costs. Is the weight I'll lose worth the pain and time of that workout program? Is the deliciousness of that cookie worth the extra calories? Will...
Something we can all be thankful for
Homes are filled with the fragrance of roasting turkey and pumpkin pie and the hustle bustle of the holiday season is upon us. As I write this blog, I am thankful. This Thanksgiving our family is healthy and happy and we will be able to gather together to celebrate...
A Baptismal Wish
This past Saturday was a wonderful day. My second son, Bennett, was baptized into Christ's church, and we spent the day celebrating with family and friends. With the birth of my first child, I had considered what I wanted for him. After going through all the typical...
Never stop praying
Psalm 55:17 says, “Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice.” And, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to, “Never stop praying.” So, when I read comments after the Texas Church tragedy that said, “Enough with the ‘thoughts and prayers...
Embracing My Inner-Kid
Nothing brings out the inner-kid in you quite like having a two-year-old. It is a special age in which the child learns and grows at such a torrid pace that every day is full of new discovery. If you take the time to live vicariously through (scratch that) engage with...
Brittney M. McBath 5/14/1990 – 10/5/2017
I never met Brittney McBath, but I feel like I have always known her. This past summer when my friend Cindy called to ask if our Bible study would pray for Brittney, none of us knew the journey we would be embarking on together. Brittney was Cindy’s daughter,...
In the midst of chaos
It has been a difficult month. From Barbuda to Las Vegas and far beyond in every direction, natural and man-made disasters are overwhelming us. The sharp knife of death and destruction is cutting deeply, leaving many if not most, stressed, depressed, anxious and numb....
A Modern Day Miracle
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. But, it’s not always about us. Sometimes God uses ordinary people who love and obey Him, to accomplish His purpose...
The Heart of the Lion of Judah
This past Friday, I attended the funeral services for John Paul George. John Paul was not supposed to survive longer than a few days after birth, but through prayer and God's grace, he grew into a fine young man, a story the George family recounted in their book,...
Your Will Be Done
My friend Carolyn called me up yesterday and we were discussing the state of our world: floods, fires, threats of war, and social and political upheaval, when she said listen to this: “Violence is everywhere…Must [we] forever see these evil deeds? Why must [we] watch...
Pray for Charlottesville “On Many Sides”
C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive." It's a witty quote, one I cite often because it really gets to the heart of Jesus's teaching. From an outside perspective, forgiveness seems logical. If all people...
28th Anniversary
This week last year, my blog was a remembrance of my husband Gerry and our three precious children, Dawn, Stephen and Michael, who were tragically killed in a car accident 27 years ago. Year 28 whispered by this past weekend and again I am so very grateful for the...
Hall of Fame Dad
When we think of the Hall of Fame, we usually think of great accomplishment. It’s a term most often associated with sports, where the best athletes compete with the best athletes and only the very cream of the crop is remembered for all-time. But, the same can be...
That Good-Bye Hug
My alarm went off at 4:30 this morning. I pulled on some clothes and headed downstairs to pack a cooler with bottles of water along with the turkey sandwiches and chocolate cookies I made last night. My son, Christian, was getting an early start on the 14 hour drive...
Such As These
"13 Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these...
Playing the Hand We Are Dealt
Last week on TV, I heard a professional player at the World Poker Championship paraphrase a quote from Randy Pausch, saying, “I can’t control the cards that are dealt, but I can control how I play the hand.” The actual quote from Randy’s book, The Last Lecture, reads...
Pain Is a Blessing
There is logic behind the title to this article, and I promise to do my best to articulate it for you. This topic has been on my mind since last week, when my Bible Study referenced 2 Corinthians. Paul begins this chapter by speaking of his vision of heaven in the...
Love Offerings
Last month I posted a mini-message on Facebook about how the simplest things in life can be seen as displays of love and service in the eyes of the Lord. The next day, a close friend said, “Wow, I really needed to hear that!” In her role as a mom, wife, daughter,...
Humble Moses Wins NBA Rookie of the Year
Malcolm Brogdon, nicknamed "Humble Moses" by his family and "President" by his college and professional teammates, won the NBA's highest honor for rookie players on Monday night. As a second round pick, Brogdon was the lowest drafted player to ever win the award....
To the Parents of Otto Warmbier
My blog this week is in response to the recent release by the North Korean government of imprisoned University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier. Otto, who arrived home on June 13, passed away Monday afternoon. This is an open letter to Cindy and Fred Warmbier, Otto’s...
God Loves You
"I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least." -Walt Whitman This past Sunday, I had one of those moments that cannot be defined with words. My wife, child, and I arrived to church a little early, and so we had a few minutes to spare...
Make Room
With one child studying abroad and the other working full time, the task of driving the twin’s car back home fell on me and John. So last week we headed up to Virginia and began the trek back to Florida. We had to first make a stop in D.C., so by the time we reached...
Great Marriage Quotes
My wife and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary a few weeks ago, and now we are heading off to see some of our best friends get married this weekend. It's springtime, so I guess it's fitting that love and marriage are in the air. In reflecting on my own...
Finding Joy in the Desert
Recently, with stinging tears running down her face, a dear friend of mine revealed that she had been trudging through a ‘desert of faith’ for some time. Most of us have been there. We have experienced those times in life when the flow of grace in us seems to diminish...
Desert Fun
Warmest thanks to everyone for your prayers over Meredith's trip. It has been going well and as you can see in the picture it has not been all work!! She did admit that getting off that camel was "really scary"! The group has left Dubai and they are now in Mumbai,...
Immediate Answer to Prayer
This past Sunday was Mother's Day, so before I get into it, I'd like to wish a happy belated Mother's Day to all the mothers out there, in heaven and on earth. For me, the most significant women in my life represent both categories. It was the second Mother's Day I...
Letting Go
Like the silky sand of the beach sifting through my fingers, this school year has slipped away. Whether you are a parent of a child who has finished kindergarten or one who has finished college, I am sure you can relate to how quickly the school years seem to fly by....
Tenderness In “You” and “Us”
Last week, "Ted Talks," the popular platform for spreading inventive, revolutionary ideas, had a surprising guest speaker. World-leaders in areas such as science, politics, business, or global issues customarily provide the guest speeches, but this day, Pope Francis...
Reserved for Florida Girl
Atop a small hill on the grounds of the University of Virginia, a red brick home has been keeping watch over almost a century of students who have worn the paths and etched their mark. The house that my co-author Will's family owns celebrates the proud history of the...
Clear Eyes, Full Hearts
Forgive me for borrowing this line from the show "Friday Night Lights," but I couldn't think of a better way of expressing the sentiment. This past week, I saw a video on Facebook that truly struck a chord. It was Holy Thursday, so my heart and mind were set on Easter...
He Is Risen!
Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection reconciled us to God the Father His love opened the gates of heaven for us He is our salvation and, Today He sealed the promise of eternal life with Him onto our hearts Alleluia! From our families to yours, we wish...
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is the last day of Holy Week and ends the season of Lent. It commemorates the day that Jesus Christ's body lay in the tomb. After His crucifixion, Jesus was laid in a nearby tomb, and His body remained there the entirety of Holy Saturday. 50 Now there...
Good Friday
Good Friday is a day Christian’s observe as a solemn commemoration the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary. It is observed during this Holy Week on the Friday before Easter Sunday. The term ‘Good Friday’ is thought to be an early...
The Commemorations of Holy Thursday
Among other names, the Thursday before Easter Sunday is called, Holy Thursday, Maunday Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday and Covenant Thursday. There are four main events that are commemorated on this day: The Last Supper or the Lord’s Supper/The Institution of the...
Moving with a Toddler
My wife and I have been blessed enough to move into a new home. While we're thankful for the luxury of a roof over our heads that so many go without, the actual moving part is a strain. Fortunately (or not), we've moved enough that we've found a bit of a rhythm. We...
Try God!
…I expected to die…as a result I stopped relying on myself and learned to rely only on God…2 Cor 1:9 Last week I read a passage from Philippians about letting go of what is behind you and moving forward to what is ahead. It reminded me of a time, years back, when not...
You Are Loved
Today marks one year since my mother passed. It's still early, so I can't express all the emotions I feel today. In many respects, it feels as if she just left. I can remember her funeral like yesterday, the years of struggle with her illness, and more than that, my...
The Hope of a Lifetime
This past Sunday was a day of both realized hopes and dashed dreams, but it served as a mere preview of what's to come the rest of the week. Young men have spent lifetimes working towards this ultimate goal and have ascended to the precipice, where in less than a...
You are too busy not to pray!
I tucked a new and revised copy of a twenty-year-old book entitled, Too Busy Not To Pray, by Bill Hybels into my carry-on bag this morning on my way to the airport. Halfway through Chapter One, I decided it was too good not to share. In it Bill tells us, “God’s...
What Are You Being Called To?
We are two weeks into Beth Moore’s study of 2 Timothy, and some lights are coming on! Paul tells Timothy, and by extension each of us, to “fulfill your ministry,” or as Beth says, our calling. We are put on this earth to fulfill our calling, but we can have a great...
Birds of a Feather
In my small men's group, we've been going through Jeff Kemp's book, "Facing the Blitz." Kemp is a former NFL Quarterback who currently serves as Vice President of FamilyLife where he counsels married couples. As such, the focus of his book is on relationships and...
It’s Up to Us
February 11th whispered softly by. There was no birthday cake or fun celebration. Only a few silent tears for a precious little boy who for three years was a twinkling light on the path of those around him. Michael would be thirty-one years old. I will never forget...
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Today is a wonderful celebration of love. I have to admit that Valentine's Day played a crucial role in the love of my life. In our first year of college, I was pretty certain very early on that my now-wife was the girl for me. She, on the other hand, took a bit of...
Unity in the Spirit
What is the definition of the word “church?” Generally we define it as a building used for worship. It is also used to describe organizations such as the Catholic Church, the Presbyterian Church, or the Southern Baptist Church. But the real essence of a “church” is...
Live With Purposeful Urgency
There are two facts on which just about every reasonable person can agree: we will all die and one day the world will end. Perhaps the latter is more debatable, but the world's current scientific understanding, outside any belief in God, holds that the sun, as with...
Just Sing!
There was such an enthusiastic response to my Facebook post of Michael W. Smith’s song, Breathe that I was inspired to write about music this week. Lyrics and melody have the power to lift us up, bow our heads in tears of sadness, and tease out every human emotion in...
Recognizing the Enemy
1 Peter 5:8 tells us to, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The fact is the physical world we live in is part of a much greater spiritual world where the enemy roams freely doing...
A New York Icon
There were thirty minutes left before we had to catch our cab to the airport for a flight back home from New York. Meredith and I decided to walk over to the Bouchon Bakery for cappuccinos and some of their mouth-watering macaroons. As we headed up 45th street from...
Focus on Jesus
Recently, I've found myself following a spiritual rabbit hole, of sorts. In my love for and desire to live for Jesus, I've been trying to study His Word and decipher His will. I've studied more of the law to determine what sin is so that I might avoid it, but in...
One Step Away
Ephesians 5:19 says, “Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart”. Through song, we praise God and are lifted up. Songs of worship also have a way of touching our heart and drawing us closer - or...
Clemson’s Key to Winning the National Championship: Love
One of the reasons I love sports is that it provides an opportunity to witness a person or a team pit against seemingly impossible odds. The vast majority of the time, the odds win out. But, in those few and fleeting moments when a person or team overcomes that...
Looking for Good
One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” (KJV) In this chapter, Paul celebrates the new life of the Spirit that we as Christians enjoy...
Happy New Year!
To our family and friends, Will and I took this week off from blogging to spend time with our families. We hope you had a blessed Christmas, and pray you have a healthy, Happy & faith-filled New Year! xox Donna
Blessings on the Horizon
Praying you find a year full of love, blessings, and happiness when you look out at your horizon. With love from my family to yours, Will
Advent Week Four: Make Your Heart a Manger
Christmas is the story of God’s unwavering love for us. There was no royal announcement or ticker tape parade on that first Christmas Day. God chose to enter this world in a chilly stable where farm animals dozed. Was His lowly birth in a stable the mistake of an...
Preparing a Thankful Heart for Christmas
It's crunch time. Christmas is less than a week away. Most of us are frantically making last second preparations. We're rushing to malls, ordering and returning packages on Amazon, wrapping, decorating, cooking, and the list goes on. It's easy with so much busyness to...
Advent, Week 3: What Made the Wise Men Wise?
At the time of the birth of Jesus, the term Wise Men spoke of people who studied sacred writings, astrology, and dreams and who pursued wisdom in general. While we really don’t know much about the backgrounds of these star seekers, the very fact they set out on a long...
The End of an Era
In reflecting on this Christmas season, I happened to be struck with a thought - we celebrate the coming of our Savior at the end of the year. At first, that seemed ironic. How could we be reaching the end when our redemption is just beginning? Then, I considered it a...
Advent, Week 2: What Do You Worship?
As a few of my friends and I enter into week two of Max Lucado’s online Advent study, Because of Bethlehem, we found an interesting question: what do you worship? Max defines worship as ‘trusting in an object or activity to give us life or meaning.’ So what do you...
Advent, Week 1: Time For A New Perspective
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!” This past Sunday marked the beginning of Advent – the four weeks before the commemoration of the birth of Christ. Advent was designed to be a time of preparation and anticipation for that great season of Hope and Love. It...
Prayers for Oakley
Thanksgiving is a time for family, for love, for reflection, and of course for a large, hot meal. It is a holiday in which we take time to appreciate all these blessings and the many more in our lives. Sadly, for one local family, a tragedy marred their Thanksgiving....
A Thanksgiving Prayer
On this day designated to give thanks to God for faith, family, friends and abundant blessings, I would like to share a prayer of thanks from The Valley Of Vision, a collection of elegant Puritan prayers. Generations have passed, and yet our prayers remain consistent....
What about the rest of us?
This past weekend my husband, John, and I were out to dinner with some friends. Afterwards, we were sitting by the fireplace in the lounge savoring the close of a wonderful evening, when a woman bumped into me as she took a seat nearby. She was carrying a unique and...
Give the Gift of Today to God
As with many of you, I say my prayers before going to sleep. I'll say The Lord's Prayer, a Hail Mary, and then, depending on my level of drowsiness, a few personal prayers that are on my heart. I have to admit that since having a child, making it through those...
A Heavenly Birthday
This week, my daughter Dawn, would be thirty-six years old. I’ll never know if she would have become the Olympic ice skater or hand surgeon that she dreamed of becoming, or if she would have a family of her own and I would be a grandmother several times over by now....
Delight In Defeat – Coach Bennett, When You Were Weak, You Were Strong
Dear Coach Bennett, As a new season approaches, I'm sure you can't help but reflect on how last season ended. From your illness, to a seeming Final Four appearance, to a devastating loss and the departure of five talented seniors on and off the court, it seems that...
A Simon Opportunity
This past month, I reconnected with a college friend. Michael and I commuted to Fairfield University and spent what free time we had between classes in the campus center lounge grabbing coffee or a greasy hamburger and fries. There are fond memories of the time we...
Mumford & Sons – “The Wolf” Can’t Prevail Against God’s Love
I guess I'm on a music kick lately, and one of my favorite bands of the past few years is Mumford & Sons. Often, I hear their songs as either a song to God, a song sung from His perspective, or a combination of the two. Marcus Mumford's lyrics hold the highest...
Have Faith In God
Reading through Will’s blog this week led me to reminisce about the inspiring faithfulness of his beautiful mom, Priscilla. Often, times of trouble can be true tests of one’s faith. When Priscilla first was diagnosed with cancer, she didn’t say “why me?” She said,...
Love Is Not a Victory March
My mother's favorite song was a 2007 Virginia Gentlemen recording of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." So when my wife sent me a video of Pentatonix, another a capella group, performing this song, their beautiful rendition was bittersweet. In listening to it, the line,...
Homecoming
John and I spent last weekend visiting the kids and enjoying some fall color at UVA. It was Homecoming Weekend, and the excitement in the air was palpable. Friday night traffic was thick, and restaurants were packed. On Saturday, passions ran high for the football...
The Power of Music
St. Augustine once wrote, "He who sings, prays twice." David, a man after the Lord's heart (1 Samuel 13:14), sang and danced with all his might before the Lord to the point of making a fool of himself (2 Samuel 6:14-16, 20-22). There is something about music that...
Hurricane Matthew: Preparing for the Worst
In a crisis, I fancy myself a take-charge kind of guy. So, when I awoke early Tuesday morning last week to the news that Hurricane Matthew would be the worst storm since Andrew to hit south Florida, I knew it was time to prepare. Since my house is being renovated,...
The Heart of the Matter
My Bible study group, Sisters in Faith, has begun its fall session. We are using The Gospel of Mark by Lisa Harper and are enjoying the crisp, no-nonsense approach of Mark in telling the story of Jesus’ ministry. One of the first parables we landed on is the story of...
Happy Birthday!
Did you ever wonder why we celebrate our birthday? Some historians report that when the pharaohs were crowned in ancient Egypt, the people believed them to be transformed into gods and it was considered their “birth-day”. So for instance, where Genesis 40:20, speaks...
Dee Gordon: Believe through Mourning
"If you don't believe in God, you might as well start." That was Dee Gordon's response to his first home run of the season. But, this was far from an ordinary at bat or a casual comment. Gordon was the Marlins' first batter of the game, and according to him, he had...
Faithfulness in the Storm
Traveling back from Gainesville this weekend, my husband and I drove into some heavy rain. Now, I am the first to admit that, like driving in a snowstorm in the northeast, there is a definite learning curve to driving in a Florida rainstorm. But having lived here for...
Brotherly Love – Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
I love sports. To me, sports are both a guide through and a microcosm of life. No voluntary activity has made more of an impact on my life than playing sports, and nothing has better prepared me for life's trials than my time on the court or field. Sports teach...
Freedom through Forgiveness
Last week an acquaintance of mine passed away. Karen was an unyielding person who died having not spoken to most of her family for years. Her death made me think of so many broken relationships where family members or friends no longer talk to one another. The Bible...
I’m Like a Baby In My Grief
In the past year since my son was born, there have been several moments a day when he just doesn't get it. Whether it's trying to stick his finger in a power outlet, to play with the toilet bowl cleaner, or to grab for his dirty diaper while I'm changing him, his...
How to fail
This is my inaugural blog (yippee!). I could be jinxing it by writing on failure, but I’m willing to risk it to share my recent insights with you. You may have read in the ‘About Us’ section that I’m in graduate school and that I'm getting my Masters in Commerce. I...
Where Were You on 9/11?
Like many, I can remember exactly where I was when the first plane flew into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. When I think back, all the feelings of shock, horror, and sadness return, and I am also reminded of a haunting premonition my husband, John, had. On...
Call to Christian Community
I must confess from the very beginning that community is not one of my strengths. Writing and reading are both solitary practices, and with the amount of time I spend doing both, I find myself becoming increasingly introverted. It is far easier for me to sit behind a...
Remembering a Mother’s Love for Her Autistic Son
I saw this article on Twitter yesterday, and it changed the course of my day. I had briefly met Travis several years back when he had a tryout for a basketball team I was coaching, so I've followed his success with some interest, but nothing he's accomplished has made...
A Storm’s Coming
This past weekend a tropical storm was bearing down on south Florida, so we dutifully prepared for the possibility of high winds and heavy rain, which made for a busy weekend. It was too short notice to get the coconuts, that can become cannonballs in high winds,...
An Exercise In Loving Your Neighbor
Next time you're out driving and you are stopped at a busy intersection, I want you to try something. Without getting too distracted and missing the green light (I don't want to advocate reckless driving - so do this only for a few moments while stopped at a red...
Back to School
It’s that time of year when so many of us are busily getting our children off to school, like my neighbors' son Jake (pictured). Whether it’s nursery school or graduate school, parents dutifully schedule physicals, fill out endless forms, and hit the stores for...
My Last 10 Minutes on Earth
I travelled this past weekend, so I brought a few books to read should I actually have both the patience and focus to do so on the plane or while on vacation. It just so happened that I did crack open one of those books, entitled "Love Is Stronger Than Death" by the...
Thinking of you
We grieve deeply, when we love deeply. Grief, like the love that is the foundation of our grief, never fades. We just learn how to live with it. No amount of healing can replace the piece of our heart that our loved ones take with them. But as we go through the grief...
The Olympics and why we love sports
The Olympics are one of the greatest displays of faith in action that the secular world has. For four years, athletes all over the globe dedicate every second of their lives to training for one moment in time when their dreams will either be fulfilled or destroyed....
Falling short and forgiveness
We don’t need to be told we all mess up, make mistakes, and well, flat out sin. The good news is that our failures need not define us. David committed adultery, Moses had anger issues, Rahab was a prostitute, Peter denied Christ, and Paul persecuted Christians. Each...
Since my mother passed away
Today, Thursday August 4, 2016, marks 158 days since my mother passed away. Stated another way, it has been four months, two weeks, and one day. It has been even longer since her cancer diagnosis, which was in January of 2013, but I digress. This is a significant day,...
The whole earth is full of His glory
One of my favorite Bible passages is Matthew 6:25-34. It is my go to passage to share when a friend or relative tells me they are anxious or worried about their life. This weekend I was in Atlanta with my daughter Meredith and we spent two hours wandering through the...
Am I like Red Dog?
About four years ago, my wife and I adopted a Redbone Hound from a local shelter. His alleged age was six years old, but he easily could've been ten. He appeared to have lived a hard life, with scars on his face and a rib that stuck out as if it had been cracked and...
Living with the unimaginable
I recently saw the Broadway show Hamilton. As I enjoyed this fresh and exciting view of a slice of US history, an unexpected emotional turn brought me to tears. Alexander and Eliza Hamilton’s oldest son, Philip, was killed in a duel. As Philip breathes his final...
Peace in times of trouble
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Jesus is speaking these words to His disciples and to each of us who follow Him. In the midst of...
“Will, do the dishes.”
One thing I learned in having my first child was that there wasn't time to be selfish anymore. That's not to say that you can't spend time with friends, exercise, or go on a date with your spouse. But, when you feel like just being lazy and not doing anything, well,...
Put On Your Hat!
Yesterday I left for a walk ... without my hat! Almost every morning, my husband, John, and I take an hour-long walk, and because we live in a warm, sunny climate, we never leave without our sunglasses and our signature hats. They are made out of SPF 50 fabric and...
Prayers in Difficult Times
In my daily reading, I came across a couple prayers that are truly beautiful and speak to the heart of someone going through adversity. The first is a prayer from St. Teresa of Avila. For those that don't believe in canonization, I would ask that you not focus on her...
The Freedom To Be Free
Today is Independence Day, a holiday commemorating the day that the thirteen American colonies declared themselves a new nation free from British rule. The colonists fought for freedom from being ruled by a government that had became oppressive. After Adam and Eve...
Risen – Christian Film or False Prophecy
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FILM RISEN When I first saw previews for the film Risen, I was beyond excited. It appeared to be beautifully filmed with excellent acting and the production value of a Hollywood blockbuster. It is rare to see a Christian film...
Understanding Grief- Part Two
"My heart was racing so fast it jerked me up off my pillows as I gasped for air in my sea of uncontrollable panic. Fear flowed through my veins warning me something horrific was about to happen, but it already had. My consciousness was out of sync as it dashed between...
Malcolm Brogdon – The NBA Draft’s David?
On June 23, the NBA Draft will take place, which marks the beginning of lucrative careers playing basketball for thirty to sixty young men, and it also marks the moment all the prognosticators' forecasts will be proven right or wrong. In the past few years, I...
Understanding Grief – Part One
When we are coasting along a smooth, straight road and the sun is shining, it is so easy to say, “Praise God!” We thank Him and trust Him and love Him for all the good things in our life. But what happens when dark clouds roll in bringing job layoffs, a cancer...
Tripp’s First Word
As with most parents, since the day he was born, I've been dreaming of all the things my son could grow up to be. I'm not sure it's been healthy, like it might be borderline obsessive. When he throws something, I think, "He'll be a great quarterback or pitcher!" When...
Is God Mad At Me?
Recently a friend asked, “Do you think God is mad at me”? Bryan felt that God was calling him to change some destructive behaviors in his life, and he was hearing but not acting on God’s call. It was a question I took some time to think about, and while I was...
Blessings for a New Day
Each dawn ushers in a fresh opportunity for a new beginning…just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4). Hi! I am so happy you dropped by to say hello and share in my new beginning. About four...
Graduation and the Gospel
Commencement is a ceremony or a day when degrees are conferred upon students who have completed a course of study. It is the time when the individuals are deemed ready to begin to take the knowledge they have gained and share it in a meaningful way in their lives....
Hodor – Recognizing the Greatest Man in Westeros
WARNING - CONTAINS SPOILERS THROUGH SEASON 6 OF GAME OF THRONES Greatness is defined in many ways, and as Christians, we know that God has a sort of counter-intuitive view of greatness. To be great, one must serve (Matthew 20:26).The meek will inherit the Earth,...
A Bittersweet Mother’s Day
This was the most challenging Mother's Day of my life. On the happier end of things, it was my wife's first Mother's Day and a long overdue day of appreciation for her, one I wanted to spend dedicated to recognizing everything she does for Tripp and myself. However,...
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