I've been "away" for so long. Not myself. Grief can do that. But today is a new day. A day of hope. A day not to dwell on loss but on eternal life that Jesus promised. It's been three years since my mom ran into her Savior's arms and experienced more joy than any of …
Tag: death
“The Road Home” – a short story
When a truck driver stops at a diner on Good Friday and agrees to let a stranger ride along, the trip suddenly takes a miraculous turn toward the eye-opening truth about death. While sitting at the counter of his favorite diner, Otis gulped the last of his orange juice to wash down the scratchy turkey …
“The Little Girl with a Big Heart” – a short story
Can God use a little girl and a simple craft to change a hardened heart? The Little Girl with a Big Heart “You can’t be serious. I’m not making a Valentine’s Day box!” Harold shouted as the teacher set a shoebox in front of him. “I’m an old man, and I don’t fiddle with pipe …
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“Flowers in February” – a short story
If you're struggling to move on after a devastating loss and feel as if you've lost hope, I pray this story brings you comfort as God restores your soul. Flowers in February I met Walter after his wife died in February. It was a week after the funeral, and I arrived right on time with …
At the Foot of the Cross Where My Heart Is Torn in Two
I wrote this post several years ago, but I try to share it every year at this time. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You. I went to the foot of the cross during a prayer meeting at church a number of years ago. I knelt there, rested my hand on the wood, and bowed my head. …
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“One Cookie at a Time”
Revisiting the 2020 Christmas story of the miraculous way God restores hope to a bakery owner... and beyond. We're on a roll, friends! Here's another Christmas story to inspire you to keep looking to Jesus, the One who came to save us all. As always, stay tuned for more, and thanks again for reading! One …
Calming the Waves of Grief
Over the past nine months, I've learned grief can come in gentle waves, lapping at my toes and tricking me into thinking, "I can do this. This isn't so bad." Other times, the waves hit me so hard that they knocked me down, threatening to drown me. Sometimes, I even wished they would. I carried …
The Empty Table
When my mom passed away from cancer seven months ago, the pain was unbearable. I'd hold my breath as I listened to her voicemail messages just to hear her voice and scroll through my phone to see pictures I'd taken while visiting her last year. Anything I could do to hold on to her a …
God Knows Our Hearts
With dirt caked under my nails from working in the garden, I answered my sister-in-law's phone call and walked around our backyard while we talked. Suddenly, a butterfly floated in front of my face and around my head, its wings grazing my forehead. It landed on my right hand, the same hand I used to …
Don’t Wait
"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:13-14 …
Joey Rudder 