By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “Where is my daddy?” asked my four-year-old granddaughter Sunday morning. “I want to run to him.” This little bundle of energy had bee-line vision for her father, but I gripped her hand tightly. We stood at the edge of the road, about to cross
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer We hear it a lot: “Be grateful.” Other renditions suggest, “Things could be worse.” “You have it better than most.” The Christian-ese phrase I’ve known since childhood says, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer From where I sit by the wood stove on cold mornings, I can see through the kitchen and out the window to the ash trees bordering my neighbor’s property. Stripped by autumn winds, they stand bereft of their fall finery, boney branches scratching the
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Abram was a wealthy and powerful man in his day—wealthy and powerful enough that when his nephew Lot was taken captive by the armies of four marauding kings, Abram raised a force from among his own people, chased down the kings, and rescued Lot.
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer About this time every year, an unusual looking fruit appears in the produce section of the super market—one that I first sampled at my grandparents’ farm in California. Pomegranates. The only attractive thing about the appearance of a pomegranate is its exquisite garnet color.
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Years ago I heard a preacher explain his take on three segments of our waking hours: morning, afternoon, and evening. “Work two of them,” he said. “Not three.” He didn’t tout one segment over the others as the one to take off, he simply
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Autumn is my favorite season. It’s as if God turns on a hidden light somewhere, and everything starts glowing from the inside out. Trees. Flowers. Mountains. Sky. I can almost hear the colors – because of the light. Without light, there would be no
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer My friend took this picture because she had to. Not because she likes spiders (she doesn’t), but because of the amazingly, intricate design patiently created by a small, faithful spinner – an orb-weaver. I’m not a spider fan either, but as part of God’s
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Horses are gregarious by nature. They’d rather be with other horses than be alone. Regardless of their height, coloring, and disposition, they want to be part of the herd. So do most people. A couple of Sundays ago, our pastor challenged us with a
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer We all face storms. Hurricanes. Wildfires. Sick children. Disinterested spouses. Cutbacks at work. Yet in their song “Just Be Held,” contemporary Christian band, Casting Crowns, sings, “In the storm is where you’ll find Me.” Whoa – how can they say that? “They’ve never been
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer There may be fewer backyard barbecues and camping trips this Labor Day Weekend, because many people have transformed it into a Labor-of-Love Day Weekend, helping the devastated and displaced victims of Hurricane Harvey. Countless stories have made the news about neighbors helping neighbors, first
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Authors are often asked how much of themselves they write into their characters. I’ve never been quite sure how much of an answer to give. A person typically writes from his or her heart, so naturally, pieces of that heart are floating around in
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Millions of people across North America eagerly anticipated witnessing the great solar eclipse on August 21. Hopefully, they didn’t truly witness it – gazing in an unprotected manner and permanently damaging their eyes. Solar eclipses have fascinated people for thousands of years, creating fear
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer When my husband and I set out on the rodeo circuit (with our small children) people told us we were crazy. “Wait until your kids grow up,” they said. “How can you haul your children across the country like that?” they said. “What about
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Before my husband and I were married, we endured a long-distance romance while each of us lived in a different state. Phone calls and letters were the highlight of my days. No texting or Facebook or Instagram. No instant messaging, Skype, or FaceTime. Just plain ol’