PRAISE AND COFFEE BLOG

Ronel and I met online over 10 years ago, she was one of the first subscribers to this blog of random thoughts on faith and family. Even with over 2,000 miles between us we became fast friends. We were both in a season of feasting on the busy-ness of church life and women’s ministry yet starving for authentic connection. Each of us have flown back and forth to catch up over a cup of coffee and even shared a few speaking events through the years. I love tag-team speaking with

I often get asked where I’m going to church, *smile* I’ll get to that. When we left the church in 2000 that we had helped plant in 1996 (let me be completely honest, we were kicked out for disagreeing with the pastor and “causing discord”), I was so hurt. I felt discouraged, displaced, and completely destroyed. I have to add here…there was a day when I couldn’t admit that we were kicked out, I was ashamed and I would feel the need to explain, but not anymore. I will explain i

As long as you’re still taking breaths…you haven’t gone too far away from His love. No matter where you’ve gone or what you’ve done, He’s been pursuing you with His love. Stop running… Fierce: /fi(ə)rs/ Adjective: having or displaying an intense or ferocious aggressiveness. 1 John 4:9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life

Freedom: the condition of being free, the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints. Does fear keep you restrained from stepping out with power to do the things that burn in your heart? If fear did not hold you back, what would you do? What would you say? What would you create? Freedom always costs something. Jesus came and paid for our freedom from the power of sin and death. I’m hoping you’ve experienced that freedom. But even after receiving s

Three Tips for Stronger Marriage: 1. Forgive– the fire goes out when you water it with forgiveness. “Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:32 The Message 2. Communicate– your spouse is not a mind reader, tell him/her how you feel and use phrases like “I feel…..” not “You always……” 3. Play– Do something fun together. Set aside life’s worries for a time of connection and laughs. “It’s bett

From my study: Becoming Me Through Him… Labels. Maybe the key to becoming me, becoming you, is to face the labels instead of fighting them. Face our weaknesses, faults, sins and past. As I studied the story of Rahab, I was bothered to see that Rahab is still called a prostitute in Hebrews. How is that fair if she had changed her ways? Why does it seem that she cannot shake this title? Shouldn’t God want her story to be about how her life is new? I don’t want to keep calling h

We run from our stories, but never allude them. We think that “becoming a new creation in Christ” means denying the abuse or sins that have defined us. We miss the point. God making all things new does not mean that they never were. The beauty of our stories is the power of God’s grace to redeem our broken past. He takes the pieces, He makes a life. No two of us match, we are unique, each moment of our lives scored precisely the way He allowed it. We are a beautiful mosaic to

Why do we fight so hard to hold on to a life that is far less than what it could be? Old customs, habits and relationships that are stagnant and lifeless, yet we cling to them like worn blankies because they are comfortable. What are you clutching that needs to be released? Is it ideas about what will make you happy, but have failed to for years? Is it hope that the past could have been different? How about today, you decide that even though the outside world hasn’t changed,

Photo by SS Snapping back is so easy, it takes no effort. Retaliation spills naturally from our lips. Silence is a necessary struggle. Thankfully, Jesus showed us how. #womensministry #BrennanManning #forgiveness #faith #Howtoforgive #Jesusforgave

They said it would never last. We stubbornly scoffed at them. We were young and so naïve. I was 20 years old and engaged to be married to a man I’d known less than a year. I promptly ran out to buy my wedding dress and gathered prices on reception halls. Two months later I was pregnant and the fairy tale wedding unraveled along with my reputation and friendships.  Our family was disappointed but supportive; we moved the wedding up and scaled down the celebration. I’d need a n

My husband and I have been married for 20 blissful, uneventful years! NOT! I interrupt this figment of my imagination for a dose of reality… You can read the rest of this article over at the CWO Internet Cafe’ #forgiveness #marriage