by Charleen Burghardt “I’m weary but thankful,” I told a friend when asked how I was doing. My body may be fatigued and my emotions drained, but that doesn’t mean I am not grateful. The past two weeks have been overflowing with doctor appointments, company staying with us, extra meals to prepare, and lots of… Continue reading The Power of Gratitude
Category: prayer
God Meets Us in Anger
by Charleen Burghardt “God is big enough to handle your anger.” “God is big enough to handle your anger.” When I first heard those words during my chaplain training, they made me reconsider my perspective on anger. Can God meet us in anger? Previously, I thought God would be offended if I told him my… Continue reading God Meets Us in Anger
God Takes Our Anxieties
by Charleen Burghardt My Father used his well-worn wheelbarrow for many manual tasks. I can still picture him in the yard loading rocks, dirt, or sod into this piece of equipment and dumping the contents in another place. He stored his wheelbarrow in the garage beside his other tools, but it might have been his… Continue reading God Takes Our Anxieties
Prayer Looks Up
by Charleen Burghardt “How will I manage without my phone?” he said in a panic. My husband and I recently visited the Olympic Peninsula on vacation in Washington state. We followed the shoreline, walking along the isolated driftwood-covered coast and enjoying the scenery. Olympic Peninsula As we returned to our vehicle to leave, my husband… Continue reading Prayer Looks Up
Honoring Loss on Mother’s Day
by Charleen Burghardt Mother’s Day is upon us; it is a time of celebrating and honoring the special mother in our lives. If your mother is alive, be thankful and relish your time with her. What a gift to have your grandmothers or mother-in-law. Maybe you have someone who has been like a mother to… Continue reading Honoring Loss on Mother’s Day
A Prayer to Surround You
surrounded by God’s love
An Unexpected Gift of Gratitude
gratitude Makes a Difference
Held
I, your God,
have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go
Do Our Tears Matter?
Tears have physical benefits and can be a way to grieve.
Discovering God
By Charleen Burghardt Can we find God amid our suffering? This is a question most of us ask or at least entertain. A devotion I read addressed this question of discovering God in suffering. A young woman gives a personal and vulnerable recount of her journey with questioning God. Parmaytha is a young woman from… Continue reading Discovering God