Conntecting the Dots

Posts Tagged: Genesis

3 Truths About the Hard Places of Life

No one enjoys the hard places of life, but sometimes they’re the richest. Genesis 28 tells the story of Jacob traveling to his uncle Laban’s home. This wasn’t a joy ride. He was running from his twin brother who wanted to kill him for stealing his blessing. () One night, Jacob set up camp and… [ read more ]

3 Truths to Help Us Persevere

  Life is flat-out hard sometimes. Stuff happens when we least expect it, and it can send us into a tailspin or drive us to our knees.   Sometimes that stuff lingers much longer than we’d like. We tie a knot and hang on for dear life, but fear threatens to slip our grip.  … [ read more ]

4 Truths to Remember When the Wind and Waves Rage

  Living and traveling on a sailboat has given me a whole new appreciation for anyone who makes a living from the sea. Some days the water barely ripples and I’m able to sit in the cockpit and work on my laptop as Sailor Man guides us through BC’s islands. Other days, the wind and… [ read more ]

Lessons Learned from Boat-Dwellers in Lockdown

  A friend recently messaged me with this question: “How’s the lockdown going for you and Gene? I imagine your sailboat is feeling quite small these days.”   I smiled. Some days I would agree.   Seriously, where does one go to find solitary space on a sailboat? Sailor-Man works at the kitchen table and… [ read more ]

3 Keys to Hope When You Don’t Know How the Story Ends

When we read a story, we have a distinct advantage over the characters involved: We know how it ends. As the protagonists struggle with various conflicts, we want to cheer them on: “Hang in there—you’re going to be okay.”   Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery when he was about seventeen years old. Later, his… [ read more ]

3 Lessons Learned from an Isolated Woman

  Here we sit, in self-isolation. Saying that some people find this challenging is an understatement. Other folks, however, consider this a respite of sorts. I fall into that category. Into which category do you fall?   I’ve been thinking about a young Egyptian gal in the Bible who experienced a bout of isolation. Her… [ read more ]

When is it Good to Look Back?

We hear mixed messages about looking back at our past. Some voices warn against it. Remember the story about Lot and his family? Angel voices urged them not to look back as they fled Sodom before God destroyed it. “Run for your lives!,” they cried. “Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don’t look… [ read more ]

3 Truths About Life’s Hard Places

    Genesis 28 tells the story of Jacob traveling to his uncle Laban’s home. This wasn’t a fun excursion. He was on the run from his twin brother who wanted to kill him for stealing his blessing. ()   One night Jacob set up camp and found—get this—a stone—yes, a stone—for a pillow. Can… [ read more ]

3 Keys to Surviving Life’s Hard Stuff

Life is flat-out hard sometimes. Stuff happens when we least expect it, and it can send us into a tailspin or drive us to our knees. Sometimes life’s tough stuff lingers much longer than we’d like. We tie a knot and hang on for dear life, but fear threatens to slip our grip. I’ve experienced… [ read more ]

When God Says, “Now”

  On New Year’s Day I opened my Bible to . There, in the margin, I read the words I’d written sometime in the past: “God’s purposes may sometimes appear blurry, but He is always at work quietly behind-the-scenes. At some point He says, ‘Now.’ He takes action, and details begin falling into place in… [ read more ]