Hope Victorious

  I write because I enjoy writing. I have always written letters, little poems, lists, thoughts, dreams and ideas. I love to write cards to friends. I fill journals and notebooks. I write on scraps of paper and the backs of receipts. In books I write my thoughts and questions in the margins. I always dreamed of writing and publishing books. I thought I would write children’s books. I dreamed of publishing a book of poems that would celebrate the beauty and peace of nature. I had a knowing, deep down, that I would write a book about healing, innocence and my journey to wholeness after sexual abuse. This last one is the dream that has been realized. I published “Restored Innocence” in December 2020. I wrote that book over the course of several years, in the midst of raising 4 boys. Taking the step of publishing, was huge and it transformed me. It was a risk, an investment and brought its own challenges. I’m so grateful for that experience and I hope to publish more books in the futur...

New beginnings can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether it is a new job, the start of a new year or living in a new city, there are unknowns associated with a “fresh start”. There is potential for both blessing and hardship, for growth, for challenges and rewards. Often the way one feels about the start of something new is largely impacted by how they feel about what preceded.   If your focus at the close of 2025 was on how you grew and the good things that took place, you are more likely to be looking forward with anticipation to this new year. If instead, your attention is drawn to the disappointments or failings of the completed year, it is more likely that you will enter the new year with discouragement and anxiety.   I find it helpful to acknowledge both the challenges that caused pain and those that felt rewarding. Strength can be drawn from both as well as wisdom and reliance. If there are regrets associated with ending a year or things that remain unresolved, it...

  Anticipation Preparation   Celebration   A grateful heart Love of family Joy of friends   Warmth of the fire Twinkling white lights Resting together   Christmastime is reflection time Remembering all I have The feeling of love and purpose   Christmastime is when I feel the strategy of being here A witness to heaven on earth The power and assurance of faith   Christmastime is a reminder of what I am living for Abundant life now and yet more to come Evidence of love and power   Warmth of love Secure in who and whose I am United in faith with those I love most   A grateful heart To God for all His blessings Hope for all to come   Celebration   Preparation Anticipation  

  Everyone loves a good idea An idea is good when it feels good and bears a good result. We celebrate the impact of a good idea – the idea itself as well as the one who had it!   An idea is good when there’s no regret in its wake. The idea comes, is acted upon and not up for re-evaluation. Not tainted by regret or sorrow, it stands clean and strong.   Everyone loves a good idea. But wisdom is even better!   Wisdom – more elusive and undefined. With wisdom there is also the satisfaction of no regret and of a good result. But wisdom can be tricky; sometimes it doesn’t feel good at the start.  Sometimes it takes time to see the goodness in the result. Wisdom can be painful.   Wisdom, in my mind, is a good idea from God. Wisdom has power that a good idea can’t have. Wisdom is super-natural, it is God-sourced   A good idea is born within the human mind Acted on with human will and effort You can mix your faith in God with a good idea A blessed good id...

There are many kinds of happy The warm sun on my face when the air is cool Seeing a bird I’ve not seen before and watching it for a while The feeling of warm sand under my feet and the sound of waves The first bite of a favorite food – savoring it   There are many kinds of happiness from people too The warmth of my husband’s touch – a happy that lights a fire inside The presence of friends who know me well – and I am free The sound of my children’s laughter   There is the sudden surprise of happy A card in the mail from a friend A check in the mail – or a gift given unexpectedly Hearing or reading something funny and laughing out loud   And then there is the deep abiding kind of happiness That lingers and gets heavy within you – a good heavy Security – peace – well-being   There is the kind of happy that comes from looking back Remembered happiness Happy memories – that make you feel happy all over again Newness of love – the wonder of love – the growth of love Or...

  I believe that God exists and that I am connected to Him by faith. I’m living this decision out every day and while there are ups and downs in the journey, it is a decision I do not re-evaluate based on circumstances. There are many decisions like this and for me it is helpful to name them. Sometimes we tend to focus too much on how we feel on a given day or in a specific set of circumstances. Often these feelings cause us to question beliefs and values that we’ve already determined in the past. Here are a few of my non-negotiables; principles that I’ve settled and do not allow myself to reconsider: ·        God is always with me. He speaks to me and listens to me as well.       I don’t always feel Him. I don’t always hear Him, but I know I will again soon. ·              My faith connects me to God and supports all that I do. I have enough faith. Sometimes my faith feels stron...