The election is over. The ballots are in and we have a new President-elect. And what a surprise it was. On election day, I was waiting for results to begin pouring in. I was filled with a mixture of excitement and fear, enthusiasm and dread. The election season was nothing like what I had hoped…
Grief. Grief accompanies all kinds of losses. Some grief is short-lived. Other times, it lasts a lifetime. Sometimes it’s overwhelming. Other times, it seems to be fading. Maybe it’s grief from divorce. Or sickness. Or death. Or, maybe like us, you are overwhelmed by grief from all of these losses. Last week was the six…
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…
Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. Joshua 6:1 The Israelites had spent 40 years wandering in the desert. Now, it was time to possess the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey. God had…
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…