Quiet in His Love

One year. So much can happen in one year. A child can be conceived and born. A house can be built. A team can make it to the championship game and...lose. A family can grow through adoption. A family can pay off debt. A child can graduate high school and step out into the world of college. A president can come into office. A person can surrender their life to Christ. The list is almost limitless because a year can be both long and short. It can feel like a never-ending run or it can seem to have slipped away in the blink of an eye. One year has come and gone since the day I said goodbye to my dad. Four of us gathered around him, prayed over him, cried over him, pleaded with God, and hoped. We were with him when his heart stopped beating this side of heaven. We were with him when he strode into another place. He was walking in the presence of God while we were weeping at his side. That day, in some ways, seems like it couldn't possibly be one whole year ago, yet it is. Today, I have...

  Many of you know our story. You know the heartache Tony and I suffered at the loss of two children to miscarriage. One child in 2007 and the other in 2009. God has used that sadness and heartache to grow us and to develop an amazing lending library in honor of our two already-home children. About nine years ago, during a correspondence writing course I took, I wrote a "play" and I feel compelled to share it with you here. This piece is not very in-depth, but I think it illustrates some important points. I hope that you will know my heart in it. Be blessed. Remember that you have a story to share with others. Your heartaches and trials and traumas shape you. God often uses those moments in your life to reach others around you. Hugs to you, friend. He cares for you.   From 2013: Losing Hannah An original five-minute play By Jolene Ceravalo Setting: A bed and dresser and chair establish the bedroom. Woman on bed crying, man walks in. MAN: ( Walks over to woman on b...

I have undergone many changes in my life in the last two years. Can you relate? It has been a series of trials and little joys and amazing accomplishments and deep sorrows. Life has turned one way then another and twisted back around again. There has been one constant, even when I don't feel or see it. God has been with me at every turn, through every valley, on every mountaintop. I have struggled with this. So many scars exist in me. The most painful today is the loss of my father. I have had many David moments over the last almost nine months. Mostly the angry, questioning, confused David moments. The moments where it takes all my strength and my tiny bit of faith to say, "God is good all the time." Or, "I trust You." These are truths that I have a hard time admitting, yet I cannot lie. Admitting your struggles and your fears and choosing vulnerability helps expose those deeply hidden things to the light of the Son. And in that light we can see more clearly. ...

Blessings come in many forms.  God uses His vast array of resources to send us blessings.  The blessings may be little, bitty things, or they may be so large that our socks get knocked off.  A blessing is a blessing whether it is tiny or magnificent.  And truly some of the "tiny" blessings have the most impact when they arrive at just the "right" moment. In March, my husband and I were heading out of town on a Wednesday to spend two nights away together in honor of our upcoming anniversary.  We were getting hungry so we got in the drive through line at a fast food restaurant.  When we arrived at the window to pay for our food, we were told that our food was payed for and God bless.  I couldn't help it...I began to cry. We hadn't ordered much, but the impact of that "small" act was a sweet balm to my soul.  With a job hunt in the works, since my husband had lost his job earlier in the year, money was tight.  Little do some people know of the ...

Today is the day to step boldly into the future God has for you.  No more holding back because of fear.  Leave fear behind.  Tell the doubts to hush up.  Bring on the faith...the faith of Peter stepping out of the boat...the faith contained in a mustard seed...the faith to move mountains.  We have been given that faith through our relationship with Christ.  Boldness may not come naturally to you, but with Christ you can walk in it.  He will equip you.  It is Time!  Your path is before you.  He has set it for you.  There will be obstacles along the way, but if you lean on Him, He will guide you through, around, and over them.  No more fear!  Just faith...prayer...God's grace, mercy, and leading...and a lot of joy. 

Life is hard.  This is not new information for many of you.  I pray it's not your life motto right now.  Instead, I hope your life motto is more along the lines of: God is good even when life is hard.  That's something to hang onto and embrace.  You can count to ten and then remind yourself: God is good even when life is hard.  It's a simple thing to acknowledge the truth of that statement, and remind yourself that it doesn't just have to be: life is hard.  God's goodness flows over the hardness of life and smooths away some of the jagged edges. This is a good reminder for me right now as some struggles are happening in my family.  I try hard to not put my family's concerns out in the public eye because I don't feel that's necessary.  However, with one of our recent struggles, I have turned to five dear ladies for prayer.  They are my prayer warriors, and I am beyond thankful for them.  If it weren't for my Abba Father, my handsome...