Friendly faces show hospitality. All we have to do is smile. Smiles show kindness and warmth that welcomes others into our spaces and conversations. We all have access to one and they’re portable. Sincere smiles can melt cold hearts or comfort lonely souls. Most establishments welcome friendly faces. They work well in homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. Truth is, the world could ...
Continue ReadingCatching Clutter Before It Spreads
Clutter spreads like poison ivy. It sneaks up and overtakes our precious spaces. We can tidy every inch of a counter and within days—sometimes minutes—it’s piled up again. Clutter is a daily battle for even the most organized of people. This fight has driven me to read countless decluttering articles and books. I refuse to let disorder rule or ruin the simplicity and solace of my home. So I ...
Continue ReadingAdding Godliness to Our Faith
I have to admit, as a young woman, I thought having faith meant I was a godly girl and a good person. I believed my faith showed that I was a follower of God who accepted His Son as my Savior. However, from this study about adding to our faith, I’ve learned that believing in God doesn’t stop there. Faith alone isn’t godliness. Wait…what? Back up…could there be more to godliness than we ...
Continue ReadingSubduing Intrusive Weeds
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” Genesis 1:28a Weeds sure are intrusive little things. They pop up everywhere! You pull up one and two take its place. I believe weeds are one of the biggest problems gardeners face besides weather conditions and critters. They’re pretty hard to beat but we faithfully attempt to ...
Continue ReadingDoing Well Amidst Suffering
Showing hospitality to others can be exhausting, especially when our efforts are rejected or aren’t appreciated or reciprocated. It hurts to be discouraged, disrespected, or discounted while extending the hand of kindness to people in need. It’s also hard to encourage people who dishearten us. The thing is, mean or troubled people will discourage and dishearten us even when we don’t offer our ...
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