Category: Encouragement

We all need Jesus

We all need Jesus

Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. (Psalm 100:3)

We all need Jesus. What a profound statement that is. I’ve spent the past five weeks of my life working with people who purposely choose to deny that fact. I’m not sure I want to spend many more surrounded by such denial.  It hurts me to see such misguided pursuits. It’s one thing to know that there’s such repudiation in the world. It’s another to be in the middle of it without ever being able to speak against it or share what I know to be true – to be able to say out loud, “You all need Jesus.”

I woke at 4:45 am the other morning, knowing something had to give. After a month of work dreams and oppressed days filled with mentally and physically exhaustive actions, I’ve nearly had enough. These are not my people. I cannot support their culture.

I’ve never held a job where I’ve been pressed to join something counter to who I am – until now. I was promised that I was being hired to support my boss administratively and that I didn’t need to ascribe to the New Age ideals this environment espouses. That wasn’t true. In fairness, I don’t think my boss knew how untrue that statement was when she made her promise to me.

As an executive assistant, I can support anyone to the highest level of care that they require – whether that’s reading lines to someone in their underwear in preparation for a recorded interview (yes, I really did this) or washing dinner dishes from a 15-person event at 10:00 pm after a 15-hour work day (I did this a few days ago). I’ve traveled with my executives, packed for them, made their daily pitchers of iced tea, and reminded them of personal commitments as well as business events. I care about their families and fret over their lack of sleep. Despite the exhaustion, their support extends into my life, and I pray over and love them all.

And yet, there are lines I can’t cross. I see them everywhere in my current role, and I think it’s time for a giant step back.

The day after our national elections, my boss organized a “post-election meditation” with a friend and mentor of hers – Susan Salzberg. Susan is a woman who says things like, “We don’t need any sort of religious orientation to lead a life that is ethical, compassionate and kind.”

 While Susan’s statement may be true, what she’s forgotten is that she still needs Jesus. Life is more than being “ethical, compassionate, and kind.” It’s about worship. It’s about serving a Savior who loves us enough to send His Son to die for us. It’s about daily surrendering our lives to the only one who can ever save us. We can never do so ourselves.

Despite my desire to never participate in another guided meditation session at work, I was pressed to do so on November 6th. This time, as the group sat on porch chairs around a 56-inch mobile computer monitor to connect with Susan Salzberg via Zoom, I stood on the porch and looked out at God’s majestic mountains surrounding the campus. This time, I prayed to God with my eyes open – figuratively and literally – giving each of my team members to their Creator while praying over them as this guru guided everyone to “give themselves permission to heal.”

Instead of participating in the group “meditation,” I concentrated on worshiping the Creator of the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond the Marshall, NC campus where I stood.

The session began with my boss expressing that “we are all extremely distressed over the election of a person filled with hatred who will now govern our nation” – an opinion she assumed I shared. I don’t. She then said how our leadership team’s children “are afraid to go to school.” She continued, “We’re all so upset that we cried together earlier.”

While I knew she wasn’t speaking for me, and I can’t begin to understand her mentality, her elucidations were nothing compared to those this would-be guru of New Age cultism shared.

As the session continued, Susan responded by comparing the election to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. At the time, Susan explained, rumors expounded, including some that proclaimed trees would never bloom again. “They did,” she affirmed, “and people found within themselves the will to go on.”

As the half-hour session continued, I concentrated on my Savior and His created majesty. At the same time, my coworkers were led to focus on their breathing and silently meditate on questions such as “May I be healthy again?” and “May we be happy again?” Per Susan’s guidance, everyone should permit themselves to do so after raising these questions.

Susan then directed everyone to silently repeat the name of someone who made them happy while allowing themselves permission to smile in remembrance of that name. I smiled at this suggestion as I’d already been calling on the only name anyone ever needs to be happy and whole – Jesus. Jesus got me through that session, as He has every other questionable belief I’ve uncovered about this group’s mindset over the past month.

Jesus, I cried. These people are so lost. Be with them. Show Yourself to them. You are always with us. I see you in these mountains and this beautiful sky. They look inward to find their peace when Your peace already surrounds us. They can’t see You, even though You are always here. You created them, the world, and everything in it. Open their eyes, Lord. Open their hearts and help them to see You.

When the session was over, my boss effused over the empty words that she saw as healing – words that spoke to me of loss and desperation. Only God can heal the spirit, I knew. Only Christ can give us peace.

And so, after waking early to capture these thoughts, I wonder how much longer I can maintain my new role. I know I can’t be a part of this culture of madness that is seeking “mindful consciousness” when I have already found peace and security in Christ. I will never ascribe to their ideals. I can’t get excited at guided “sky gazing” – a practice our “Director of Net Offerings” detailed over lunch last week. He explained that the activity is one in which he frequently leads participants. When questioned about the activity, he clarified that – with his guidance – one can “become one with the sky and let it carry you away then gently bring you back to a better state within yourself.” I will never “recognize that both [me] and the sky are parts of the larger universe.” I know that I am not “the universe experiencing itself,” – nor will I think that “[I am] the universe looking into a mirror.”

Conversely, I am a created being, made in the image of God, and yet I can never be God – something I fear these people believe is possible. To me, such notions are blasphemous.

There is only one divine being – the triune God, Yahweh – my Heavenly Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

When exposed to such thoughts over the past month, I frequently repeat Psalm 100 to myself. This precious song has always been one of my favorites. I memorized it as a child; its words have become my daily touchstone.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. 

We all need Jesus. I would be lost without Him, even as I believe everyone I work with is. I pray for them daily and give them all to His tender care.

I also pray that God will continue to guide me to do what He wants me to do. No matter where I look or how someone tries to guide me to see otherwise, I will always see Jesus.

For God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear

For God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

A friend of mine recently reached out to ask if everything was alright. “I noticed you haven’t posted a blog in almost a month,” he observed. “Is everything okay or are you just busy?”

In response, I explained that between helping my husband, David, in VA Beach, two hurricanes, ending my former job, starting a new one, and my mom and brother coming for a three-week visit, it’s been a bit challenging to find time to write.

More than that, my new job has been completely overwhelming. While I started three blogs in three weeks, working 10–12-hour days while learning a new remote position and having virtually no work/life balance has been a more significant challenge than I ever could have anticipated.

As a start-up with a UK base, provision had yet to be made to provide me with a work laptop or mobile phone, for one thing. The expectation was for me to work from my personal devices – something I’d never anticipated doing in this or any other job.

Additionally, while I’m working remotely, my US home base is located in Marshall, NC – an area decimated by Hurricane Helene. In addition to the loss of life we discussed daily, the 27 feet of flood water that came raging through the town from the French Broad River blew out windows, twisted metal train tracks, and washed away complete sections of major highways. The devastation was unfathomable.

Main Street in Marshall following flooding from the French Broad River after Hurricane Helene raged through the area. (October 1, 2024). Photo credit: Josh Morgan, USA TODAY

The text messages from my teammates came hard and fast around the clock during this interval. Talk about starting a job in a windstorm. This was it! My first month of work was far from “normal,” as a result. Each of us helped with disaster response in our own way. Even in faraway GA, I made countless calls, documented local agencies that could help victims, and met virtually with my team members daily to discuss my company’s work to provide construction equipment, manpower, and resources to those working on the ground.

More than that, I was thrust headlong into the spirituality that permeates my new employer’s mission -without gentle ease of transport. While I was told that the organization’s mission is “non-denominational,” a decidedly New Age culture abounds in much of their talk and activities. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

One Zoom call, for example, began with a ten-minute meditation session where all participants – including me – were asked to close our eyes, relax our bodies, and envision our spirits moving down into the earth and then back into our bodies, and up into “a golden ball of light above [ourselves].” The leader continued telling us to envision ourselves as “incredible, divine, phenomenal beings.” We were then told to return that light and energy to our “higher selves and the divine beings that [we] are.”

While I protected myself from these thoughts by praying to God throughout the session, I was stunned to be subjected to this type of activity without my notification or consent. My boss later called me to ask my thoughts regarding the experience.

“You’re my litmus test,” she said. “What did you think of it?”

After uttering a whispered prayer to God for help, I told her I appreciated the importance of deep breathing and relaxation – especially given everything our team had been exposed to during our hurricane response work.

“But what did you really think?” she asked again. “I’d like to know your thoughts.”

At that point, I explained that I had mixed reactions.

“There were things I appreciated – like the deep breathing and relaxation directions,” I replied. “But others – like talk of the divine – that go against my faith. I can’t participate in that. I just prayed through it – in my own way.”

“That’s good,” my boss said. “There are many ways to experience things. That’s all we ask.”

While I was happy to reaffirm my faith and the lines I can’t cross – much as I did before I accepted this position – by the weekend, I was frazzled, frustrated, and flabbergasted by what I would be exposed to regularly. Every day, it seemed, something new shocked me – whether by messages in group chats, emails, or meetings discussing this organization’s nature.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I told David after a particularly challenging day. “These people don’t think like I do. How can I support it? I really felt like God was leading me here – and I told my boss exactly who I am, as a Christian, before I took this job. Sooner or later, I’m going to be asked to defend my faith, big time. I don’t know how this is going to end.”

“You do what you have to do, love,” David told me. “If you can’t do this, I completely understand. We’ll get by. I support you in whatever decision you make.”

After being emotionally overwhelmed one evening, I began watching YouTube videos of individuals talking about God. In story after story, I heard atheists and others explain how our Creator became real to them and empowered their daily lives.   

As David called me later to read our daily scripture passages together (I read the Old Testament passages, and he reads the New Testament plus a Psalm and several Proverbs), I told him what I’d watched that evening.

“I can do this, love,” I said through tears. “I need to stay plugged into scripture, music, and videos that remind me that I’m not alone in this battle. God is with me. Pastor Mark told me this would be my toughest job – and he was right. I may not yet know why God placed me in this role, but He’ll show me. I’m here for a reason. I have to stay prayed up and armored up. He’ll show me what to do.”

That was a week ago. Today, my boss asked for my input, as a Christian, regarding a potential corporately sponsored conference being considered in December.

“I’d like to have your opinion, Sara,” my boss asked. “We want to have faith leaders from the community come to this event. How do you think they’ll react?”

“I think it depends on who is speaking at the event,” I replied. My boss concurred. “I also think that hosting an event in a little over a month, asking members of the faith community to support you during the month of December, while the focus is on Christmas, may not go over well.”

“That’s also right at the start of Advent season,” I further explained. “Church leaders may not think favorably about you asking them to participate in an event to discuss the science of spirituality while they’re focusing on the birth of Christ.”

After asking me to explain what Advent is, my boss said she agreed with my thoughts and would take them back to upper management in consideration of postponing the proposed conference until after December.

“Today was a good day,” I later told David. “Today, my boss did what she said she would. She asked me to give my opinion as a Christian regarding how believers would react to their initiatives. It felt good to talk about Jesus.”

As David and I read our evening scripture, I was ecstatic at God’s written reminders to always serve my Creator and not be afraid to stand firm in my faith – even in the workplace. In 2 Timothy 1:7-8, for example, we read, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner, but share with me the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.

Hallelujah! I thought. God is always with me. I never have to fear anything the world – or workplace – throws at me.

“What a beautiful scripture,” I told David. “That’s precisely what I needed to hear today. God will always give me the right things to say at the right time. I will never be afraid to say them!”  

In further validation of God’s love and provision, our Psalm reading for the today was my favorite – Psalm 91.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely, He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague. He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon. Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you. You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD your dwelling — my refuge, the Most High — no evil will befall you, no plague will approach your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent. “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

I can only say Amen and Thank you, Jesus! Forgive my fear and frustration. I know You are always with me. You placed me here for Your divine purpose. While I may not always know what that purpose is, and while my days may be challenging – full of thoughts contrary to Your Word – I know You will guide, strengthen, and empower me. I will always be your servant, and I will always trust in You. Show me Your way, Lord Jesus. Give me Your words when I need them. Let me be Your light wherever You need it to shine. Lead on, King Jesus. Thank you for loving fallible me. I am nothing without You.”

And so, I will continue to shine on, wearing my cross necklace in every meeting I’m involved in, smiling through the worldly concepts that will always fall short of the joy only God can give. I will be the “token” Christian on staff. I will shine God’s light and let Him use me however He sees fit. It’s not up to me to change anyone. I will, however, keep being who He wants me to be, and I will be unflinching in my faith – no matter the cost.

God establishes our steps

God establishes our steps

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

Being chosen is one thing. Being selected after initially rejecting, auditioning three times, and then praying for validation with absolute certainty by God is quite another feeling entirely. Please allow me to explain what I mean.

I closed my laptop for the last time at my former job a few days ago. It still hasn’t fully hit me yet, but my life is about to change dramatically with my new employer. I was recruited for this job through an executive search company. While I will still be an executive assistant, this role is entirely different because of the corporate structure, mission, and my executive’s background. My new company is small, based out of the United Kingdom, and wholly funded by a billionaire hedge fund manager the British government knighted for his philanthropic work.

If that’s not impressive enough, the executive I will support was voted as one of Fortune magazine’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” – alongside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as well as Bill and Melinda Gates in the same year. In addition to her charitable work, serving as CEO of an organization that worked to end five of the world’s Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) – ultimately administering over 700 million NTD treatments – she led international programs for Operation Smile and disaster response for International Medical Corps. With service in over 70 different countries, board service to groups such as the World Economic Forum’s Global Health Security Advisory Board, and ultimately writing a book whose forward was written by Bill Gates, there can be no question as to the extraordinary work accomplished by the woman who chose me to assist her.

How on earth did I get here? How did this role ever come to find little old me? I can only answer, “It had to be God.”  I make that statement with absolute assurance. It has nothing to do with me.

For starters, I initially turned down the role after being asked to apply. While that may sound shocking, my rationale was solidly founded. First and foremost, I wasn’t sure my faith could support the prospective company I was being asked to work for.

My faith means everything to me. After my initial research into the philanthropic organization, I said, “Thanks, but no thanks,” to the recruiter – citing pay as my rationale. The salary threshold being close to my former position’s, it was simple to decline the role with that excuse.

When the recruiter reached out again – a whole week later – assuring me that the employer could go higher, I talked to David. My initial rejection was due to my faith, but that was before a small voice inside me said there may be a godly reason why you should be there. I couldn’t discount that thought.

Countless times in my past, I have felt strongly that my Heavenly Father put me in a position to be His light in a dark place. How could I so quickly turn a similar situation down? Those thoughts filled my head even before the recruiter reached out again. “I need to apply,” I told David. “God is in control. Let’s see what happens.”

What occurred next blew my mind. After submitting my application and writing sample (required in this role), I interviewed with the third-party recruiter. I was asked to meet with the search committee for a second interview one week later. Still unsure of how I felt about the role, I nevertheless wanted to do my best.

Unfortunately, my tech wouldn’t work on the interview day, and my test Zoom call with David, who was in VA Beach then, was a complete failure. “I can’t hear anything you’re saying on the call,” David said. Try as I might, my speakers wouldn’t connect.

Minutes before the interview, I told David I needed to pray.

“You’re in control, Lord Jesus,” I said. “I’m afraid I will look like an absolute fool, but I’m giving this all to you. Please help this work out if it is Your will. Your words. My lips.”

Upon connecting, the hiring manager confirmed my fears. “I can’t hear you,” Helen (name changed) said. Praying silently and frantically again, I clicked something on my computer, and miraculously, everything was perfect. I can’t even be sure what I did. The action must have emanated from God.

Forty-five minutes into the interview, Helen noted that I’d mentioned having “a strong faith” in response to how I handle stress. I further discussed my mission trip to Nicaragua after Helen talked about witnessing global poverty – something I confirmed having also seen first-hand and been affected by.

“You mentioned your faith several times,” Helen noted. “I’m curious about your spiritual journey. You know this is a non-denominational position. Tell me about your faith and how you’d handle working with others whose own path might be very different than your own.”

“I’m a Christian,” I immediately responded. “My faith governs every aspect of my life. It’s who I am and the biggest part of my character. That being said, I completely respect the fact that everyone has to make their own spiritual journey. I will never judge anyone whose experience is different from my own.”

After the interview ended -15 minutes later than initially intended – I called David and my brother to explain what happened during the call. “I’ve never been asked about my faith in an interview before,” I gushed. “No matter what happens, I feel incredibly blessed that God allowed me to testify to what I believe in. God opened my microphone, yes, but He also gave me the voice to say, ‘I’m a Christian’ in profound way.”

A week later, the hiring manager herself called to connect with me again – this time asking me to fly to meet over Labor Day, requesting an entire day to show me around their Center and spend more time with me in in-person. After working out the specifics, my ticket and overnight accommodations were purchased, and my trip was ready to begin.

Despite the devil doing everything to keep me away – including a delayed flight, a missed connection, a canceled flight, and the inability to get an Uber from the airport after midnight – I slept a few hours. I met Helen and a few of her “guests” a short time later for breakfast.

Conversations over the breakfast table left me questioning anew whether this job was right for me.

The on-site events further solidified the same musings. Over the course of the day, I heard about the “Sound Ceremony” the group celebrated the evening before, witnessed an indigenous guest stand in the mud that was “calling him,” and learned that another guest was an astrologer who frequently gave readings to those whose events she participated in.

“These people are worshiping creation,” I later told David. “I worship the Creator. I don’t know if this could ever be right.”

The 500 acres my new employer owns in North Carolina are a testament to the beauty of God’s creation.

For this reason, I told Helen I needed some time to talk to my husband before I could accept the job offer she graciously extended to me at the end of the day. “We wouldn’t have brought you here if we didn’t think you were the one we wanted in this role,” she told me. “I think you’d be perfect for it.”

I couldn’t yet say the same, and Helen was visibly stunned by my admission. I just wasn’t sure and needed to pray.

Later that evening, after talking to David, I began earnestly petitioning God.

“Lord,” I began, “I don’t know what to do. How can this be right for me? I love Helen’s heart already, and the offer is so generous – but how can I do this?”

It was then that the thought came to me, “Tell Helen how you feel.”

I had been transparent throughout every interaction I’d had to that point – even telling Helen about my past abusive relationships, something that shocked me after my admission. Instead of being horrified at my faux pax, Helen told me she was proud of me and said she knew I would use my past to help others in the future. I had been entirely candid with Helen and knew the same thing was required regarding my faith. I needed to explain my thoughts – no matter what happened.

Hard hats were required as I visited a building under construction during my all-day interview.

On the way home the next day, I reached out to one of the chaplains I’d bonded with during my first Samaritan’s Purse work. After explaining the situation and my proposed response, my friend promised to pray that I would have clear guidance regarding what I should do and say.  

Following my discussion with David upon my return to VA Beach, I asked Helen if I could talk to her the following day to clarify an important matter. We made plans to speak the next morning.

When Helen and I spoke the following day, I explained how an activity we’d shared on-site had affected me. Two days prior, Helen and another guest had laid flowers on and around a statue I didn’t recognize. The act made me pause, step back, and pray.

“Forgive me, Jesus,” I silently petitioned. “I can’t do that. That’s not right.” After learning that the statue was of a Buddhist goddess, I knew my instincts were correct. I needed to explain the same to Helen.

I picked flowers and vegetables from one of the gardens I visited on my site tour.

“In the garden,” I began, “I didn’t know anything about Quan Yin. but I knew in my heart that I couldn’t do what you were doing. Before we go further, I need to explain there are lines I can’t cross. In Christianity, I can’t offer any worship, adoration, or token to anything other than God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That’s sacred to me. I can’t cross that line.”

“I fully respect that,” Helen said. “In fact, I’ve been thinking we need a Christian on staff to help us in decision making. We may actually take that statue out as I don’t think we should have any icons of any type if we’re going to be non-denominational. If you’d like to” she continued, “I can connect you with someone who may speak your language better than I can.”

After agreeing, Helen introduced me to Mark, co-founder and CEO of Mana Nutrition, an organization that creates ready-to-use (RTU) foods to help the world’s malnourished to survive, sustain, and thrive. Mark and his wife spent ten years as missionaries in Uganda – one of the countries they now serve with their product. Incredibly, their manufacturing facility resides about 2.5 hours northwest of where I live, and they’re currently building a warehouse near my former place of employment. This additional connection to me was profound, considering that their headquarters is in NC.

Adding to that, I was surprised to learn that Mana is primarily funded by the same billionaire that bankrolls my new company. “In fact,” Mark explained, “I’ve known [your potential employer] for the past 13 years.”  

Additionally, after hearing my story of how David and I met through Samaritan’s Purse (SP), Mark told me that Mana Nutrition is the number one supplier of RTUs to SP. God’s fingerprints are all over this work – whether they even realize it or not.

As we discussed my trepidation about the role, Mark put my fears to rest. “The way I see it, you’ve been given an opportunity to be a Jesus follower in a rare spot,” – an astute observation that immediately made me smile as it put my spirit at ease. “Think about Paul speaking to the residents in Athens who worshiped so many gods that idol-makers were everywhere. “He didn’t have to go there and talk to them, but he did. We can’t sit in a box and expect to make a difference.”

Over the next few hours, Mark and I spoke of our shared faith, willingness to go wherever God leads, and do whatever we’re asked to do. “You will be challenged more than you’ve ever been in this job,” Mark observed, “but I believe you’re being called to do it.”

I was filled with God’s presence as I walked through the woods during my site tour.

An hour later, I signed the job offer letter and spoke to Helen one last time. “I’m sending you the agreement,” I told her. “I’m so excited to accept.”

“That makes me happy,” Helen said. “I heard from my number two candidate today and she wanted to meet with me in-person. I wasn’t sure what you would say so I didn’t want to turn her away – but I really wanted Sara.” I have no doubt Helen felt my joy at hearing that affirmation as I clapped my hands in response and assured her of my enthusiastic acceptance.

After petitioning God for direction and consulting with other believers, I have perfect peace about this new position. As Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.” How very true that is!

I always pray that God will guide my steps, open the doors that should be opened, and close those I shouldn’t walk through. Throughout this decision-making process, I believe my Heavenly Father not only opened doors but also blasted down any walls that stood in my way, saying, “Go, my child. I am with you.”

God will always guide us down the paths we should follow, just as He did with me during my all-day interview in the mountains near Marshall, NC.

I can’t even imagine what will lie ahead, but I’m excited to see where God takes me next. While I may have thought I was plotting my course a few times in life, I now know that by surrendering to my Creator, yet again, He is establishing my steps down a path I might never have taken on my own.

To be chosen is one thing. To be given the words, peace, and guidance I prayed for by God is quite another thing entirely. Above all, this I know: I am incredibly blessed.

God uses everything for His purpose

God uses everything for His purpose

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)

I drove from GA to VA Beach three weeks ago with three kitties in tow to bring our fur baby, Bo, to David. Bo hadn’t been doing well due to his age and kidney disease. In the two weeks prior, Bo had almost stopped eating and was getting weaker every day. I knew I had to get him to David while I could, as Bo has been David’s near-constant companion and travel co-pilot for over 12 years.

Our brave kitty, Bo, is such a fighter.

Since my arrival in VA Beach and our steady administration of thrice weekly subcutaneous fluids, our Heavenly Father heard our prayers for more time with our beloved fur baby. Bo has since made a remarkable turnaround and is now thriving again. Every day is a gift. That’s blessing number one. 

A week after I arrived, David told me he wanted to give away his old refrigerator. He had bought a new stainless steel fridge to match his upgraded kitchen, but his old one was still working perfectly, and we didn’t want to trash it. 

“I’ll post it on ‘Everything’s free in VA Beach’ on Facebook and maybe we can get it to someone who needs it,” I suggested. David and his friend Jason pushed the fridge to the driveway’s edge. I took pictures and posted the notice. 

An hour later, David informed me that he had saved the appliance from someone who stopped by to take it for scrap. “I told the man I was glad someone could use it,” David said, “That’s when he told me he was going to scrap it. I told him that it worked, and we wanted it to go to someone who needed it.”

“I’m so glad,” I said. “Hopefully, someone will respond to my ad soon.” 

A pop-up message on my phone a few hours later advised me that our prayers had been answered. “I need this,” were the simple words I received in response to my ad. I was ecstatic. That was blessing number two – finding someone who would greatly benefit from what God allowed us to give.

David wanted his old refrigerator to go to someone who really needed it.

I replied to the respondent, Tiffany, that the fridge was still available, and we were happy it would go to a good home. Tiffany confirmed that it would, as her refrigerator wasn’t keeping things cold. After professing my joy with this news, I asked if she could pick up the appliance that evening or the next day, Thursday. 

Tiffany responded that she could get it on Friday after renting a U-Haul. I told her I’d need to check with my husband about keeping it another day, as I knew David was ready for it to be gone. 

My next thought was that we have a trailer; we could deliver it to her. I hesitated to ask David as I knew this was a huge request. Instead, I determined to explain the situation to David to see how he’d respond, unprompted. 

When David returned from the store, I shared the good news of our recipient – then informed him that we’d have to keep it until Friday since Tiffany couldn’t get a U-Haul until then. 

David looked at me without flinching and said, “I can take it to her.” 

“Are you sure?” I asked. “Will you be able to put it on your trailer upright? It won’t be too heavy?” 

“Yes. I’m sure,” David replied. “I’ll strap it in. It’ll be fine.” 

“What about your back?” I asked. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself doing this.” 

“Ask her if she can get someone to help,” David replied. “Let’s do it!” 

That’s when I told David I’d been thinking the same thing. I wanted to ensure he felt good about providing this extra service without suggesting it. With his immediate response, I knew it was the right thing to do —David’s validation of my thoughts was blessing number three.

I then contacted Tiffany to let her know that we could bring the fridge to her if she’d provided us with her address. 

“Omg, are you serious?” asked Tiffany. “Yes, I have someone. You both are such a blessing.🙌” 

“I am totally serious,” I replied. “It would be our privilege to help you, Tiffany. 🙏” 

“If you give us your address and a good time to bring it, we’ll get it there,” I continued. “It will be a gift from God through us to you.”

After providing her address, Tiffany shared, “My kids gonna be in school. They gonna be surprised tomorrow.” 

“HOORAY! Christmas in August!” I replied, “I love it!!

“Awesome. Now I don’t have to freeze their milk for cereal anymore,” Tiffany shared. “I’m so happy! 😀” 

After telling Tiffany how pleased her news made me, we coordinated a time to bring the fridge to its new home. I also asked if she had someone who could help if we needed it.

“Yes, that [time] will work,” Tiffany replied. “I have my nephew here. He will get it. You and your husband have blessed my family, and I will be forever grateful for you two. 💙”

“Amen,” I replied. “God blesses us every day, so we are just doing what we can to share those blessings with you and any others that we can. We’ll see you in the morning!!!” 

The next day, and a few texts later, I’d cleaned up David’s old microwave as Tiffany confirmed that she could use it also. In the meantime, David pulled his trailer around and called me outside to help. 

After attempting to push and pull the fridge directly onto the trailer, we knew we needed a different system to load it. David found two long boards in his backyard and screwed them into the wood. 

Just as I attempted to push and David pull the fridge up, a truck drove by, pulled over, and a Good Samaritan jumped out to help. David saw him first and told me to stop. After trotting back to help me push, we had the fridge on the trailer ready to strap down. 

Better than strapping it alone, David fashioned an ingenious board system around the appliance that he screwed down to keep the fridge from moving. With the straps and boards in place, I snapped photos and told Tiffany we were on our way.

With the help of a Good Samaritan and David’s ingenious framing system, we loaded David’s fridge on his trailer for special delivery to a family in need.

Upon arrival in downtown Norfolk, we were met by Tiffany’s nephew, who helped us get the fridge off the trailer and up the steps to their home. After sharing hugs and gratitude, I told Tiffany how God had brought David and me together in FL after Hurricane Ian. 

David helped push his fridge up 3 steps to Tiffany’s porch.

“We both long to share God’s blessings with others. Now, we’re able to do so together. I hope every time you look at this fridge, you remember that God loves you. Tell your children that, too. You are so important! Never forget that.”

“I won’t,” Tiffany confirmed. 

As David and I drove away, I was struck by the fact that however much we give and no matter what we do, we can never outgive God. Our cups are overflowing with God’s mercies every single day. David and I recount our blessings every time we pray. We have each other, first and foremost, which will always be the uttermost tangible gift either of us has ever received from our Heavenly Father. Love is an infinite, unquantifiable godsend for which we will never stop thanking our Creator.

David and I shared hugs and smiles after the successful hand-off of his former fridge to its new owners.

Additionally, we have our health, home, and David’s VA Beach house, which we get closer to completing every day. We also have food in our refrigerator and clothes on our backs, and we are safe. We are blessed with everything we need, and God has allowed us to share what we have with others.

David and his co-pilot Bo were all smiles on their return trip to GA following Bo’s miraculous recovery.

We also, miraculously, have our sweet Bo-man for a little longer, as God has seen fit to restore him to near-perfect health and surprising vigor since I arrived in VA Beach. We are so grateful for every extra day with him – especially the good days we’ve experienced lately.

Even more so, in giving of ourselves and our abundance, we can share God’s blessings with others. While my interaction with Tiffany was brief, I hope and pray that the words shared and the household appliances gifted will serve as tangible evidence of our Heavenly Father’s goodness, grace, and generosity in her life. Although we’ll never know if anything we did impacted her in any way, our Creator does, and that’s all that matters.

God can use anything and everything for His purpose – even a refrigerator – to reach the lives of those who might never have heard His name or seen Him in any other way. We never know what our Creator will need us to give, what He will ask us to say, or who He wants us to tell it to. All we can do is give, speak, and pray that God will use it all for His divine purpose.

Everything we have is His anyway. All we’re doing is giving back as He directs us.

Be Brave – Politics and religion must mix

Be Brave – Politics and religion must mix

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is.” I couldn’t agree more. Taking it a step further, I believe our connection to God should impact every aspect of our lives – including formulating our worldview and determining how we vote.

For countless ages, most of us have lived by the adage that tells us, “Politics and religion don’t mix.” Both subjects are incontrovertibly controversial. And both can turn the best of friends into the bitterest of enemies. But does that mean that we should keep the two apart? Perish the thought. While I wouldn’t recommend sitting your climate-change-confirming cousin next to your Southern Baptist brother at the next family BBQ, it’s time for us as Christians to stop being afraid to speak about our values in the political arena. After all, if we remain mute, the opportunity to stand up for our faith may soon be lost forever.

When I started this blog in 2019, I was determined to focus on anything but politics. Restraining my conservative leanings seemed prudent in the establishment of this forum.  I’ve mostly stuck to that mindset over the years – but not anymore. I now believe that sharing my thoughts regarding political matters can help further my calling to encourage – in a whole new way. Don’t we all thrive in unity? Are we not stronger together? Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Through our combined strength, we can better stand for Christian values in a world ready to dismiss them. Discussing political matters with others – especially while espousing a Biblical perspective – helps us strengthen our values, protect our faith, and fortify our resolve to lead lives worthy of our calling.

My political expression is nothing new: it began long before my blog did. Apart from serving in several state and federal electoral campaigns, I became a community columnist for my local WV newspaper, The Martinsburg Journal, in 2009. What a thrill it was to see my words in print! Even more gratifying was the affirmation I received from readers, who were equally delighted by the evidence that our conservative values were alive and well in a world where the media would have us think otherwise.

A scrapbook clipping of one of my community columns under my former name.

While actively writing for the paper, another opportunity to stand up for my values presented itself. A few months into the Obama administration, a new grassroots organization appeared on the scene and spread like wildfire across our nation.

Like the patriots of 1773 who cast their tea into the Boston Harbor in protest of the British monarch’s excessive taxation on our new republic, a call to organize Tax Day protests caught my attention. When one of my readers suggested I become a Tea Party leader, I heeded the call and sprang into action. Before I could say, “No new taxes,” I was giving speeches in the town square, surrounded by fellow conservatives, holding hand-made signs voicing protest against our government’s recent actions.

My fellow Blue Ridge Patriots and I took our hand-made signs and flag to the nation’s capital in Sept. 2009. (Martinsburg Journal)

Not wanting to lose the momentum or unity, our group organized further – officially becoming the Blue Ridge Patriots. In addition to holding subsequent Tea Parties to raise awareness of our thoughts and values, we hosted a Patriot’s Picnic on July 4, stood vigil outside our local IRS office, and united with nearly 100,000 other Tea Partiers from across the country in our nation’s capital. On September 12, 2009, I joined my fellow Blue Ridge Patriots in carrying a 40-foot garrison flag to U.S. Capitol grounds. There was joy in our harmony and comfort in our camaraderie. I’ve never been prouder to be an American than I was that day.

Second from the right, I am pictured here with my fellow Blue Ridge Patriots as we held our 40-foot garrison flag above the Capitol lawn during our four-hour Tea Party event in Washington, DC.

Between the affirmation I received from my column and the shared thoughts we espoused in Tea Party events, one thing always struck me: the demonstration of bravery instills courage in others. It is easy to remain silent when we fear standing alone. Conversely, the masses find strength when even a few intrepid spokespeople stand up. Now is the time to raise our voices before government-controlled “hate speech” laws become the rule of the land. There is more at stake than values in our culture. The fundamental right to speak from our hearts, parent from our consciences, and worship how we choose are on the table in the upcoming election season and beyond.

We’re at a crossroads in our country. Right now, our nation is more divided than ever before. The media is no longer unbiased. Censorship is rampant. Radicalism is on the rise while Christian values are at an all-time low. But why are so many believers timid about verbalizing their beliefs? Is it not because the devil has made us afraid? Is not fear one of his greatest weapons? Rather than be bold believers like the early apostles, we’re hesitant to stand up, scared to offend, and afraid to look “different.” It’s time we overcame our fear and started using our voices to speak out. I, for one, am determined to do so.

Do we believe God’s Word anymore? If we do, we can’t be afraid to stand up for its truth. Silence is not just complacency; it’s enablement. We, as Christians, can no longer be mute in response to the evils taking over our culture, workplaces, schools – and, yes – even our churches.

Our Blue Ridge Patriots were joined by thousands of others from across the nation as we marched on Washington, DC in September 2009.

As Joshua directed the Israelites to take a stand for God as his nation was about to enter the long-awaited Promised Land, so we should also encourage one another to stand and move forward in the Battle for the Soul of our Nation – whether that be in the classroom, the boardroom, the public square, or in the White House.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

A clipping from the Martinsburg Journal details the flag our Tea Party group carried into Washington DC in Sept. 2009.

The time is now, beloved. Who are you standing for? What is important to you? As the Apostle Paul told us in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

My faith informs every part of my life. Christianity isn’t just a religion. It’s a relationship that permeates every fiber of my being – including how I talk, what I value, and how I vote. I can’t separate it from my existence. As James 2:26 reminds us, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” We are what we believe.

While no one can be sure who first said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing,” the sentiment remains the same. Christians can no longer remain silent while evil is running so rampant. As the Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Chapter 5: 11-16)

This political cartoon from 2009 exemplifies the hatred that comes when you stand up for what you believe in. When what you’re doing is unpopular, it’s demonized. Perception is often far from reality. Be prepared and stay undaunted.

It’s time to be fearless – right here, right now, in this place, and in this time. Politics and religion must mix if we are to save our nation from the demonic forces taking over everything. We must be lionhearted if we care about our beliefs and “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks [us] to give the reason for the hope that [we] have.” (1 Peter 3:15)

We must never be fearful to stand up for our faith and values. As Joshua 1:9 reminds us, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21)

On March 12, 2023, my God-ordained husband put a ring on my finger, and I became Mrs. David Robert Olson. On July 31, 2024, I reflexively rubbed my fingers across that same ring as I always did, only this time, something was wrong. This time, the precious gem that had sealed my engagement and marriage was gone.

My empty ring casing, as I discovered it on my hand.

The diamond in my engagement ring held great significance to me. Decades before David and I ever met, my sister, Jackie, gifted me with a diamond for no discernible purpose. The gem came to me in its original pendant setting out of the blue – without a chain or explanation. I wrote all about the ring in my blog entitled, God is in this story – Part 1, The Ring.  

My sister was living in Fort Myers, FL, at the time and was currently struggling through her second difficult marriage. I always suspected she wanted it to be stored somewhere safe, as she told me to “just save it.” And so, save it, I did, seldom giving it any thought as it sat in its used, orange felt jewelry box, tucked away inside a box of other keepsake items I still have.

Less than five years later, Jackie moved to Colorado to reestablish her life with a new husband. Tragically, Jackie’s time there was short-lived. A few years into their marriage, my sister and her 14-year-old daughter, Ashley, were killed by Jackie’s husband.

When God first led me to assist Samaritan’s Purse with disaster relief work after Hurricane Ian decimated parts of Florida in 2022, I had a choice of three different locations from which to labor – Englewood, Punta Gorda, or Fort Myers. I chose Fort Myers partly in honor of my sister, but also because I wanted to serve in the area hardest hit by that historic Category 4 hurricane. Above all, I wanted to be God’s hands and feet where I hoped I’d be most needed.

While these shrimp boats were left stranded on dry land in Ft. Myers, FL, after Hurricane Ian, David and I couldn’t help smiling at how God could bring beauty from ashes as he brought the two of us together through the storm.

Regardless of what brought me to Fort Myers, David’s and my mutual surrender to our Savior brought us together. Had either of us rejected God’s calling, we would have missed the biggest blessing of our lives – finding each other. That thought seldom leaves my mind. I enjoy recounting it at every telling of our story.

Psalm 37:4 has become my life verse: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” My life is a living testament to the veracity of that promise.

But I digress. As anyone who knows me will attest, I’ve never been someone who wears expensive jewelry. Having a real diamond on my finger – especially given how and why it got there – has always seemed incredulous to me, on many levels. Every time I looked at that ring, it shocked me anew. So many miraculous things have happened since I fully surrendered to God on that fateful journey in October 2022. I often find myself questioning how it all came together.

What led my sister to send me her diamond all those years ago? How did two broken people from different states, separated by hundreds of miles, healed by Christ, find themselves in a disaster zone together, become best friends, discover themselves as soulmates, and eventually marry – five short months later? How did that diamond stay in a keepsake box over two decades only to be expertly crafted into a ring that would seal the vows I said to my greatest love on our wedding day? How did my best friend from Bulgaria still have a hand-made wedding dress, inexplicably hand-delivered to her in the U.S. from her father, waiting in her garage to gift me to wear the day I got married? How did a hand-beaded garment created for someone in another country happen to be ready for me at the precise moment I needed it? How did that dress fit me so expertly over ten years after it was first created for another person I didn’t even know then? How on earth did anything between and surrounding David’s and my meeting ever happen?

Our wedding day, March 12, 2023

There is only one indisputable answer to all those questions: God. Our Creator preordained every part of my life to be precisely how it is today – including my meeting and marrying David. My Heavenly Father loves me. Everything I have, everything that comprises the life I now live, was given to me by God. One of my favorite Bible verses has always been James 1:17, which says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” To that, I can only say, “Amen” and “Hallelujah!”

I know how blessed I have always been. I am nothing without Christ and would have nothing without God’s goodness and grace. I am forever grateful for all the blessings lovingly bestowed upon me by my Heavenly Father.

I also know that nothing touches my life without God allowing it to do so – good or bad. I accept that. Am I sad when things don’t turn out how I want them to? Of course. I am, after all, unquestionably human. I feel joy as deeply as I do pain, sorrow, and disappointment.

As such, I was initially devastated to discover that my precious diamond had been ripped out of its setting and seemingly lost to me forever. This once-forgotten gem meant a lot to me, after all. Still, I am blessed with an exceedingly greater treasure in God and David. When I tearfully shared the news of the loss to my husband, he melted my heart with his beautiful response: “You’ll never lose me, love.” I will forever hold the beauty of that statement close to my heart.

David and I celebrate the creation and receipt of our two wedding rings in January 2023.

And so, after searching for my wayward gem as much as possible, I let it go. While I may always wonder if it will turn up one day as my precious cross necklace did, I will not over-mourn its loss. After all, I still have a lovely wedding band on my finger, indelible memories in my heart, and a devoted husband by my side. With all that, I have more than I ever thought possible – all gifted to me by Heavenly Father.

Knowing that statement to be gospel truth, I can honestly say without reservation, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21).

No matter what, I will never stop praising my Savior.

When we’ve done everything – STAND

When we’ve done everything – STAND

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

Over the past decade, our world has become decidedly darker. I don’t mean that in the literal sense, as the sun and moon continue to cycle in the same manner that they always have. I’m talking about morality, decency, and even liberty being under attack like never before in the history of humanity.

We’ve seen more than our share of wickedness permeate our society. Since same-sex marriage was legalized in in 2015, a Pandora’s box of evil and ungodliness was unleashed upon our nation. Sexuality has replaced the sanctity of life. Children are told that their gender is dependent upon how they feel rather than how God created them. Legislators, doctors, and even parents have endorsed and allowed minors to butcher their bodies without thought of their future psyches. “Pride” in sexuality is celebrated in the workplace. Our nation’s military touts gender diversity over strength and preparedness. Parents are labeled as domestic terrorists by our government’s highest agencies for daring to stand up to school boards pushing indoctrination, victimhood, and perversity on minors. Many church denominations now condone same-sex marriage and allow spiritual leaders to live in same-sex relationships openly. Over 63 million babies have been aborted in America since abortion became legal in 1973. Our nation – and, in fact, the world – can’t sink much lower in morality.

Even seemingly neutral subjects like sporting events have taken a decidedly deep dive over the past decade. In addition to the consistently outrageous mindset that transgender athletes – read that as men who identify as women – should be allowed to participate in and dominate women’s sports – we now have the organizers of this year’s Olympic games taking a pot-shot at Christianity in their opening event.

Gone is the parade of athletes formerly featured at the world’s Olympic games. Instead, this year’s Summer Olympics opening featured a disturbing recreation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” In a live and profoundly irreverent interpretation of the same, the artistic director of the opening, Thomas Jolly, utilized Drag Queens in lingerie as the disciples, an obese woman in a low-cut, sequined garment sporting a halo, chains, and tattoos as Christ, and even more uncomfortably, a child seated at the table, surrounded by this debauchery. When I first read the headline announcing the same, I had to ask, “What on earth does poking fun at one of the most meaningful events in Christian history have to do with sports?” Seemingly nothing. But that didn’t matter to the event organizers.

Advocates of this blasphemous display worked hard to defend it for two days – insisting that the tableau was not “The Last Supper” but rather an artistic interpretation of a festival of Dionysus. After all, the production also featured a blue-painted actor sprawled astride a lavish serving dish on the same table where the Drag Queens posed – seemingly depicting the Greek God.

As the outcry continued, organizers of Paris 2024 later admitted, “For the ‘Festivities’ segment, Thomas Jolly took inspiration from Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting to create the setting.” Jolly ultimately referred to his presentation as a celebration of “tolerance” – despite its blatant intolerance and mockery of Christianity.

So, what caused organizers to bow and apologize to anyone who saw this display as it was intended – as a degradation of our faith in a completely inappropriate venue? They could have maintained their tight-lipped stance regarding what some have declared a simple “parody” of a sacred event. As Paris 2024 explained, “[Jolly] is not the first artist to make a reference to what is a world-famous work of art. From Andy Warhol to ‘The Simpsons,’ many have done it before him.”

Was it the profound condemnation of the event that filled social media accounts over the weekend that caused the tables to turn? After all, many noteworthy leaders spoke out against the performance.

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and owner of X, wrote on his platform, “This was extremely disrespectful to Christians.”

Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker who recently made headlines by standing for his faith at a college commencement ceremony, responded to the controversy by quoting scripture. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.’ Galatians 6:7-8.”

Radio host Clint Russell observed, “There are 2.4 billion Christians on earth and apparently the Olympics wanted to declare loudly to all of them, right out of the gate NOT WELCOME.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X, “The war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail.” Johnson, like many others, backed his statement by quoting scripture: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also issued a statement that read, “Opening the Olympics by insulting billions of Christians around the world was a really bad start, dear French.”

Despite this outrage, it wasn’t until advertisers like TN-based tech company C Spire used their wallets to pull event advertisements that organizers suddenly seemed to care about the controversy. As C Spire posted on X, “We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. C Spire will be pulling our advertising…”

Twenty-four hours later, Paris 24 organizers half-heartedly apologized by saying, “Clearly, there was never an intention to show disrespect towards any religious group or belief.” When money is involved, everyone listens.

Events such as this will hardly end after this controversy. The world will remain dark and continue to manipulate whatever it can to gain attention, satisfy powerful perversions, and mock the light of the world – Jesus Christ.

The question is, how publicly are we willing to stand up for our faith? Will we do so even when others stand against us? Will we speak the truth to a lost world, even when threatened with hate speech, fear-mongering, and public ridicule? How many of us are ready to take a stand when the prince of this world – the devil himself – wants us to fall?

I’m committed to staying plugged into the Word of Christ – one of the surest ways to remain strong in the faith. David and I are vigilant in reading scripture together every night. We know that things aren’t getting better for Christians in the world. In fact, the fires will assuredly become hotter and more hostile towards anyone who proclaims the name of Jesus in the future.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to put on the armor of the Lord. Without it, we, as Christians, can never “take up the shield of faith, with which [we] can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16)

The battle is only beginning. Gird up your loins and prepare. If we intend to bring God’s light into a blindingly dark world, we must stay attached to its source – Jesus Christ.

If we do, no matter what happens, even after we’ve done everything, we will still stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:9)

On Saturday, July 13th, the devil used a confused young man to carry out an act that forever changed our nation. As former President Donald J. Trump took the stage at a Butler, PA campaign rally, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired at him from the rooftop of a perimeter building less than 500 feet away. Crooks’ bullet was fired to kill. God’s hand was raised to save.

As Trump turned his head a nano-second before the bullet reached him, the deadly projectile cut through Trump’s right ear rather than his eye, ripping the flesh but sparing the life of a political leader that God isn’t done with yet. This split-second action led the former president to declare that “God alone” spared him – a testament that propelled energy nearly as powerful as the bullet itself.

(Image credit: Evan Vucci)

Evangelical and political leaders across the globe echoed Trump’s statement, declaring God’s hand of sovereign protection over our nation’s former president.

Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said, “I join with millions of Americans and people all around the world who are thanking God that former President Donald Trump is safe. It is obvious that God’s hand of protection was on him.”

(Image credit: Source unknown)

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) pronounced, “God protected Donald Trump.”

Tony Suarez, vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, quoted the following scripture on the social media platform X shortly after the shooting: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in Him will I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2 KJV)

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) enthusiastically testified to his belief in divine intervention when he spoke at the Republican National Convention following the shooting. “If you didn’t believe in miracles before Saturday,” Scott said, “you better be believing right now!”  

Not content to leave his praise there, Scott continued, “Thank God we live in a country that still believes in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega. Our God still saves, still delivers, and He still sets free…”

As miraculous as this day was, tragedy still befell the crowd. A devoted father and former fire chief, Corey Comperatore (age 50), died protecting his family from the would-be assassin’s bullets. Two other patriots, David Dutch (age 57) and James Copenhaver (age 74), were in critical and now stable condition. We can’t begin to speculate about why God allowed a heroic Christian father to die and two others to be so mercilessly wounded on that fateful field in PA. No one can understand the mind of our Creator. One life was spared, and another one taken. That’s up to our Heavenly Father to decide.

And yet, our nation is now talking about God. In the media, in the workplace, and across the family table, many who never speak about Christianity are now doing so. Even if that were the only reason this fateful act took place, it would be worth it.

I believe that my Almighty Creator’s sovereign hand rests over everyone and everything that has ever walked and will ever walk the face of this earth. There’s no doubt in my mind that what we witnessed in that field in PA was nothing short of a miracle.

For the past decade, evangelical leaders have called for a spiritual revival in our nation. We’re seeing one right now. Over the past week, I’ve heard more scripture quoted at the Republican National Convention than I believe has ever been recited in the political arena. The name of Jesus was proclaimed, prayed, and praised across the airways in such a manner that I often felt I was watching a Billy Graham crusade rather than a government event. Franklin Graham, Billy’s son, actually heralded the gospel message on prime-time television – something that might never have happened had the events of July 13th not occurred. As arms were raised at event-night benedictions, my heart soared at the sound of praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

No matter how you feel about the candidates, no one can deny that our nation has been knocked to its knees. Rather than mourning a lost leader, we are joyously thanking an Almighty God and forging bonds of unity where once division only existed. We are celebrating a divine victory. We are raising the name of Jesus to the heavens and asking Him to bless us, consecrate this political election, and restore our nation.

2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Thanks to what they witnessed during that fateful Saturday – and what they’ve heard exclaimed since then by heads of state, political leaders, and evangelical pastors – countless persons across the country are all looking heavenward. Now is the time to petition our Heavenly Father wholeheartedly to help our nation return to its Christian foundations. We can no longer hesitate to speak out and reclaim the ground we’ve surrendered to the devil. It’s time to stand up as Christians, to be bold in our faith, and prepare ourselves to do battle against the devil, even as we shout, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Praying for and promoting what our Founders fought for – religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and freedom from oppression – can only serve to unite and elevate our nation. Prayer is our best and only hope. We can’t be a City on a Hill, shining our bright light to the world, without placing our hope and faith in the only one who can save us – Jesus Christ our Savior.

And so, I ask you today to consider that God allowed the bullet that struck former President Trump’s ear to graze him for a reason – to get him and everyone who saw his bloodied ear to listen to God. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:9)

Once upon a time, we were one nation under God, that governed with liberty and justice for all. I pray that we can return to be that true beacon of hope and light to the world around us. We can be if we unite together under Christ. God can only use us for His great purpose if we open our hearts, minds and ears to hear His profound guidance.

Out of the woods

Out of the woods

This post is going to be different than my usual fare. It’s going to be raw and painful, so reader beware. Nevertheless, the story needs telling.

As hard as it may be to believe, David and I have had some pretty strong disagreements, and everything is not always as perfect as it may appear in our relationship.    

There. I’ve said it. I hope that’s not too disillusioning. Then again, that statement will likely be reassuring to some.

While I will always believe that David and I have a perfect love, we do not always have a “perfect” relationship. We are human, after all – which means we are flawed, fallible, and fearful in our own ways.

Sometimes, David’s and my triggers get pulled – never intentionally, of course, but it happens. Such a thing can be excruciating. Given the lives we’ve lived up until we met in the Fall of 2022, that’s only natural. The question is not whether we will ever hurt one another. The question is, what happens when we do?

David’s mother died when he was 15 years old. His parents never wanted to hurt him and his younger brother Jeffrey or cause them distress when their mother was first hospitalized with an unknown cancer. They didn’t tell their children things, and affection was never demonstrated in their household. David’s father was a self-made man who created a successful packaging business. His company made boxes of various types and sizes for other companies to ship their goods. He did well for himself and ultimately passed the business to David’s older brother, Bruce.

Bruce and Doug – David’s oldest brothers – and their sister, Char, the oldest of the Olson siblings, were all out of the household when their mother died. Leading up to his mother’s death, there was never a discussion of her impending passing. One day, she was just gone. Only David and Jeffrey remained then, and life was difficult for them afterward. His father hired a live-in housekeeper as a surrogate mother which ended up causing more harm than good in the home. Without a foundation of Jesus Christ in their lives, love was painfully absent. When their father re-married, the damage was already done. David and Jeffrey floundered in their brokenness after losing their mother.

David, in particular, took on the role of protector and defender of his younger brother, even while faltering in his pursuit of purpose and meaning in life. Without a father figure to guide him or even a strong faith at the time, David pursued happiness and meaning without ever finding it. He had friends, of course, and temporary fulfillment was attainable. Still, he never knew what true love was. After all, such a thing was never modeled or given to him – not as a child and never as an adult. David’s two previous marriages ended quickly and painfully, and any relationships he held were superficial and false. That’s all he ever knew; all he believed was out there.

While David attended church as a child, he never developed a relationship with God. It wasn’t until 1998 that he found a good church home to foster and grow his faith and become closer to his Savior. Only after fully surrendering to his Heavenly Father did David become the man I fell in love with. His previous lifestyle and personality would never have meshed with mine.

As for me, I always had an unbreakable relationship with God. That bond has sustained me through years of never being good enough for anyone else. In school, I was the oddball, the country girl from Nebraska who moved to a tough school in Baltimore County where I was not just in the minority due to my race but a pimply-faced super-geek with an antique saxophone that had to stand on the school bus because no one would let me sit beside them.

I took solace in my Heavenly Father – spending hours singing and pouring out my heart to my Savior in my grandfather’s woods next to his house that my mom and I lived in, rent-free. As tough as it was to be an outcast in school, I always felt complete in Christ. Surrounded by God’s creation, I experienced happiness and peace. Stepping out of the woods was another story entirely.

As the perpetual outcast, I was stunned when the man who would become my first husband demonstrated interest in me when I was 18. Having never known my father (my parents divorced when I was four, and my dad never had anything to do with me), I had no one to model what a good man was like. I was content to hear someone say he loved me – true or not.

My illusion of love shattered when I became pregnant at age 19. My boyfriend – the first I’d ever had – ran when a child came into the picture, leaving me to deal with the consequences. When he returned to the scene after my first daughter was born, it was only because his grandfather demanded that he marry me. More than once, I wish I’d remained an unmarried mother. My life might have been so much different had I stayed single.

Instead, I married a man who turned out to be a monster. Between his resentment at being shackled to a wife and child at a young age and his addiction to alcohol and pornography, my life became a vicious cycle of tiptoeing around a volatile man. I stayed in that marriage for fourteen years, giving birth to two more children from a man who alternately gave me sexually transmitted diseases from the prostitutes he slept with and then strangled me whenever I begged him to tell me he loved me.

His anger was always my fault, he said. I was never good enough, and he repeatedly told me that the love I asked him for only existed in fairy tales. “Life’s not a Disney movie,” he’d say. “Grow up.”

After leaving that marriage with nothing more than clothing for myself and my children, I filed a protective order and moved into an apartment in which I hoped to make a new home. Nothing turned out the way I’d planned. After picking my children up at school that first afternoon, my oldest daughter demanded I take her back to her father. As someone who always puts others ahead of me, I did. My daughter never looked back except to tell me how worthless I was and how badly I hurt her father by leaving. To this day, she still refuses to speak to me.  

Adding to my distress, my middle daughter soon told me she wanted to live with her best friend instead of me. When her friend’s mother agreed to the arrangement, she, too, moved out. For the most part, she’s chosen to live her life with barely a thought of me.

My son stayed with me the longest, but eventually, he, too, decided to move back with his dad – his football coach since he was old enough to hold a pigskin. After years of estrangement, my son and I established a close relationship about ten years ago, and I thank God for that gift.

After leaving my first husband, I met a man I thought was a saint. He turned out to be a demon. Our relationship began with gifts and him telling me that all I needed was for him to take care of me. I never imagined how debilitating a controller could be until I married one. As soon as the ring was on my finger, everything changed. Kindness was gone. Anger, control, manipulation, and fear became my closest companions – from our wedding night onward.

As the fourth son of abusive parents, my ex would tell me horrific stories of the violence he endured growing up, elaborating only to gleefully explain how he and his brothers ultimately extended their own savagery upon others in return. As a former boxer, I knew what my ex could do to me with his fists if he wanted to – and that was enough to keep me in line.

I’ll never forget the time he encircled my throat with his massive arm, tightening his grip enough so that his bicep pressed into my ear. I was deep cleaning our house then – a weekly task I performed to keep him happy. Focused on scrubbing the sink, I hadn’t even noticed my ex’s entry into the room when he appeared behind me and slowly encircled my neck with his arm – triggering a visceral memory of strangulation to consume my body. Looking at me with a sinister smile on his face, he said, “I could snap your head like a grape if I wanted to.” Desperately trying not to react, I still remember the fear I barely kept tamped down as he laughingly let me go and walked out of the room.

My ex thrived on power – forcing me to live a life of exile without friends and family. His anger was always just below the surface. Rather than hitting me, he would destroy my things – throwing dishes at me, refusing to allow me to eat, physically pushing me out of the house whenever he suspected I’d talked to someone at work, became too friendly with someone at church, or didn’t keep a spotless home. “Go,” he’d say. “I want nothing to do with you. Get out of my sight.”

I learned to keep a sleeping bag hidden outside my house during the West Virginia winters – never knowing when I’d be locked out. I slept in my car, on the deck, in the garden, and with my dogs – creeping back inside when he left for work the next day. He, too, told me his anger was my fault.

I attempted to leave him twice. Failing to do so, I talked to a Christian counselor to justify the notion that it was Biblically okay for me to walk away. While I expected she would help guide me in ways to repair my marriage; she instead told me I could have my ex arrested for the things he did to me that are too dark to mention here. She further said she feared he would eventually kill me if I didn’t go.

And still, I stayed. It took a dear friend telling me that I was putting my husband in the place of God before I was finally convinced that I could leave without disavowing my faith.

Enter David.

David was different. He’s the only person I ever met I felt entirely comfortable being myself with. David once told me he loved to hear me talk. I honestly never thought anyone would ever say such a thing to me. We never fought. We thrived in each other’s company. We never wanted to be apart. We read the Bible together every night and delight in each other’s encouragement.

Still, the Devil knows our triggers, and he’s more than happy to push them. Fatigue, financial strain, and fear are potent weapons in his arsenal. He’s more than ready to fling them at me – at both of us. We’ve worked together on David’s VA Beach house for a year and a half. It’s a miracle that the burden of all that hasn’t hit us sooner. When it did, it wasn’t good.

I won’t get into the specifics, but it suffices to say that David and I have had more than a few “disagreements” about resolving that situation. The more I tried to relay my thoughts, the more complicated everything became.

In my head, all I know is that I possess the unique ability to make men angry. That’s all I’ve ever known. It’s always my fault. In David’s words, he “can’t deal with [my] insecurity.” The angrier he becomes, the more I withdraw into myself. That’s how I survived for most of my adult life. I learned to be quiet and do everything I can not to anger men.

When David left the house one night after another unfortunate disagreement ensued, he told me I had “finally said too much.” As his car drove away from our home, I was broken. Crying on the floor in a puddle of abject sorrow at his words and my belief that nothing could ever be made right again, I began praying.

“Bring David back, Lord,” I cried. “Keep him safe, even in his anger, and bring him home to me. Please help us!”

As I repeated my prayer over and over again, the minutes ticked by. I remained on my knees and kept praying that David would come home.

Even while the tears continued to stream down my face and sobs wracked my body, I heard the garage door open. Miraculously, David came back. He was still angry, but he was home.

“God heard my prayer,” I told him as he returned to the living room, where I remained on my knees. “You came home.”

While neither of us could say much more that evening, I continued to pray. The next day, we woke up and talked calmly about our situation. Shortly thereafter, David decided to return to VA Beach to work on his house alone, and I remained in GA to restore the overgrown flower beds and yards I’d neglected over the past year and a half. As we both concentrated on our respective efforts, I believe God softened David’s heart to understand my thoughts and our situation better.

David has since decided to complete his house renovations to sell the property and move forward. When he surprised me by driving 9 hours to arrive home a day early from VA Beach, I felt like we were reliving the precious memory of his driving 8 hours from FL to GA to surprise me by telling me he loved me for the first time, back in 2022. I was filled with joy to see him again.

Standing just inside our GA home’s threshold, David surprised me by arriving home in the evening a full night before I expected to see him.

As for now, I can’t promise that I will never feel insecure when David gets angry with me about something. I can’t say that I won’t always get quiet when we disagree and withdraw to prevent an argument. I understand that David is sensitive about his decisions. Finances are a profound catalyst for distress in even the most robust relationships. That’s why we need to pray before making any decisions in the future.

More than that, I will never doubt that God always hears me when I pray. Sometimes, prayer brings an immediate resolution, as it did when David turned his car around and came home when I prayed that he would. While something like that may not always happen, it did then, and I’m forever grateful. Still, I know we are not entirely out of the woods yet.

Nevertheless, I know God is with us and hears our prayers. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3). I live with that reality daily.

Past wounds may make for delicate triggers, but with God’s help, our scars only remind us of what He brought us through. The Devil can’t win unless we let him. I, for one, refuse to let him do so.

I’m so grateful for all our Heavenly Father has brought David and me through– separately and together. We are strongest when we remember God binds our hearts, minds, and bodies together. May we never cease to pray, beseech, and listen to our Savior. He brought us here, and He will see us through.

He who began a good work in you

He who began a good work in you

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

It’s no secret that David and I have spent much time modernizing and upgrading his VA Beach home to sell or eventually rent it. Overall, we have spent two or more weeks there every month since we’ve been married – the only exception being while honeymooning in Italy last fall.

We initially estimated the work to take about six months. It’s been fifteen – and we’re still unsure when we’ll be done. Everything takes longer than expected. 

And then there are the “distractions” – side jobs, doctor’s appointments, and surgical procedures, for example. All these things slow everything down and delay progress.  

While we need the side jobs to help pay for the restoration work, bills, and unexpected expenses – like insurance-mandated tree pruning and a broken air conditioner – I’m a “get-er-done” kind of gal, which can make delays a bit frustrating. 

Combine that with the difficulty of managing our and my mom’s GA yards (her vacation home is next to ours), and it becomes increasingly difficult for us to be away during the summer. Our last trip to VA Beach lasted three weeks. We traveled back the Sunday before Memorial Day and spent the holiday cutting grass, weed eating, clearing vines, and picking up fallen limbs. I worked my paying job the next day, then packed for David and me to travel to Texas to see his cousins to celebrate his birthday. The trip was my birthday gift to him.

From left to right: David, Moose (a miniature golden retriever), David’s cousin Nan, Nan’s husband John, and, David‘s cousin Linda all enjoy a ride in John’s boat on Possum Kingdom Lake in Texas.

Needless to say, I was exhausted traveling between VA Beach, Georgia, and Texas. At a breaking point, I cried to David about how tired I was – telling him I didn’t know how much longer I could continue to go back and forth every month, working in Virginia, trying to keep our Georgia home up, and then taking a trip in the middle of it all. “We need the renovation work to be done,” I said. “It’s too much. I need a break.” 

As always, God was listening. Ironically, the answer to my prayer for rest was answered most unexpectedly.

On our second night in Texas, David said he didn’t feel well. By the middle of the night, I, too, became sick. Vomiting and diarrhea kept me up and rushing to the bathroom until dawn.

While all I wanted to do was stay in bed, we were expected to leave David’s cousin’s lake house that same day to drive back to Dallas. David’s family had hoped for us to all stay at the lake during our visit, but home responsibilities called everyone back earlier. 

Nan and John’s lake house is nestled on a corner of Costello Island off of Possum Kingdom Lake, TX.

Not knowing what had made me sick in the night, I was hesitant to say anything to our hosts. We planned to make the best of it and pray I didn’t get sick along the two-and-a-half-hour journey to their city home. Instead, while I was lying down upstairs, David revealed my sickness to his cousins. 

In God’s infinite mercy, we learned that an extra car was available so David and I could leave later, allowing everyone else to depart as planned. While we anticipated only a minor delay before we, too, hit the road, when David began vomiting, everything changed. David and I would spend the night at the lake and head to Dallas the next day. That decision changed everything. 

Sick as we were, David and I were finally able to relax. Without the need to interact with the others, David and I took the time to lay down, look at the water, and just “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

David and I spent our time together cuddling together and relaxing before leaving the lake.

“We’ve never been sick together,” I remember telling David after our new plans had been announced. 

“If we have to be sick together, this is a beautiful place for it to happen,” David retorted, to which I wholeheartedly agreed.

The magnificent view of Possum Kingdom Lake from the back porch of Nan and John’s lake house.

For the remainder of the day, David and I took the long overdue break we needed. After scavenging some soup in the closet, we didn’t just make the best of our time alone – sick or not – we celebrated it as an unexpected blessing. 

The following day was David’s birthday, and I woke up feeling well enough to jump into the lake – literally. Not only that, but David and I both tried out his extended family’s paddleboard and truly appreciated the beauty of the place. Above and beyond the brilliant sunshine gracing our last day there, the fluffy cottonwood seeds gently wafting through the air made everything seem positively magical.

Even though I got sick again later that evening at David’s cousin’s Dallas home, it was all worth it to see the love heaped upon my husband by everyone on his birthday. The following day, I enjoyed some blissful rest, which allowed David exclusive time to catch up with everyone on his own – yet another unexpected blessing.

David’s cousins, Nan (left) and Linda (right) treated David to a special dinner and petit fours on his birthday.

While flying back to GA the next day, I couldn’t help but thank God for using sickness to give me the time I needed to rest and recover from my fatigue. No matter what lies ahead in David’s home renovation and no matter how long it takes to complete the work to his satisfaction, I know God is with us. It’s His bond that ties David and me so closely together. He is the cord that will keep us close – despite the stress of fatigue, delays, medical issues, travel, and work.

We will always be grateful for God’s great hand of provision that sustains us. While everything may not always go precisely as we’d planned, that’s okay. Sometimes, the ride is bumpy and full of turbulence. Other times, our skies are clear, and all is well. Whether we’re above, below, or in the clouds, God is always with us and will see us through. 

Beautiful skies awaited us as David and I flew back to Jacksonville, FL after our TX getaway.

After all, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) We know God will continue to give us strength to see this renovation work through until its conclusion and we are so grateful.