Word of the Week: Inventory

As 2017 closes:

I look back to evaluate the Connections of this year.

I look forward to what I hear God speaking for 2018.

And I look around to enjoy the present moment.

Eliana's bouncing curls as she laughs.

Raphael’s grunts and sweet new baby smell.

Daily chats with Spencer and Meesha.

Playing with our granddaughter,

snuggling with our newly born grandson,

reconnecting with our son and daughter-in-love.

Priceless precious moments.

Joy filled connections.

Treasures to ponder!

Life was good this past year,

life promises good for next year,

and life is good in this very moment!

This video is from 2015 and yet the three simple questions are timeless.

I pray that you can use them, as I have,

to take inventory on your year in preparation for 2018!

Word of the Week: JOY

Joy. Pure joy!

She ran, skipped, and jumped along the path through the ‘jungle’.

The spark of joy revealed in her eyes at the sight of the flower-strewn path was absolutely priceless.

I could feel her excitement as clearly as I could see it on her face. If the essence of pure joy were to ever be bottled, I think it would contain energy dispersed by two year old children at play!

The third candle of advent is JOY.

I’ve anticipated this holiday trip that we are currently on for many months. I counted down the weeks and days with excitement. Each moment of the 27 hours that we spent journeying to Australia from Belize was worth every second. Our time of traveling brought us to a place of hugs, laughter, smiles, story times, climbing towers, pushing swings, dressing stuffed animals, and baking cookies.

The trip was long, the wait was hard, but the joy we felt upon arrival erased the aches and pains of all the miles that separate us from family.

Many years ago, before our children were born, Tom’s grandmother Sharp baked Christmas cookies for us.

Tom’s mother picked up the tradition for our kids, and now it’s my turn with our son’s children.

Our children are 30 and 27. Our youngest was home with us for Christmas for the last time in 2012. We have only put up a tree once in the last five years. It’s been hard to find joy in an empty nest at Christmas.

Here, with our granddaughter, the joy is infectious. My heart swells with anticipation as we awaken each morning to discover what songs and stories she will enlighten us with for the day. I relax as my heart rises above the emotional hardships and the years of longing to grandparent in real life.

Joy creeps in as I marvel at the wonder in her eyes and cherish the hope born from her laughter.

I understand why a candle of JOY is needed as we countdown the days until the celebration of Christ's birth. Light cannot be overcome by darkness and the light of His joy is powerful enough to penetrate the human spirit.

I am grateful for my encounter with joy as my husband and I wait with our son and his family for the birth of their second child!

May God also fill your eyes with wonder and light up every corner of your life with His joy as you await the celebration of our King!

Word of the Week: LOVE

Love: A complex word comprised of four letters.

The second week of Advent is about LOVE.

Today, December 13, 2017, my husband and I celebrate 36 years of marriage.

As we spend our day traveling I can rest by his side and enjoy our time away together. The past few weeks were a chaotic whirlwind for us. I’d been rehearsing for our Belizean Christmas concert, preparing for speaking engagements, working in the counseling office, and promoting the concert on radio and tv. Between early morning commitments and late night practices I noticed it was getting hard to spend time soaking in God’s loving presence.

As the day of the concert drew near I felt like I was running on empty. With tear stained eyes I reached for my keys to head out the door once again. I stopped to cry for a moment on Tom’s shoulder. My body was wracked with pain as I stood there telling him how tired I was. He comforted me with soothing, understanding, and encouraging words. And then he sent me out the door with the emotional strength to do the next thing on my long list of to-do’s.

I’m grateful for those occasions when I can see, feel, and hear the loving voice of God speaking through my caring husband.

I’m grateful that though my husband's love in action I have seen God's unfailing love each and every day.

I’m grateful that Christ came to earth in human form to reveal to us what real love is.

I’m grateful for this Advent season, for this time of solitude, and for the depth of prayer that Jesus continually offers on our behalf before the Father.

It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of ‘doing’ that we can miss out on ‘being’.

Slow down, lean in, and listen for His loving voice. That’s what I’m doing today...won’t you join me?! I wrote this song during a time of leaning in closely to listen to His voice.

Watch, sing along, and share it with someone who needs to take time out to seek God and worship Him!

when they saw the Star...

Not everyone meets Christmas with joy.

Back in 1985 we had one of the most difficult Christmas seasons ever. Our son, Cameron, was stillborn just two weeks before Christmas. It was a devastating loss after having suffered our first stillbirth  just 10 months earlier.

It's not easy to celebrate with a heavy heart. I know from personal experience that weeping may remain for a night but joy truly does come in the morning. We just don't always know how long the night will last.

The night that the Magi saw His star standing over where the Child was located they rejoiced wholeheartedly. They had seen His star in the east at the beginning of their journey and chose to search for Him. When they left their home they determined in advance that they were going to worship Him as King. They had brought gifts with them to offer Him. They traveled a great distance. Perhaps they faced obstacles along the way. Seeing the star confirmed that they had finally made it to the right place. After they celebrated they went inside and fell before the Child in worship. Following their incredible rejoicing they worshiped.

If we notice the sequence of events first came the hardship of a long journey before they could rejoice...before they could worship...before they could give Him their gifts. Traveling through dark nights of the soul may take a lot out of us and it may be a difficult and long process. But, when we get through, when we overcome, the best response is one of rejoicing. May you find the answers you are searching for in Him. May you find comfort. May you find peace. May you find Hope. And may this Christmas be one of rejoicing with exceedingly great joy. Celebrate Him. Worship Him. Offer your gifts and talents to Him. Christ has come. O come, let us, adore Him!

Let Every Heart

Has Christ been invited to your Christmas celebration?

As Christmas approaches it's time to focus, reflect, and ponder the true reason for this holiday.

When I think about Mary and Joseph being able to hold Jesus in their arms, I am amazed.

Amazed that God allowed His son to come to earth to be our Savior.  Amazed that although the heavens couldn't contain Him, that He was able to walk this earth.  He chose to be a Living Sacrifice for you and for me. And I am in awe of Him and of who He really is and of what He has done for us.

The heavens can't contain Him
Yet Mary held Him in her arms
Pondering the mystery in her heart.
He chose to come earth
In weakness and in strength
A living Sacrifice for you and me.

The heavens couldn't hold Him
Yet, He lives within our hearts
Covering the whole earth with His love.
Without His hope as anchor
I'd be lost on stormy seas.
His precious gift of life would not be mine.

A gift born in a manger
A Bright and Morning Star
Joy came to the world that silent night
Enthroned in heavenly peace
Mercy wrapped in newborn clothes
Glory, Hallelujah, pure Joy is mine!
© 2014

Make room for Him. Seek His face, wait on His touch, hope on His name...may He open your heart to His joy. May He fill you, renew you, and restore you day after day. Invite Him in and welcome Him with open arms, open hearts, and open homes. Welcome the reason for the season. Whether He be newborn or reborn in your heart… make room for Him as Lord!

God Is With Us

Each time I write a song I see it as a gift from God. I feel as though He guides me and uses me in the way Mother Teresa describes...like a pencil in His hand.

At all times, in every season, God is with us. He will never leave or forsake us. He walks with us in the valleys and on the mountain tops. He is there when even when we cannot feel His presence. He never sleeps and never gets tired. He will strengthen us and help us. Nothing can ever separate us from His love. He is God. He is here. He is with us.


I'm so grateful to Paul Flores of Studio A, the executive producer, on this project, to Mervin Budram-MD of Roots and Honor Records, the producer, to Yoelvis Medero Lunar of Allegro Music School, to Melanie Flores, Bethany Godoy, Chanelle Parks, and to the Belmopan Childrens Choir for bringing this song to life.

Click here to listen

Click here to purchase on iTunes

Click here to purchase on Amazon Mp3

I pray that this songs ministers to you and if you want to sing along...here are the words!

God Is With Us
Hope was born in a manger
Light came in to the world
Born to die for redemption
Angelic wings unfurl
A heavenly choir broke the silence
To welcome our newborn Lord
Hope was born in a manger
Our Savior, Redeemer, our Joy.

God is with us
God is with us
Immanuel our joy!
God is with us
God is with us
Immanuel our Lord.

It was a night filled with wonder
It was a night full of grace.
In awe we bow low before Him
With reverence we seek His face.
His mother ponders the moment
His Father looks down with Love
It was a night filled with wonder.
Showered with grace from above.

Hope was born in the silence
Light was born in darkness
Immanuel has come
Immanuel has come!