I stared over my mother’s shoulder as our newly bundled gift of grace lay silent and secure in his fleece green swaddle. Head covered in thick, black, baby-soft hair with cheeks pink and vibrant. Unintentional hues of spring greens filled the room seemingly applauding this life that was added surprisingly to us in our ending […]
Category: Suffering
What is the Root Cause of Sickness and Pain?
The last time I saw my general physician, I’d asked him, “Don’t you think there is something wrong that is causing all of these different chronic illnesses? Something you’re missing that’s the root cause?” Several years ago, internal inflammation entered my life and was addressed with a bandaid solution from apathetic health care. But bandaids […]
Praying for Chronic Possibilities
A television in the far corner of the waiting room adequately occupied most of the people. The remainder thumb-punched their cell phones quietly. The weatherman said wind chill temperatures were dangerously below zero and echoed obligatory warnings that come with such a forecast. I looked out the window and watched a woman make her way […]
“Be Thankful It Hurts”
“Can you feel this?” The surgeon took a needle and pricked each of my finger tips. “Only my thumb. Ouch, by the way.” I scooted closer to the edge of the examination table and crinkled the paper lining. “Well Shannon,” Dr. Maxwell replied. “After seeing both the MRI and how quickly you’ve lost feeling in […]
Does Your Christmas List Need a Lift?
Where in the world is a good, hydraulic couch cushion when you need one? I’ve finished my devotions and I can’t get up. I can envision my Christmas list in a couple of years: Replacement batteries for all seeing, hearing, and walking devices. A memo pad that sticks to the refrigerator…bathroom mirror…kitchen counter…my kid…and all […]
Looking For God’s Samaritans
I looked at the clock on my dashboard and white-knuckle gripped the steering wheel. Is this stop light an hour long or what? My 21-year old impatience fiddled with the radio station then marvelled at the traffic. Though I had lived in the Chicago suburbs for four years now, I still got shocked how long […]
God’s Seashell Collection
If you’ll forgive me for not boring you with the how’s and why’s that my husband, daughter and I are in Florida, I’ll get right to one of the most precious revelations the Lord has ever blessed me with. Though it was such a tender and personal exchange, I share it in hopes it will […]
When God Labels You “Fireproof”
“Everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water.” ~ Numbers 31:23 As I slithered my way back to bed, there was not a single position that […]
“Stepping Down” into His Rest
How do you feel when you sense “change” is coming to your life? Fearful? Hopeful? Anxious? Relieved? Years ago, I only had one response to impending change…restlessness. The dictionary defines it as “the inability to relax as a result of anxiety” and I certainly knew how to demonstrate it: obsessive cleaning of unseen places, irrational […]