Recently, I was presented with a very interesting question by a dear friend. This question has been boiling in the crevices of my heart for weeks, and I am not sure if I am qualified to answer this amazing, complicated question. The friend who posed it is a deep thinker, a true disciple and is on a passionate journey to follow Jesus in all seasons of life. Although she is younger than I am – I want to be more like her. This is the question that has simmered in my soul …  

In case you have forgotten this important piece of information about my life or have somehow missed it – my daily walks are nothing if not legendary.  I have had numerous divine appointments with needy, hurting people as I saunter along my 3-mile route in the neighborhoods near my home. God has spoken to me through clouds … and through geese … and through the change of seasons … and through my aging body as I trudge along! 

For thousands of years and in a myriad of cultures, women have forged identity, unconditional love, and vast purpose in the calling of motherhood. From Eve to Sarah to Leah to Hannah to Ruth to Elizabeth to Mary, the Scriptures are filled with the stories of the heart of a woman who was given the divine opportunity to raise the next generation by a call of the Father. When I get to heaven, I can’t wait to sit down with the mothers who went before me and ask them the questions that every mother desires to ask.

This is an interesting year politically, isn’t it?  We have all been confused and even offended by rhetoric, by name-calling, by division, and by deceit. I hardly know what to believe anymore. I have determined not to talk about the specifics of politics on social media or in a public forum. However, let me tell you in general what I have decided. 

From Guest Blogger Tami Hulse: When we pray, we are not trying to persuade God to join us in our service for Him; prayer is the  activity of joining God in His ministry.

From Guest Blogger Barbara Wright: Baskets brimming with the last offerings from our summer gardens are one of the most beautiful harbingers of Fall. We feel it in the air- Thanksgiving is just around the corner...

From Guest Blogger Christy Christopher: It is possible to love the Lord with all your heart, fear Him and walk in His ways, yet suddenly find yourself catapulted into deep trouble and darkness.

From Guest Blogger Dr. Nancy Meyer: My grandson has a special way of reminding me of what really matters in life. Today was yet another example of his profound perspective, seen through the innocent eyes of a child.

From Guest Blogger Becky Harling: Several years ago I met with a woman who told me, “Becky, I’m so lonely. Why can’t I find a church who has the kind of groups I am looking for?”  Long after I met and prayed with this woman, I thought about her question.

From Guest Blogger Dr. Alan Weisennbacher: The paths in the brain we use most often become highways that the brain takes automatically whenever life throws us a curveball. So, I have some large highways for worry that the brain likes to travel. I know telling myself to “stop worrying” does not work. That still puts the word “worry” in my brain, and that strengthens the worry highway, making things even harder on myself. I need to change my focus!

From Guest Blogger Suzanne Woods Fisher: Here’s the scoop: mastering vanilla is key because it’s the foundation for almost every other flavor. But getting it just right is tough. Vanilla is so straightforward that there’s nothing to hide behind; any little mistake is obvious. Other flavors might let you slide on a minor goof, but vanilla is all about the details.

From Guest Blogger Emily T. Wierenga: But what would it look like for the church in all her brokenness to be full of Sabbath people now? I want to wear Sunday every day and invite the hurting and hungry into light, rest, laughter, and music.

Let me joyfully reassure you that it is indeed possible for those who are brave enough and defiant enough to use the spiritual equivalent of bleach to clean away the mental mildew and residue that has collected in their brains.

What you have the capacity to become, both as a woman and as a mother, depends upon the foundational issues of your faith.