I was born and raised in Detroit, and have also lived in Ontario, Massachusetts, and now in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I am divorced, with four grown children, and retired. A few of my favorite things are classical music, reading, and cooking. I came to know the Lord at fifteen, and have been a believer for more than 60 years. Like most people, I have experienced many situations throughout my life which have challenged my faith and caused me to examine my relationship with God and those around me. Inevitably, I have found that my salvation, comfort and wisdom ultimately could only be found in the love, grace and mercy of God. After I retired from working at 70, I began to write as a way of working out various questions about my faith that had been in the back of my mind for many years. As I wrote, I was able to work many of these out with the Lord. It is my hope and prayer that in sharing these insights with others, it will be an encouragement to them, but I want to make it very clear that I am still on the journey myself. My hope is to glorify God through my writing and encourage and be supportive of those who are making the journey with me.
Barbara has written 41 on Christian Women Online.
I have an acquaintance who doesn’t seem to receive much joy from his faith. To watch his unhappiness truly distresses me. I see a defensive and confused soul. I don’t want to judge him; merely understand his situation objectively, and see if there might be some way for me to help him. His life might [...]
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Have you ever been in the place where you were not quite really sick, but also not quite well? I have been in this state for several months now, and frankly, the novelty of it is past. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired! I feel as if I am a strong [...]
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In our small church we have a young couple who have just had their first child, and the whole church joyfully shares their happiness. This past Sunday morning the young father had been asked to preach the sermon. Appropriately, he chose as his scripture the 139th Psalm. He spoke of how God knows us from [...]
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For the past several weeks I have been in the grip of yet one more attack of gout. For those of you who have never experienced this disease, give thanks. It is right up there with the pain of childbirth, migraine, and gall bladder colic. My foot feels as if it is on fire, and [...]
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One of the joys of being retired and living alone is that you can schedule your life the way you prefer it. There is little pressure to keep working hard to keep the house immaculate or have a weedless garden unless you, yourself, put those burdens on you. You can look around at a little [...]
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In the course of listening to people over many years I have heard a lot of questions, and the one that comes up over and over again is “why do so many bad things happen to such good people”. Unfortunately, most people don’t really want to hear the answer because the Bible tells us that [...]
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I am thanking the Lord this evening for the springtime finally arriving in Kentucky in all of its “God blessed” glory. I think it may be all the sweeter for having arrived late. I n these fresh days, I find myself singing for no reason, and there is energy in my outer and inner self ~ it having been AWOL most recently.
Father, you know me completely; You provide the things that draw music from my heart, and You give me the needed attitude to praise in joy; You comfort me by Your Holy Spirit in “off-times.” You meet my need in all seasons, and I worship You gratefully in the twilight of this day.
I thank you Jesus, for lavishing your love on me. In all the seasons during the year, and in all the seasons of my life, You are with me.
The epitome of Spring:
Songs of Songs 2:11-13 “Winter is passed; the rain has stopped; flowers cover the earth; it is time to sing. The cooing of doves is heard in our land.”
Ah Father God, thank you.
~Rhea