There are so many things I could reflect on, but choosing just one or two is nearly impossible. God has done so much in my life, and I have countless reasons to be thankful. Growing up, I was blessed to be raised by godly grandparents who led me to the church early on. As a teenager, I was forbidden from attending church by a family member, but as an adult, I found my way back—thanks to my Taekwondo family,

As Lent starts, many of us have had conversations about what we are giving up during this season. I want to challenge your perspective on this topic. You may be thinking to yourself right now, how can she do this? Here’s how. When I think about Lent, I don’t think about what I am giving up. I think about what God gave up for us. How can I honor God’s sacrifice during this season and throughout the year? During

It must be great to have a street named after you! In front of the state capital, you can drive down Rose Mofford Way.  In our area, you can drive on Dobson Road, which is named after the family who used to own the land on which the street was built.  Who wouldn’t want to take an afternoon drive down Dale Lane?  I would love it! Well, let me invite you to take a life changing drive down, “Jesus Way”. 

I have some good friends that have a family motto, “Good always wins.”  It is a simple statement, but it is so true. They live by the simple philosophy that if you do the right thing, and treat others with love and respect, “Good always wins.” I want to share with you this week a couple of stories of how this simple statement needs to be the motto of all those that claim to be followers of God’s love. We

Be Not Afraid We are living in times that often seemed sculpted by fear. Inflation, a looming bird flu threat, plane crashes, wild weather fronts, fires, crime, loneliness… Regardless of one’s age or political leanings, each of us is bombarded with warnings every cognate moment of our lives. From coyote sightings (we live on a desert!!) to outbreaks of viruses, to polar bears floating on melting ice, to the changes we experience as we age  – we wake up braced

Pollen in a Puddle Thunder the dog is an avid puddle walker.  He’ll purposely cross a street or double back down a road just to take advantage of every puddle possibility.  He values all sizes and depths, in all seasons and weather, regardless of time of day or temperature.  He splashes and slooshes and glides his feet along their bottoms.  And then he holds his ears straight out from his head and grins up at me for the pure joy

The Greatest LoveWhen you’ve walked through deep grief and constant change, you guard your heart differently—you feel everything more deeply.Five years ago, as my Jimmy took his last breath, a huge piece of me went with him. But at that moment, a peace washed over me that I couldn’t name. I clearly heard Jesus’ whisper: “Keep your eyes focused on Me, and I will get you through.” Those words became my anchor, reminding me that even in the darkest moments,

Where Is God? As I pondered what has happened lately in my life that has God’s fingerprint, I made a list of events from which I would select one to write about.  Well, I liked the list so well I thought I’d write about each of them.  Genius!! 🙂 Karen and I flew to Portland, Oregon to see our son Scott, his wife Michelle, and our two grandsons -- Aiden (9 years), and Theo (4 years).  The two days went

His Strength - My Hope There is a special song, His Strength is Perfect, by Steven Curtis Chapman that my husband used to play for me after a tough day. My favorite verse in the song is: “His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on. Raised in His power, the weak become strong. His strength is perfect.”  I always found such comfort in the lyrics and I still find myself

Repeat the Sounding JoyWalking into our church this past Christmas Eve almost took my breath away! The exquisite nativity scene, the angelic music, the decorations' twinkling lights, and the excitement of both the children and our older congregation all added to the "Joy of our dear Savior's birth." What an evening!However, we are all now faced with the challenge of carrying that joyful spirit into the new year and beyondBut, can it really be done?The late acclaimed author and theologian,

What about those New Year resolutions… I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Year celebrations with your friends and family! I have two questions for you: first, have you ever had a new year’s resolution? Most of us will say yes. Second, did they ever last? For me, I have had one that lasted and completely changed my life for the better. I had made the new year resolution in 2018 that in 2019 I would try

There Is Plenty of Room in the Inn I have a beautiful picture hanging in my office titled There is Plenty of Room in the Inn.  It is a painting of Mary and Joesph holding the newborn king surrounded by a room full of children crowding in to see the light of the world.  I am in awe every time I look at that painting, especially because of the look of excitement and anticipation of the children longing to

I remember when I left St. Timothy’s in 2005, I intended to have a Christmas campaign called, “Keep the Mass in Christmas”.  Everywhere you look you see the slogan, “Keep Christ in Christmas”.  But few people realize that the word Christmas is an old English word which means, “Christ’s mass”.  The first time we see the word is in 1038. For many, Christmas is a nice celebration with a lot of family and a ton of expense.  People enjoy the

Advent Transitions are difficult, moving, sickness, losses, and personal changes are just a few of the challenges we all face; it’s what it means to be a human being. Advent is a transitional time where we wait for what we have already experienced. Jesus has come and redeemed us, but yet we wait for His return. For me, Advent is a season where I struggle the most because it ushers in the season of transition. I don’t like to

I feel honored to be writing the first reflection of Advent 2024.  As many of you know, I’ve been fighting a knee replacement gone bad which has had me viewing the world from my reclining sofa.  The closer I’ve come to Advent the more like a child I feel deep within me.  As I sat and waited on Advent, the King and Country version of “Little Drummer Boy” played in my head.   I’m going to ask you to click on

Sometimes the words of a song capture a situation spot on. At church we sing a song called The Voice of Truth. In that song, there’s a line where we sing “...to step out of my comfort zone, into the realm of the unknown, where Jesus is, and He’s holding out His hand…” I interpret that to mean that Jesus is beckoning me to change for the better, and that He will hold my hand through any difficulty that

Thanksgiving is almost here. It is a time to recognize as a nation that God’s love and grace is the foundation for a just and peaceful society. That His provision is generous and that we are blessed as a community to be under the umbrella of His Divine Providence. Jesus embodies thankfulness to the Father’s generosity in John; 17. Even though He is about to offer up His life to redeem us, He is thankful as He prepares Himself

Servant Leadership Servant leadership, as modeled by Jesus, is a powerful approach to leadership that focuses on humility, service, and empowering others. Jesus taught, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). In this, Jesus flips the typical model of leadership on its head; true greatness is found not in power but in service. For Christians, this call invites us to lead from a place of humility and love, putting the needs of others

2024 was a combination of reflection and looking to the future. As I turned 85 this September, I realized I have outlived my father and mother’s age of leaving this place. I am the oldest of six siblings and now the two next to me are gone. I must be getting towards the goal post. God has been an amazing part of the past 51 years since I turned my life over to Him through my encounter with Jesus.

The 2024 election is right around the corner.  It is important for the future of our nation.  We should all vote and take it seriously.  But, as Christians, we must remind ourselves that no politician, no political party, and no person will be our savior.  That position is forever filled by Jesus.  So, how should we approach this election? I am reminded of the story of the chicken and the pig having breakfast.  The chicken comments how wonderful it

Prayer is the heartbeat of a Christian’s relationship with God. It is not merely spiritual exercise or a ritual; it is a direct communication with the Creator. Spending time in prayer is essential for Christians because it deepens our connection with God, shapes our character, and empowers us to live out our faith. Prayer Builds Relationship with God Just as any relationship grows through communication, our relationship with God strengthens when we spend time in prayer. Jesus, who often withdrew

Now More Than Ever, Kindness Matters It is no secret that we are nearing a crescendo of years of political divisiveness. In just a matter of weeks, the 2024 presidential election will declare a president. Regardless of who is the “winner” of one of the most negative campaigns in modern history, half of the country’s population will be unhappy. An equal amount of anxiety will stack up against whatever joy is being felt by others. It doesn’t matter whose

I Will Praise You in the Storm This week I left some friends going through some difficult health issues. They just received word that there would be another delay before a much need operation could take place. As we sat a talked, I listened and heard the frustration and grief. I found myself overwhelmed with the desire to fix something that was out of my control. I was wishing for a healing to take place, and that life could

Happy 4th of July!!! Happy Birthday America!!! Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved the 4th of July...I mean the hot dogs, soda pop, hamburgers, day at the beach, were okay but I just loved blowing things up...I found that I could not wait until it got night, and the fireworks show would begin.  From that very first shell that would go up and explode and paint the night sky and fill the heavens with the beautiful

Summers Have Changed When I was a kid, growing up in Phoenix, I loved summers. Although it was hot, the weather never seemed to bother us.  Summer started in June and ended after Labor Day.  Our days were filled with TV, play, Totino’s frozen pizzas, and swimming.  It was a good life! Summers changed for two reasons.  One, I got older.  And two, schools now go year-round.  Summer is not the same. Now, for me, and many of you, summer