Blog and Radio Archive - Page 2 of 41

Experiencing God’s Love in a Broken World

August 23, 2019

My bedroom sat at the opposite end of the house from my parents, which enhanced that feeling of loneliness you have after a nightmare. Once I had a terrible dream, and I rushed down that long hallway to my father only to hear him tell me to trust in God. At that moment, I wanted someone I could see and feel.

We all sense the ache and tragedy in our world, so how can we sense the love of God. Deb and Roy Haggerty share from their recent book which draws from a lifetime of learning about God’s mercy and love.

Check out this episode!

Launch Your Children

How to Launch Your Children into Adulthood

August 16, 2019

Years ago, while teaching my kids at home, we watched at the window while two birds landed on our bird feeder. One bird, (I assumed it was the mother bird) grabbed a beakful of seeds and stuffed them down the other bird. I was shocked. The ‘baby’ bird appeared full grown to me, especially since he flew to the feeder himself. After mom gave him several servings, both birds flew away.

What a terrific image for moms. As your children near their teens, you start equipping them to leave the nest and survive on their own.

Counselor Brenda L. Yoder shares ways we can help our kids (and ourselves) through that tough transition.

Check out this episode!

Beautiful

Beautiful: See Yourself as God Sees You

August 9, 2019

I love reading women’s diaries from the past because we often write down what we really think but would never say aloud. Once I read a diary by a young lady who thought she saw her friend in a mirror, and she recorded how beautiful and posed her chum appeared. However, she suddenly realized she was seeing herself.

That story reveals a lot about how a woman sees herself. Not many of us like what we see in the mirror. For instance, I used to long for straight hair instead of curly, but I’ve talked to women who wanted my curls rather than what they had.

Often we come close to condemning ourselves too. Author Tina Yeager shares from her latest book on how we can become beautiful warriors and see ourselves as God does.

Check out this episode!

God's Presence

Signs of God’s Presence During Suffering

August 2, 2019

Life doesn’t always turn out the way we expect. I recall showing off my ring after I was engaged, and one lady commented on how it might look after I mopped the kitchen floor. Looking back, I realize she thought I might be overly romantic rather than living in the real world, but I already knew life could be hard.

And during tough times, we can wonder where God went. However, I have seen him at work during trials. My guest today, Patti Richter, wrote about a friend who experienced God’s presence during a trial.

Check out this episode!

Encouragement

Welcome August 2019

August 1, 2019

Father, as summer comes to an end, I praise you for the sun that warms the earth, for watermelon, cherries, blackberries, and plums that ripen this month. Most of all, I thank you for your abiding presence and that you never changes even though the seasons come and go. We pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

As we continue to be intentional with our mission to “bloom” for Jesus, may the August 2019 Others Centered Calendar Challenge be an encouragement to you and those around you. My team and I pray these prompts get you one step closer toward our God, the Ultimate Father.

The Art of Living is #OthersCentered Calendar-August 2019-Cynthia L. Simmons

To download, the August 2019 Others Centered Calendar Challenge, click here.

Anchored

How to Stay Anchored When Life Presents Storms

July 28, 2019

In the South, we expect heavy thunderstorms and often tornadoes in the spring and fall, but we listen to the weather forecast so we can be prepared. When our kids were young, we had a tree fall on our house during a storm that hit in the middle of the night. My husband and I woke the children, and all of us huddled together in the basement until the danger had past.

Life brings storms that can be just as devastating as tornadoes. You can weather those storms stay anchored. Author Cynthia Cavanaugh shares how to do that from her newest book.

Check out this episode!

Church

Church: How the Body of Christ Helps Us Recover from Hard Times

July 19, 2019

If you injured your arm, you’d see the doctor and follow his instructions to elevate and add ice until you recovered.

However, if you had your nails done, you’d show all your friends and talk about the latest trends in nail design.

In the same way, God intended believers to use their gifts in the church to build up and encourage one another. In a healthy church, if one member hurts, the others minister to that person, bringing them back to strength.

Joy Trachsel is my guest today, and we trade stories on how we’ve seen the church do it’s job.

Check out this episode!

Fatherless-Child

Living Without a Father: Lisa Burkhardt Worley

July 12, 2019

When God created male and female, he planned for us to have children and raise them together. Notice what Genesis says:

“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…”

He gave that command to both the woman and the man because neither could have children alone. God designed us to need a father and mother.

Notice this verse from Proverbs:

“Hear my son, your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” Prov 1:8

We learn best from both parents, and the lack of either can hurt us, even if death causes the loss.

TV personality Lisa Burkhardt Worley grew up without her father, and she tells how she found both healing and hope. Now her ministry offers help to others.

Check out this episode!

Infertility

Hope and Encouragement for Infertility

July 5, 2019

I remember discovering I was carrying my second child. While I wanted another baby, my first pregnancy was rough and I hated the thought of enduring labor again. My husband couldn’t understand my ambivalence because he responded with excitement to the news.

However, a few days later, I began to bleed, and that alarmed me. Suddenly, I wanted this baby. A lot! The inner nurse surfaced and I feared the worst. This time I was correct. My doctor did a sonogram, which proved the sack had dissolved. The baby was dead.

Afterward, gloom impacted my judgement. I thought of my training and decided I would probably never have another child. Infertility would plague me forever. I knew from my studies the problem often started this way.

To make matters worse, Another lady at church had a due date close to mine, and I watched in pain as her tummy grew. My heart ached with emptiness. I avoided her because she would have a new baby, and I would not.

That experience gave me sympathy for those who struggle to have a child.

My guest today is Crystal Bowman, and she has written about infertility to offer hope for women who suffer.

Check out this episode!

Encouragement

Welcome July

July 1, 2019

As we welcome July, we feel that all God wants is for us to keep it very simple and bring it to ground zero by praying for our nation… will you join us?

Dear Father, thank you for our nation’s freedom and for those who gave their lives for this country. We confess our nation’s sins and beg your forgiveness and mercy. Turn our hearts to you and to the truth of your word so you can bless our country. We praise you for the freedom you grant us through the death of your Son. Help us to live as free men, pleasing you rather than pleasing our fellow men. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

As we continue to be intentional with our mission to “bloom” for Jesus, may the below Others Centered Calendar Challenge be an encouragement to you and those around you. My team and I pray these prompts get you one step closer toward our God, the Ultimate Father.

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