What inspires a fresh hopefulness in you? Yesterday evening I was blessed to host the inaugural Treasured Tears Holiday dinner. One of the hardest seasons to walk through in the valley of the shadow of death is the Holiday season. Thanksgiving comes blatantly showing us the empty chair at the table. We hardly have enough … Continue reading A Fresh Inspiration of Hope
Blog
Patchwork quilts
My eighty-eight-year-old mother loves to quilt. Over the years, when I have gone home to visit, I have walked into the house, and I often would find her in her favorite chair, hand quilting her masterpiece. Have you ever taken the time to look deeply at the beauty of a finished patchwork quilt? I would … Continue reading Patchwork quilts
Faith in the Fire
As I answered the phone I could hear the desperation in her voice. The cracking of the broken words as she shared the dark place her nineteen-year-old grandson was living in. Eight and a half years earlier his father was killed in Iraq. He was my friend's only son. Now his son was struggling with … Continue reading Faith in the Fire
I HAVE A STORY
(The day I said my last goodbye to Nick jpg) God can and will show up in the most unusual places. Today, He did just that for me. Today, April 25th is the fifteenth anniversary of the last day I looked into my youngest son, Nick's eyes had a conversation with him, hugged him and … Continue reading I HAVE A STORY
Press on
It's easy to say this scripture when life isn't difficult. When the storm rolls in, will you still claim these words? So many of us are going through the most unimaginable times. I have friends fighting for their lives due to Covid. Some have lost their jobs indefinitely. Many of have gone through a historic … Continue reading Press on
Through His Lens
We had an enjoyable visit in Florida. Two weeks flew by like a fighter jet overhead. We were able to spend time with family and friends. We met many new people throughout the trip. Today I want to share about an exceptional man that inspired us. When I first encountered him, I could tell he … Continue reading Through His Lens
Colors in your world
Trauma comes in many forms. Many of us have been traumatized in some way. Everywhere we look, we hear "PTSD." We almost always equate this with our military returning from combat. What about the rest of us who have had something heartbreaking happen to us? Sometimes it is cloaked in shame and guilt, and we … Continue reading Colors in your world
WHAT IS YOUR FRUIT?
What Is Your Fruit? Photo by Andy Chilton on Unsplash My dad made the best apple butter. Anyone who ate Jimmy's apple butter knows I am speaking the truth. Every time we would go home to visit, we would have his apple butter for breakfast with biscuits. Over the years, I would ask my dad for his recipe. … Continue reading WHAT IS YOUR FRUIT?
Got Grit?
Years ago, I worked for a medical equipment company. The division I worked in sold oxygen equipment. Yes, you heard that right, I sold oxygen to people having difficulty breathing due to a variety of health issues. One of my colleagues would always say to me, " you are like a pit bull, just point … Continue reading Got Grit?
United as One
If you are watching the news or scrolling through social media posts, you probably haven't missed the significant events that have happened in the past week. The attacks on our American citizens overseas break my heart. If it is just one death, to me, it is enormous and one too many. I am tired of … Continue reading United as One
Bucket of Pearls
In a time of prayer, several years ago, I heard the word opulence. So, me being the person I am, I had to go to the dictionary immediately and find the meaning. So, you don't have to stop and look it up I will give it to you now: Richly supplied, abundant or plentiful. Another … Continue reading Bucket of Pearls
God is Good
We have just finished celebrating another year of the birth of Christ. As I looked on social media, I saw the many celebrations people were having with family and friends. The beautiful decorations and the tables filled with food amongst smiling faces. What if? What if your pictures, your tables, and your lives didn't look … Continue reading God is Good
Restoring the “Joy” of Christmas
Photo by Sean Wells on Unsplash This is a previous blog I wrote in 2016. I thought I would re-publish this, for a time such as this. My prayers are that everyone who has lost a loved one this year may find some comfort during the next few weeks. I pray for healing, restoration, and peace that can … Continue reading Restoring the “Joy” of Christmas
A Tribute To Our Veterans
"We have no government...capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge...would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other ~ John Adams." … Continue reading A Tribute To Our Veterans
Beverly Shoemaker 