Global Warming. Wildfires. Earthquakes. Stock Market drops. Recession. SARS. Ebola. Covid-19. Global Pandemic. Massive fear. We cannot open a news app or paper without being bombarded with bad news. What precautions should we take? Should we hide in our houses – stock up on toilet paper and Lysol? Will this kill us all? The truth […] Read more…
Faith
Abiding in Mercy
Hopelessness. There is no more mind-numbing emotion on the planet. It is like a black hole in your soul. I have felt this even when I have known that I am a child of God. I have hope for life after death, but I was still trapped with the idea that there is no hope […] Read more…
Improve Your Self-Talk, Chase Your Dreams
We are not free to pursue our dreams, or even to dream them, when we hold ourselves back with negative self-talk. Have you ever planted a garden? You can’t just drop the seeds on top of the weeds and rocks. You first have to clear and prepare the soil. Once the soil is prepared, it […] Read more…
Being enough
Am I good enough? It is a question that plagues a lot of women. Am I a good enough mom? Wife? Employee? Person? Am I enough? I have struggled with these feelings for many years. Sometimes as a result of my own self-doubt. Sometimes as a result of believing what someone else says to me. […] Read more…
Overcoming Anxiety – 4 Steps to Peace
Your mind spins round and round. You have trouble catching your breath. Your stomach goes from jelly to tied in knots and back to jelly. The trio of fear, worry, and anxiety is gnawing away at your peace like a rodent gnaws a hole in a wall. Dictionary.com defines the words this way: Fear – […] Read more…
Finding My Place to Serve
I have sometimes struggled with finding a place to serve, both at church and in my community. I have been a 4-H leader, a Sunday School teacher, a choir member, a youth helper, served in the church nursery, led women’s Bible studies. But now there is a disconnect between what I have done and what […] Read more…
2018 Goals Not on Plan
2018 was not on plan. A major family issue tripped me up, plowed my face into the pavement, and brought on another full-on war with my depression. But you know what? God is still in control. None of this took him by surprise. And he is still faithful. Even when life is not working out. […] Read more…
Advent and Christmas: My favorite time of the year
The Advent and Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. Advent is the four weeks of the church calendar that leads up to and helps us prepare for Christmas. For me, Advent is the refrain, “He’s coming, He’s coming, get ready” that culminates in the bells of Christmas ringing in “He’s here!” I […] Read more…
Number Our Days
My Dad recently celebrated his 79th birthday. His comment, “I never thought I would live this long.” This got me thinking about my own life. The average life expectancy of a woman in America is around 78 years. I am more than “middle aged”. How am I spending my life? Am I living intentionally? Drifting […] Read more…
Connecting – Why I blog
Mercy Abiding is primarily a blog about connecting. It is written for the mom who looks at the laundry, the to-do list, the mess. The one going through drive-through on her way home from work(again!) and wonders is this all there is? This blog is about connecting to God, to other people, and to yourself. […] Read more…