Joyful Refuge

  • Changing Question Marks Into Exclamation Marks

    “I can now look back and see so many of the question marks yanked into exclamation points in my life. I am so thankful that He said “no” to so many of the prayers I desperately wanted Him to answer with “yes.” – Mary Southerland This quote really spoke to me today. As I pondered…

  • Where the Red Sea Parts

    I met a new friend, who Gail, in recent months who relocated from several states away. She and her husband attend my church and have joined our small group. Gail has multiple health issues going on yet exudes such joy and as faith and obviously lives in such a way that you know she finds…

  • Three Ways I Live with Chronic Illness

    I was wondering how faith helps others to deal with chronic disease. My counselor recently shared a letter with me from an older woman who has dealt with health issues all her life. While very encouraging, I realized many of my things that helped me are different than hers. My top three are: 1. Practicing…

  • Our Good Shepherd

    Our Good Shepherd

    Psalms 23 is such a familiar psalm that it is easy to recite it and move on without seeing the rich blessings of love, care, protection, and guidance our Good Shepherd provides for us. I remember in VBS the summer between second and third grade getting a prize for memorizing Psalm 23. I could recite…

  • The Choice

    Sometimes God makes His path so clear, even when the path goes through rough terrains we would rather not travel. God was so kind to give me a vivid illustration of the results of the choices before me when I was in the midst of being diagnosed with chronic illnesses. My health began tanking in 2009…