Author: Carolyn

I am a Christian, a sinner saved by God's amazing grace. Much like my life, my blog is a work in progress. The main objective I have for this blog is to "proclaim the praises" of the One who called me out of darkness and into His marvelous light! (1 Peter 2:9)
The Details of Life

The Details of Life

Carolyn

52719734859__54344C6E-1573-4753-A0A0-D7A0478B659D.JPG“Is my mac insured?”

The text from my son came through last fall as I was in the middle of buying airline tickets for family weekend at his new college and answering the door for the furnace man to do the annual service check. Uh oh, what’s happened?

It turned out he had left his backpack with his laptop in it outside two nights before, gone back to his room, fallen asleep, and remembered it the next day. After searching for it throughout that day, reporting it to campus safety, lost and found, and maintenance, he was starting to think maybe it was gone. He was more worried about his class notes than the computer. Read more →

25 years! A look back, a look ahead

25 years! A look back, a look ahead

Carolyn

One of the reasons I started this blog back in 2008 was to have a place to store “stones of remembrance” in our lives. As my blog has become more public over the years, I often hold back from doing that and miss keeping a record as originally intended.

In this, my 25th wedding anniversary year, it seems fitting to write a post to give thanks to God for my husband and to remember this year. This particular year was one we couldn’t have imagined, and yet contained so many life and faith lessons. Many of these things I’ve learned by watching my husband. Read more →

Book Review: First Ask Why

Carolyn
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First Ask Why

“We are not here simply to take up space in the world,
but we are here to make a difference for eternity.”

These words from Shelly Wildman have stuck with me. Shelly’s new parenting book First Ask Why: Raising Kids to Love God Through Intentional Discipleship (Kregel, 2018) is being released TODAY, and I am thrilled to recommend it to you—not simply because Shelly is a friend, but because it is filled with truth and encouragment for the path of parenting.

I’m reminded through Shelly’s quote above that all of our lives have purpose. Because of this, our parenting requires intentionality. Read more →

A Morning Reflection

A Morning Reflection

Carolyn

As I read God’s Word in both the Old and New Testaments, over and over again, I see it ties together. It fits. It’s beautiful.

Today, I read the Law, the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5). I read the command to love the Lord my God with all my heart and soul and might (Deut. 6). I then read in the New Testament that the commandments are summed up in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:9-10). Love of God, love of man. These are the two that Jesus Himself identified as the most important commands (Mark 12:28-31).

Against the law, I recognize I fail; I sin at every point. Yet I rejoice in the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross for my sin. No longer do we need the sacrifice of bulls and lambs, that could never truly save, again and again and again. (Hebrews 10:4, 11). We have the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:12-14), the blood of Jesus, who gave us a new and living way, through whom we can have confidence. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Read more →

2018 Bible Reading – January

2018 Bible Reading – January

Carolyn

For those of you reading through the Bible in a year, I wanted to provide a space for sharing insights at the end of each month. Locally, I’ll be meeting with a group of women in late January. Online, perhaps this might serve as a place to comment and encourage one another.

As we are in the last week of January and ending the first month of reading, here are some questions to reflect on:

  1. What have you seen about God this month as you have read the Bible?
  2. Have there been new truths or insights that you have discovered through the reading? 
  3. Was there a psalm that particularly stood out to you?
  4. How did you find God’s Word speaking to you in the circumstances of your life?
  5. Is there a way you need to apply something you have read?
  6. Was there a verse or passage that you would like to memorize?