If you’re familiar with the Holy Spirit, you know how He convicts people of wrong behaviors. A friend of mine calls this uncomfortable awareness, “That stabby feeling.” I got an annoying case of the ‘stabbies’ late last month and have been wrestling with it ever since. It started when I borrowed my teen son’s Bible. I opened his Bible at random and read aloud this verse in Isaiah 32:9: “You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!”   I immediately got the stabby feeling and wasn’t sure why. Was God trying to tell me something?  Was…

April 30, 2017 · Updated May 3rd, 2020 I went to church today with the six youngest children. The pastor preached on Hebrews chapter 11, the “Who’s Who” of faithful people in the Bible.  Every verse starts with the same phrase, “By faith…” By faith Noah built the ark; by faith Abraham offered Isaac; by faith Sarah had a baby in her old age; by faith the prostitute Rahab was not killed because she hid spies. There are many people mentioned, and their names are still remembered long after their deaths – because of their faith.The pastor said if our faith was sagging or lagging – we should read Hebrews chapter 11.  I…

I recently read the English phrase “At Sixes and Sevens” in a book written by a British author.  It’s used to describe ‘a condition of confusion or disarray.’   What we Americans like to call a “hot mess.” No matter what you call it in your corner of the world, you know it when it happens. Mine seems to happen around holidays without fail. Easter for my family is already streamlined—no baskets with chocolate bunnies, no egg hunts. There are many Easter Sundays I have skipped church, as that is when church attendance swells, and it overwhelms my introvert nature to the point of anxiety. The younger children and I usually…

Amid the coronavirus, healthcare workers have faced a critical shortage of masks. The business world responded by shifting production to making masks or face shields. A quick Google search shows that Fanatics, the official jersey manufacturer for Major League Baseball, switched from making jerseys to making face masks. Bauer, a hockey equipment manufacturer based in New Hampshire, is mass producing medical face shields for doctors and nurses. The sewing machines of craft-oriented helpers are working overtime too. According to Etsy CEO Josh Silverman, “There are now 20,000 shops on Etsy selling face masks.” Sewing face masks seems positively patriotic, but what about those of us who can’t sew? My sister is sewing…

Lately, all I hear about is the Coronavirus. It’s kind of hard not to, as the topic is on every news station and social media feed. A “corona” virus is a common virus named for its little “crown” of club-shaped spikes seen under a microscope. Corona is the Spanish word for crown. I personally like the word ‘corona’ better than ‘crown.’ Crown rhymes with frown, and I instantly think of a certain grumpy-looking British queen who has reigned since my dad was ten years old. Corona has a more melodious sound. However, I’m partial to the Spanish language. It feels like the world has gone into hibernation – with all…

It’s a habit of mine to take daily walks in the cemetery across the street from my home. Sometimes I use my time to pray or seek God. Other times, I use the cemetery to make a phone call or video chat, uninterrupted by my children. I also listen to songs or sermons on my phone, depending on my mood. All these purposes are fine, but they tend to be self-centered, if I am being honest. Yesterday was entirely different. God used a moment of divine mourning and sacrificial love to bring me closer to Him.  I walked through the cemetery at a brisk pace, with an appointment I needed…

Welcome to The Chosen Lady! This blog was inspired by the Second Epistle of John (2 John). According to the Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible, “The apostle here salutes an honorable matron and her children (v. 1-3). Recommends to them faith and love (v. 5, v. 6). Warns them of deceivers (v. 7), and to take heed to themselves (v. 8). He teaches how to treat those who bring not the doctrine of Christ (v. 10, v. 11). And, referring other things to personal discourse, concludes the epistle (v. 12, v. 13).” I encourage you to lean on Jesus, knowing your ultimate goal is to see your children and loved ones walk in the truth of the gospel.