Free Falling—The Ride of Your Life
By Karen Friday
What if this is as good as it gets? Life. Have you ever wondered? When life hasn’t turned out as you once hoped—you’ve felt cheated.
Those endearments people throw into the air, “the best part of your life” or “having the time of your life,” now seem cynical and even cruel.
I remember the day well. An amusement park ride appropriately named Free-fall. The wait in line gave us ample opportunity to watch and ponder the decision to follow through with the adventure.
A fear of heights gave way to assurance from my college friends. I would be fine. I could do this. They would be with me.
Strapping in with other thrill-seekers and traveling to soaring heights, we could see the entire park from the top. I tried to brace myself for the fall, gripping the sidebar until my knuckles turned white. As the sound of an electronic release bellowed behind us, the bottom fell out, dropping us with terrifying speed and force that took my breath.
August 13, 2015 at 8:19 am | Uncategorized
3 Reasons Why You Should Stop Living For Jesus
By Karen Friday
“I didn’t see me do it.”
A spunky four year old, my son Caleb trailed along with me to a school-aged day care. As the program director, I received special permission for him to join the kindergarteners.
The class lined the hallway for the restroom. The daycare worker watched the scene unfold with a momentary lapse of a key rule—keep your hands to yourself. Poking and laughing, the girl behind Caleb wanted his attention. She got it. His hand careened into her shoulder.
Tattletales rose to the occasion. Each eye-witness confirming, “I saw Caleb do it.” As the overwhelming evidence was convicting, he spouted his only hope—he hadn’t seen himself do it. Unlike the others, he couldn’t verify the accounts.
August 6, 2015 at 8:28 am | Uncategorized
The Secret Place Beneath His Wing—The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife
Author Nan Jones is my guest writer for today’s blog post. This is an excerpt from her book, The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife, released last month.
The Secret Place Beneath His Wing: The Perils of Anxiety and Fear
By Nan Jones
The oak rocking chair embraced me with its soothing motion. I rubbed the end of the armrest, lulling my anxious thoughts into an exhausted stillness. My tissue was tattered and torn from the insistent torrent of tears.
I sighed.
Lord, I need You. I feel like my world is collapsing around me. Everything is so fragmented. Nothing makes sense. I don’t understand why everything is a struggle. Why, Lord? My heart is weary; my spirit is drained. Fill my cup with You. I choose You, Lord. I choose You over everything the world has to offer. You’re my source of strength, my peace. Draw me close to You.
July 30, 2015 at 7:29 am | Uncategorized
Steadfast Love in Tragedy: A Story about Jane
Today I’ll travel to the She Speaks Conference in North Carolina. I will be pitching a book to publishers inspired from this story I first shared last July, 2014. The book portrays stories of real-life people in tough places. Hearts broken by tragedy or disappointment. Dreams with no pillow to lay their heads. But we have hope in Christ. Prayers for God’s perfect will and most importantly, His ultimate glory!
By Karen Friday
In the midst of tragic events and dark moments, some things will never happen in this life. Never.
“You’re going to have to explain this to me. I don’t understand why this happened.”
One of the many pleas spoken to me following the death of a young woman in our church. Jane was only twenty-eight, leaving behind a husband and three small children including an infant boy born only days before.
Explain it? How? I was mourning myself. Struggling to make sense of it.
My husband Mike, pastor of our church, sent a troubling text to my phone that day. “Pray! Doing chest compressions on Jane.”
July 23, 2015 at 8:01 am | Uncategorized
My Daughter’s Never-Ending Love Song
By Karen Friday
“Lord, let me love you with my whole heart, none above you. Lord, let me love you with my whole heart, none above you. Lord, let me love you….”
Repeat. Repeat again.
As I rocked my infant son in the living room, my husband filmed our daughter Megan on video. Nearly four years old, a few of her enjoyments in life were kid’s classes at church, watching children’s videos, and playing with dolls. But Megan sparkled with merriment when singing.
Enjoyments came to life for the camera; songs, quoting a memory verse, or random question-answer time prompted by mom and dad. “Where did we go today?” and “Tell everybody how old you are?” Memories and moments captured on film.
July 16, 2015 at 9:31 am | Uncategorized
Christ is Champion—and Don’t You Forget It!
I’m excited to have my gifted friend and wonderful writing mentor, Dianne Barker, as a guest for Thursday’s blog this week. I know you will enjoy her words and heart.
By Dianne Barker
Have you ever been involved in a ministry project and grown weary, perhaps even wondering why you even started?
Weariness is a dream killer.
Exhaustion, fatigue, disillusionment can talk us out of doing what we believe God has called us to do.
I’ve struggled much with discouragement. Once when I questioned the value of a project, the Lord’s sweet voice spoke in my spirit saying, “It’s good. And God is in it.” Those words kept me focused.
July 9, 2015 at 9:28 am | Uncategorized
The Marriage of Truth and Love
“Do you solemnly swear (affirm) to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
While it may no longer be mandatory in every courtroom, this promise of truth is traditionally affirmed with left hand placed on a book, right hand raised. The same book used to swear U. S. presidents into office.
The book remains closed, yet held as a mighty writing considered worthy to swear and affirm by. The Bible. The Holy Scriptures. God’s truth to inspire man’s truth.
Why we need God’s help in truth.
The Bible describes truth as a fundamental characteristic of God, the creator of all things including truth. Biblical truth is defined as that which is from God, born of God. Jesus, born of God, declared, “I am the truth” (John 14:6). God cannot tell a lie. Lies originate from the enemy and the world system the enemy controls. But. God. Is. Truth. He is the giver of truth.
July 2, 2015 at 9:47 am | Uncategorized
The Nobody and Somebody Everybody Knows
The Band Perry wedding
By Karen Friday
Reposting this article in celebration of the famous couple’s event that took place a year ago this month, June 2014. Going to the chapel…
I leaned toward my husband with a revelation, “These people think we are somebody.”
A somebody event. The marriage ceremony of two somebodies of fame. My husband had the honor of officiating the wedding. As the pastor’s wife and a family friend, I was invited to attend.
Although they tried to maintain privacy, word leaked to the press and on social media.
We made our way down the street to the small chapel—dressed in a tux and long gown—where a crowd had gathered outside. Fans were being kept behind police barriers marking how close they could come to the area.
June 25, 2015 at 8:40 am | Uncategorized
A Father Who Never Leaves
“I love you.” His voice reassures as he tenderly kisses my forehead.
Hopeful imagination of my biological father. A time he was absent in the life of me and my twin sister.
A girl can dream.
Being young in age and the passing of time have a way of causing memories to escape. I had forgotten what he was like.
We moved from Texas to Virginia and were fortunate to have a wonderful stepfather come into our lives. A man who, along with my mother, cared for and loved us as if we were his own daughters. To this day, I am grateful for him.
But line 7 of my birth certificate held a name.
June 18, 2015 at 8:54 am | Uncategorized
6 Greatest Blessings and Joys of Being a Pastor’s Wife
Last week I shared 6 Confessions and Lessons Learned From a Pastor’s Wife. Part 2 covers blessings and joys.
“Bless your heart!”
I identify myself as a pastor’s wife at speaking events, in my writing bio, and introductions. We are blessed to have three in my family. My twin sister, Sharon and younger sister, Wendi are also pastor’s wives. A spiritual triple threat. Not one person with three skills, but three women who are a threat to spiritual darkness. When God confirms a calling, it punches the devil in the face. It’s when God throws punches!
Discovering I’m a pastor’s wife, sometimes the response is “bless your heart.” In the south, “bless your heart” carries the connotation of empathy for the person’s situation. But it’s also admiration for courage or honor in taking on certain roles—“bless your heart for doing that.”
June 11, 2015 at 9:15 am | Uncategorized