Life is funny sometimes. I’ve been waiting for years for God to give me permission to enter the dating scene, and—at what seems the most inopportune and unlikely time of my life—I have found myself tip-toeing into a relationship. As I enter this new season of life, I am asking many questions: What am I…
In Oklahoma, few things are more certain than the uncertainty of the weather. Thunderstorms are simply a way of life for us. Many of us love the sound of the thunder and the flash of lightning. There’s no better sleeping weather than right in the heart of storm season. We are even growing accustomed to…
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 I received a message from a friend recently. “What do you do when the bad stuff just keeps coming? Not…
2016. It is definitely a year I won’t forget. Death. Illness. Surgery. Financial struggles. New relationship. And kittens. Yes, kittens. Several months ago, I told you about our cat, Tigresse. She was one of a kind. She was our gopher hunting, mouse killing, door opening four-year-old cat. But, I use the term “was.” Back in…
Being a parent is hard. Being a single parent is extremely hard. Single Mom or single Dad. Never married. Divorced. Widowed. One child. Two children. Eight children. No matter the reason you are a single parent, the struggles are real. The struggles are often overwhelming. The struggles are often similar. When you are divorced and…
I have been keeping a secret from you all. Please forgive me for not being completely open. It’s a tough secret to keep, but it’s one I needed to savor myself for a while. It’s funny. I am a very quiet and private person. I’m not one to put my personal life on display for…
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 “God,” I cried out as the tears streamed down my face and my feet pounded the pavement, “I want to desire you. I want to delight in you. But, honestly, I really just want a husband.” I had escaped the…
My friend told me of a conversation he had recently. Recently, a small group from high had an impromptu gathering, men and women. It seems, however, that most of the participants had recently walked through divorces. As they talked, the conversation came around to what men are looking for in women. “We want Dena Johnson,”…
Have you heard the saying, “God won’t give you more than you can handle?” That is an outright lie! The Sunday after I learned of my husband’s affair, we went to a new church. The pastor was preaching a series on, “You Can’t Handle It.” He spoke of the trials of this life and how…
Years ago as a newlywed couple, we lived in a large apartment complex in San Antonio, Texas. One night, in the early morning hours, we were awakened by a loud banging on our door. The repeated thuds reverberated through our small apartment, jolting us awake. It sounded as if someone was trying to break the…
I’m crying UNCLE on 2016! Can I just say I’m over it? It seems I enter every year with great expectations, waiting for God to totally blow my mind with good things. So far, I’m still waiting… Let’s review the last six months. My oldest had surgery in December. A very painful surgery. My kids…
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he…