Heart of the Matter Radio/Podcast

Imagine Mary. An angel appeared to her and gave unbelievable news. How would you feel? What would you say to your parents? Can you envision your fiance's reaction? Author Debbie Wilson was my guest this week, and she shared lessons we can learn from the virgin Mary.

Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior at Christmas, but our culture leans toward partying to the point of exhaustion. Many of us long for a simpler time when we didn't face the pressures of the holiday. This week, I gathered a group of historical fiction authors to give us a look at Christmas in history. Susan G. Mathis shared about the Yule Log, and Linore Burkhard talked about Christmas i...

Not everyone enjoys the holidays. Losing someone we love hurts, and the empty chair aches the first Thanksgiving and Christmas. We must remember children grieve too, but they can't process their emotions the same way we do.  Amy Ford was my guest this week, and she is a counselor specializing in children. She gave tips on helping your child grieve when you are hurting too.    

Hostess Cynthia L Simmons offers a prayer for thanksgiving: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him Oh fear the Lord, you His saints,  For those who fear him have no lack The young lions want and suffer hunger, But those who seek the Lord lack for no good.

My father seldom called me the right name. First he called me his sister's name, then mother's before he landed on mine. Once my aunt died, I requested he drop out her name, but he didn't. I can't criticize him, though, because I messed up my kids names. Even worse, I've used the cat's name by mistake. LOL. Recently, a young father complained on facebook about confusing his kid's names. I welcomed...

Princess Beatrice has been flashing her new engagement ring, and the media has been showing photos of other royal rings for comparison. How fun to ooh and ah over the size and cost of each However, because platinum is rare, it's worth even more.  Bethany Jett and Michelle Medlock Adams recently finished a book called Platinum Faith , which described all-in faith. They shared how valuable we are in...

I had five children, and each child had different strengths. In fact, the first two seemed so opposite, I wondered what the third child would be like while I was pregnant.  Both girls struggled with math, and so I used Saxon math in my homeschool because that text keeps reviewing. Once the girls learned a concept, I didn't want them to forget. When my son came along, I used the same book, and he m...

I've never enjoyed going through clothes. Years ago my mother-in-law gave me a bag of old clothes for the kids in varying sizes and colors. I stuck them in the attic and prayed they would all match when I brought them down in the spring. Thank goodness my closet door stays closed because my clothes are often a mess. However, I've learned all sorts of new things from Kathryn Graves . She's an autho...

The homeschool movement started just after I married, and the idea fascinated me. I wanted to do it myself, but I gave birth to my third child about the time my oldest would have started kindergarten. Homeschooling with an infant seemed impossible, so I put my daughter in our church school.  What a big mistake! My daughter was very sensitive and too young to put into a classroom situation. She dis...

The North and South operated different economies, and misunderstandings led to continual pressure during the mid-1800s. The two sides disagreed over slavery, states' rights, and tariffs. Finally after Lincoln won the 1860 election, Southern states left to form their own country. A bitter, bloody war fought between them lasted from 1861 to 1865. The battles caused the death of many soldiers and the...

I recall going through a period of transition a few years back. Even though I understood what I faced, I didn't  feel  comfortable. The world didn't seem right, and I didn't know what to do.  I'm thankful for the older women in my life who helped me navigate those times. They knew how to speak to my heart when nothing else worked.  The Bible talks about older women teaching the younger ones how to...

Habakkuk's complains ring true today: Oh Lord, How long shall I cry for help and you will not hear?... Why do you make me see iniquity and why do you idly look at wrong?   Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed and justice never goes forth.   Many people today suffer at the hands of others, creating pain and sorrow.  I'm glad we have hope. Toda...

Recently a dear friend suffered a severe heart attack and died. Sadness overwhelmed us The suddenness caught us by surprise because our friend was so strong and healthy. He had a vital role to play in our church and in missions. In my grief, I remember accusing God of making a mistake.  From my earthly perspective, God needed to plan better since this man who died did helped so many people.  Emoti...

Once I married, I realized the complexity of relationships. I thought I understood my husband's facial expressions, and I expected him to read my body language. He didn't. In fact, I learned his perspective often differed from mine.  Babies are challenging too. They start off sweet and cuddly, but someday they'll grow up enough to say, "No!"  How should you discipline them? Should you spank? That'...

I once heard a joke on the James Dobson show. The guest said that when a child turns 12 you lock him/her in a barrel with a small opening, and when he/she turns 13, you stop up the hole. That expresses the frustration we parents feel while trying to navigate those sensitive years. I was a difficult teen at times too. When my mother got me a ride to school, I took issue with the family I didn't kno...

When you hear the word cancer, you tremble. Recently, the doctor found I had enlarged lymph nodes. I understood he was trying to rule out cancer, but I felt creepy when my scan took place in the hospital cancer center.  I'm a retired RN, so I know what can happen. Death. That's scary Have you ever noticed people whisper when they talk about death? I heard a pastor from England remind the congregat...

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...

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 terrif...

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 terrif...

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 w...

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 wo...

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...

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 mi...

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...

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...