The Titus 2:4 Project

I just got back from a short trip to Las Vegas. 🎰 And honestly? That’s really all anyone can stand— short. Vegas is kind of like glitter: fun in theory, but overwhelming in practice. Truth be told, I didn’t even want to go. It was my husband’s annual get-together with his Army buddies. The wives always tag along, and in years past, we’ve met up in someone’s hometown—usually for a wedding or a milestone birthday. But this year, for reasons unknown, they decided on Vegas. Now, full disclosure: in the not-so-distant past, I actually used to enjoy Las Vegas. Probably more than I should’ve. But over the past year, the Holy Spirit has been doing some serious remodeling in my heart, and these days, Vegas is not high on my list of “must-visit” places. My husband handled the travel plans—booked our hotel and, in true Army fashion, waited until the last possible moment to book our flights, which meant we paid top dollar. Awesome. Now, while I’m not exactly thrilled with how much social media ...

I have spent far too long in my comfortable recliner chair here in Florida, scrolling through videos of the horrific devastation from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and Tennessee. Reel after reel of heartbreak and loss. Post after post of missing family and friends. Yes, I’m in Florida. Yes, parts of my state were damaged catastrophically by the storm surge from this monstrous storm… but living on the beach comes with a certain amount of risk. You take a gamble with every hurricane season that passes, that eventually your number is up and you will probably be facing damage of some sort…you just pray that it’s not ‘that bad’.   But in the beautiful town of Asheville, NC, where we had the privilege of visiting a few years ago, those folks don’t worry about hurricane damage. They might worry about snow storms, or a strong thunderstorm… but hurricanes? Nah. Not them. What a mess. What a horrible, unspeakable mess. I have been wracked with guilt about the ability to go on with my li...

I haven't posted in a few days.  If you know me very well, you might have wondered if everything was ok with me.  If you're one of the few who care about me, you might have actually worried a bit. What does silence sound like?  For me it's a ringing in my ears.  And the sound of the ringing gets louder and louder, until it becomes deafening. Many years ago, Randy and I went to Mammoth Cave National Park.   As we toured a huge cave, the guide shared a story about a man who had gotten separated from his group.  In the darkness as he crawled around in the cave, unable to see his own hand in front of his face, he found two rocks and began banging them together.   When the rescuers finally found him, they commended him for his brilliance in banging the rocks together so that they could find him.  He said, "I didn't bang the rocks together so you would find me.  I did it because the sound of silence was driving me crazy. " Indeed, sil...