When Life Has You Puzzled

Kolleen Lucariello's mind is a wonderful thing. Creative and inspiring, she approaches life with a unique spin on God's hand in our lives. In this Wisdom UPGRADE, she offers sound biblical truth for times when life has us puzzled.

"My granddaughter held the box in her hands and asked, 'What do you say, Mimi? Want to do this puzzle with me?' Hesitation swelled within," Kolleen says, "when I saw which puzzle she held."

I (Dawn) love everything "puzzles," so Kolleen's title immediately drew me in. But her application stuck with me long after I read this post. I've been puzzled about something in my life, and I needed to hear her words.

Kolleen continues . . .

The puzzle contained 1,000 pieces and our time together was almost over; it would be impossible to complete before she left.

My face gave away my thoughts so she followed up with a “Puh-leeeeease?”

“Oh, alright. Let’s give it a try.”

I knew they’d be leaving soon and intended to throw it all back into the box once they walked out the door. However . . .

To my surprise, more family members decided to join in the puzzle fun. Soon, the outer edge was well on its way to completion. Then, with multiple pieces in place we heard, “Okay, kids; it’s time to go.”

After a short discussion on how to proceed, Papa and Mimi decided we’d come too far to take it all apart and throw it back into the box. So, we pressed on. 

As we worked toward our goal to complete the puzzle, there were moments when the similarities between life and a puzzle became clearer to me than the piece I was looking for.

Life certainly can be puzzling sometimes, can’t it? 

I lost count of how many times I’d scan and search for one particular piece for forever, only to have my puzzle partner stand over my shoulder, pick up the piece which was laying right in front of me, slide it in perfectly, chuckle and say, “You mean this one?”

And just like that the missing piece I’d spent an hour looking for was found. 

It’s puzzling how quickly fresh eyes can pick out what has been staring at you but remained unseen.

Why couldn’t I see that?

We may wonder when another brings light to our blind spots. At the moment, it might also be a tad bit frustrating. But it’s valuable if progress is to be made. 

Having my blind spots exposed is humbling. I prefer to believe I don’t have any, but I live knowing I do.

I’ve come to appreciate and value the way God uses others to help me see what I either can’t or, quite honestly, don’t want to. 

As we pushed forward with our puzzle, I noticed how tempting it became to place a wrong-but-close piece into what seemed-like-it-should-go-there.

The puzzle was on our kitchen table for weeks.

We soon had a strong desire to git-r-done. This desire provoked a “close enough” attitude—numerous times. But, one misplaced piece led to several more and caused moments of backtracking when one would say, “That’s not right.” Sigh. 

Things began to move along nicely after we began asking, “Do you think this piece goes here?” 

Puzzle pieces were designed to fit where they were designed to fit. It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you can’t force the wrong piece in where it wasn’t intended to go.

Mistakes happen, but the greater tragedy is our refusal to admit them or seek advice in the hopes of limiting them.

A countless number of people are backtracking through their life story to find healing from wounds inflicted through mistakes and missteps. When we don’t know how to proceed, wisdom asks, “Do you think this piece goes here?” 

Perhaps God would use our journey through Puzzle Park to bring an upgrade in a life that’s been puzzled by circumstance.

If that’s you, I’d like to offer you these two nuggets. 

1. Walk in Wisdom

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” or “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered” (Proverbs 12:15, 28 ESV).

Whether it is in our parenting, marriage, career, life-choices, or relationships: God used Solomon’s words to reveal the important role we play in the lives of others—to help uncover blind spots.

Only a fool would want to live blind and frustrated by what others can see.

2. Don't Give Up.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 ESV). 

When you’ve hit a snag and want to cater to the “close enough” attitude, please remember there is beauty in completing the work God set before you. Press on!

The puzzle we almost gave up on due to its difficulty is now framed for full display during the Christmas season.

God holds the pieces to our life puzzle.

• He knows the entirety of the plan He has for us.
• He’s aware when we’re stuck behind blind spots and has planned our way to clarity. We are wise to listen.
• He also knows when weariness is hindering our attitude to give our best effort. We are wise to ask for help.

So, when life has you puzzled, do you allow wisdom to lead the way?

Kolleen Lucariello, #TheABCGirl, is the author of #beYOU: Change Your Identity One Letter at a Time and is the Co-Director of Activ8Her, Inc. She is passionate to every woman realize her identity in Christ and live accordingly. Kolleen and her hubby, Pat, make their home in Central New York. She’s the mom of three grown children and Mimi to six incredible grands. For more information about Kolleen, visit www.speakkolleen.com

Too Soon Old und Too Late Shmart

In this Wisdom UPGRADE, Dawn Wilson encourages the pursuit of wisdom—as early as possible!

Today is my birthday, and I've been thinking a lot about aging and what it means. As I meditated on God's purposes in my life going forward, a favorite proverb came to mind:

"We grow too soon old und too late shmart."

It is sometimes attributed to Chinese, Japanese, Swedish, Danish, and Jewish sources, but usually, it's considered a "Pennsylvania Dutch" proverb—often seen on their pottery and souvenirs. My German-Dutch grandparents on my dad's side used to talk about being "shmart."

I went to college in Pennsylvania, about two hours north of Lancaster County—sometimes known as "Amish Country." As I understand it, the Pennsylvania Dutch aren't necessarily Amish, but the Amish are Pennsylvania Dutch—but they're not really Dutch. They're German!

The Pennsylvania "Deutsch" (or Pennsylvania Germans) are the descendants of German-speaking immigrants.

I toured Amish Country and had fun learning Pennsylvania Dutch expressions during my two years at college. I remember these two:

"Eat yourself full."

"Outen the lights."

I used to say those two phrases all the time.

But it was their proverbs that captured my thoughts.

• Good marriage counsel for women: "Kissin' wears out—cookin' don't."
• Good marriage counsel for men: "A plump wife and a big barn never did any man any harm."

As I noted, my favorite proverb was "We grow too soon old und too late shmart," because I was at college and focusing on getting smart!

I should have focused on getting wise.  

Smart and wise are not the same thing.

My years of schooling taught me many things. I love to read non-fiction, and I remember that as a young girl, I devoured my Grandma Parks' "Lincoln Library" in her attic. This early encyclopedia-type resource encouraged my intellectual curiosity. I felt I couldn't learn enough! And I learned a lot of "facts."

But now, I wish I'd pursued wisdom at that young age.

Not that being smart is bad. In fact, smartness isn't just the facts we learn in school. "Street smarts" is a thing. And people are gifted with all kinds of intelligences.

One source says there are nine types of intelligence.

Wisdom, however, goes beyond intelligence, and the Bible rates it more valuable than "smartness."

• A person can have an extremely high IQ and still be counted a fool.
• A person can be a genius and have no sense.
• Some intellectually-superior people have even been considered evil. (Hitler was thought to be a genius in certain respects.)
• On the other hand, those who might be considered unlearned or slow can be truly wise.

The words "wise" and "wisdom" appear in scripture more than 450 times, so it's something the Lord wants us to consider.

The writer of Proverbs described four animals as "wise" (Proverbs 30:24-28) to illustrate the practical application of wisdom for us.

Biblical wisdom is about understanding how to behave and choose correctly in different circumstances. It's also about knowing how to complete God-given tasks well.

I think my version of that old German proverb might be: "Too soon old and too late WISE!"

There are people who face eternity with very little wisdom, because they failed to avail themselves of the wisdom that comes from God.

But as long as we're alive, we don't have to get stuck there. Our IQ might stay the same until we die, but we can always increase in wisdom—to mature and go beyond the "milk" of the Word to "meat" (Job 32:7; Hebrews 5:12).

Wisdom is so needed today.

• Wisdom is something we need to teach our children.
• Wisdom is so needed in our churches—what we need to hear proclaimed from our pulpits.
• Wisdom is what we need to manifest in our communities to the glory of God.

Here are some biblical facts about Wisdom.

1. Wisdom for living begins with knowing God and having reverence and healthy "fear" of Him (Proverbs 9:10). His Word makes even simple people wise (Psalm 19:7b). We need to choose wisdom and learn from it.
2. When we choose wisdom, we'll soon discover so many blessings from its presence in our lives (Proverbs 8:12-21; 32-36; 24:14). Wisdom is better than fine gold! (Proverbs 16:16)
   
3. There has been much talk in this year during the Covid-19 pandemic of what is "essential." The Bible says wisdom is essential, because if we fail to find and apply it, we "love death" (Proverbs 8:36).
4. One of the qualities of God is wisdom (Psalm 104:24; Proverbs 3:19; Job 12:13; Daniel 2:20; Romans 16:27); and Paul said "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" are found in Christ (Colossians 2:2-3).
5. We can ask for His wisdom—wisdom from above (James 1:5). He is the giver of wisdom (Proverbs 2:6; Ephesians 1:17).

Today, my birthday, I am recommiting to a scripture the Lord reminded me about last year when I faced a diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma.

In those early days, I didn't know how long I'd live. It was a hard concept to think about. Then I read Psalm 90:12.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

A heart of wisdom. That's what I wanted more than anything. It became a precious thought, replacing my concerns about the length of my life.

Later, the Lord gave me another verse:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16).

If ever we needed wisdom, it is in these chaotic days. We need more than human intelligence, because God's thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We desperately need His perfect wisdom and perspective.

Wisdom sets people apart from people who are merely "smart."

Two of Jesus' disciples, Peter and John, were courageous in sharing the Gospel. People around them wondered at them, noting they were "unschooled and ordinary men," but what a difference being with Jesus made in their lives (Acts 4:13).

Spending time with the Lord and His Word will give us courage, but also wisdom. He IS our wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30).

So I'm older today and maybe a little smarter; but my joy is to know wisdom can increase as I allow God's Word to transform my thinking (Romans 12:2) and help me please the Lord.

Can you pray this with me?

Lord, I want a heart of wisdom!

Are you wise? How can your wisdom increase?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, at Revive Our Hearts, a blogger at TrueWoman.com, writes wiki-type posts at  Christianity.com, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic of cross-stitched piece from Unique Treasures PA, on Etsy.

Who Can Straighten What God Has Made Crooked?

Debbie W. Wilson doesn't flinch from encouraging women to see their life circumstances from God's perspective, and indeed, as a Bible teacher and counselor, she points them to scriptures that reveal who God is and what He does. In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, she shares the life of Joseph as an example of God's always wise but sometimes painful plan.

"Have you ever wondered why God allowed the COVID-19 virus to stop the world?" Debbie says, "Or why He allowed your particular setback?

"Have you ever wondered what good can come from these?"

Yes, I (Dawn) have wondered about that! But the Lord revealed many unexpected gifts in the middle of the pandemic. He has a plan for us even in tough circumstances!

Debbie continues . . .

As one who values efficiency, I like McDonald’s jingle, “You deserve a break today.” But biblical and secular history show life doesn’t flow in a straight line.

Like a good novel, real life packs its share of twists and turns.

A better question might be, how should we respond when life interrupts our plans?

Ecclesiastes answers:

“Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?” (Ecclesiastes 7:13 NLT)

If God is behind something, that’s one thing.

But does this include the pain of sin and sickness?

1. Curves in the Road of Life

By divine design, we learn through living. Instead of bemoaning life’s learning curves, we do better to glean all we can from the delays. This includes our stumbles.

God uses even our worst flops for His glory when we surrender to Him (Romans 8:28; Luke 22:32; 1 John 1:9).

What about other people’s sins? Are those under God’s control?

Old Testament Joseph addresses that question.

After two dreams forecasting an amazing future, I imagine Joseph expected a wonderful life. From pampered son to reigning leader, who wouldn’t like that plan.

But God’s path to glory included some painful twists.

2. Joseph’s Tortuous Road to Greatness

• Joseph’s brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery.
• He rebounded to become head slave.
• His mistress relentlessly tried to seduce him.
• When he refused, she falsely accused him of attacking her.
• Instead of being crowned for his integrity, Joseph goes straight to prison in an iron collar.

While languishing in chains, Joseph probably experienced times when it felt like God had forgotten him.

As his bright future seemed to have been snatched in one jealous act, it was fulfilled in another action. Pharaoh raised Joseph out of prison and put him second in command over Egypt. Joseph eventually reunites with his family.

What I described in sentences took DECADES to achieve.

God’s plan was greater than Joseph imagined. But it hurt more than he could have fathomed.

3. Who Is in Charge?

Was this crooked path God’s way?

Genesis tells Joseph’s account from the human viewpoint. Psalms tells it from God’s perspective.

“He [God] brought famine to the land.
He took away their food supply.
He sent a man ahead of them.
He sent Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
They hurt his feet with shackles, and cut into his neck with an iron collar.
The Lord’s promise tested him through fiery trials until his prediction came true. The king … made Joseph the master of his palace and the ruler of all his possessions” (Psalm 105:16-22 GW).

God’s route for Joseph included betrayal, separation, famine, chains and prison.

No one could have straightened his path.

Not Joseph, not his father Jacob.

God used Joseph’s years as a slave and prisoner to build a strong leader.

If Joseph—and Jesus—learned obedience from what they suffered (Hebrews 5:8), why do I think I should get a shortcut?

4. Accept the Way

If Joseph wondered what he could have done to skip these hardships, he learned he couldn’t have smoothed God’s path. Every bend fell under his heavenly Father’s watchful eye.

Suffering is necessary for greatness (Romans 8:17).

Has some setback caused you to question your calling or God’s love? Have you tried to smooth the sharp turns out of life?

Take heart from Joseph and accept God’s way.

His plan for you is better than you can imagine. And He’s at work in the crooked part of your journey too.

What good might God be developing from your “crooked” circumstances today?

Debbie W. Wilson—drawing from her walk with Christ and decades as a Christian counselor, life coach, and Bible teacher—helps women give themselves a break so they can enjoy grace-filled lives. Her most recent book, Little Faith, Big God, explores the lessons and lives of those found in Hebrews 11. She is also the author of Give Yourself a Break and Little Women, Big God. She and her husband Larry founded Lighthouse Ministries, a nonprofit biblical counseling, coaching, and Bible study ministry. Debbie enjoys dark chocolate, a good mystery and the antics of her two standard poodles. Find free resources to refresh your faith and connect with Debbie at debbieWwilson.com.

Graphic adapted, "Joseph," from https://bible.wikia.org/wiki/Joseph_(Old_Testament).

Upgrade Your Motherhood: Learn to Be a Mama Bear

Morgan Farr totally impressed me when I first talked to her, and then when I met her—I knew she was a special servant of God. What I noticed most was her deep desire to raise children to bring honor to the Lord. In this Parenting UPGRADE, she encourages mothers to intentionally become Mama Bears.

"There is a real enemy out there on the prowl, looking for souls to devour," Morgan says. "Learning to be a Mama Bear means being ready to protect and defend your cubs."

I (Dawn) remember when a previous candidate for Vice President of the United States called herself a "mama grizzly." During her campaign, she wanted to blend her femininity with tough strength. That's what moms are called to do today, I think—and Morgan clearly thinks so too!

Morgan continues . . . 

When I was getting ready to move from North Carolina to California, I was a bit of a wreck. Two days before I left town, a friend of mine stopped by and gave me a goodbye gift which contained chocolate, Dr. Pepper and a hat.

The hat had a bear on it with the word “Mama” scrawled across it.

Each gift had a purpose:

• The Dr. Pepper was for when I was tired and needed a boost,
• the chocolate was for when I was sad and missing my friends, and
• the hat was for the days when I needed to remember my purpose.

Thus my Mama Bear spirit began to develop. 

I am going to share with you what it means to be a Mama Bear, and how you can learn to defend your cubs well. 

The first thing we have to do in learning to become a Mama Bear is to understand what a Mama Bear is exactly.

Wikipedia defines a Mama Bear as, “a woman, especially a mother, who is extremely protective of a child or children,” and you can find similar ideas on definitions.net and UrbanDictionary.com. 

Who are we defending our kids from?

1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

That’s right. Satan is out to prevent every person he can from coming to Christ, and that includes our children.

Our job is to cultivate a home in which our children learn about Christ, grow in faith, and become mature Christians ready to go out into the world and fulfil the Great Commission. 

So, how do we do it? 

How Can You Become a Mama Bear?

1. Put on the Armor of God Every Day

Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the Armor of God, which you should wear every single day to be able to stand firm against Satan's attacks. 

• You need to be reading the Word of God every single day.
• Memorize scripture to repeat when the baby just won’t stop crying.
• Find a Titus Two Woman to mentor you when your teenager is being difficult. 
• Be active in the body of Christ so that you can lift one another up in prayer not only for yourself but also for your children. 
• Pray, pray, pray!

2. Teach them to recognize good and evil. 

It isn’t just enough for you to have firm faith, you have to instruct your children in the way of that faith as well.

You cannot hope that your children will catch your faith without any work on your part. 

Hillary Morgan Ferrer, author of Mama Bear Apologetics, writes, “Part of the biblical process of sanctification—or spiritual growth—is training our appetites to crave what is good and to be repulsed by what is not."

We, as mothers, need to show our children Jesus every day in our actions, in the Bible and in our world. 

Discuss current events (at an age appropriate level) and talk about which side it falls on—God’s side or Satan’s side.

Let them think critically. Help them, when needed, to see how God is moving in your home, neighborhood and beyond. 

3. Beware the Insidiousness of Technology

I didn’t really think of myself as a Mama Bear until after I had to explain my rules regarding technology to another mother as I was preparing to move. 

In my house, I don’t allow children of any age (0-18) to have technology away from an adult. This is due to the fact that I consider it my job to protect my children’s hearts and minds.

I can’t protect them from what other people invite in on tablets, phones and computers if I can’t see what is being shown. So, limit exposure where you can. 

Keep internet monitoring software on computers and phones—before you think that you need to. And yes, I mean that mom and dad should have that software on THEIR personal devices to show their children that integrity on the internet is not just for children! 

4. Protect the safety of your home.

Think of your home as a greenhouse. Your children are little plants, getting ready to go out into the world.

Your job is to ensure that the greenhouse is safe and secure. 

In The Mission of Motherhood, Sally Clarkson writes, “When children have a safe haven—a place to be protected from the storms of life; a place to be emotionally, mentally and spiritually encouraged; a place where they enjoy time and attention from important people in their lives—and time to mature, then they will have a good opportunity to become emotionally healthy and flourshing human beings.”

Be aware of what you invite in to your home in terms of media, books, movies and television shows.

Your home is your greenhouse. Do not allow it to become polluted by the filth of the world.  

Am I saying that being a Mama Bear is easy? Absolutely not. In fact, intentional motherhood takes a LOT of work and constant prayer. But I am saying that it is absolutely necessary. 

There will be people who say you are too protective and too strict.

Let them say it.

One day, you will stand before the King of Kings and you will be held ACCOUNTABLE for your time as a mother.

Remember that when someone from the PTA says your rules are too strict. 

How can you be a Mama Bear for your kids today? Which of these four points could you implement today?

Morgan Farr is a Texas-loving, succulent-cultivating, book nerd. Stationed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this Army wife is earning to respect her husband, develop her three (soon to be four!) small children, and tackle homeschooling while moving all over the country. Morgan writes about her transition away from feminism and into biblical womanhood at The Forgiven Former Feminist. 

Graphic, "Ladies Vintage Mama Bear Hat" from Southern Sisters Designs.

Seeking Spiritual Discernment Is Brave

Janet Thompson writes solid, biblical books on a number of tough topics—cancer, prodigal children, infertility, mentoring, etc.—and in this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, she challenges us to look at the topic of discernment, which is more than just knowing what to do.

"Imagine a scenario where you observe a situation and your instinct tells you something isn’t right, but you look around and no one else seems alarmed," Janet said. "Everyone is carrying on as if nothing abnormal is happening.

"Do you intervene or do you walk away?"

Good question! I (Dawn) have often prayed for discernment about a tough situaiton, and then when I got that answer from the Lord, sometimes it was truly hard to follow through. I'm glad Janet is taking the topic of discernment one step further, because sometimes we need courage to obey God's direction!

Janet continues . . .

As women of faith, praying for the spirit of discernment can prove to be a brave and bold request in itself.

When we humbly ask God to reveal His will to us for specific situations, even when others may not see what we perceive, God may ask us to perform courageous acts that could be life-saving or forever life-changing.

We can become the brave spiritual warriors that our world needs so desperately.

We tend to categorize “brave women” as those who go into the mission field or into the military. Police officers, firefighters, first responders. Any woman who goes into a dangerous career, willing to lay down her life for a job, cause or belief is superhero—brave in our eyes.

Or we may only attribute bravery to men.

Typically, we don’t consider that “ordinary” women like you and me display real bravery and courage every single day, often in the routines of life.

We may not realize that a courageous heart makes us “superheroes” to those who know us and especially to God.

How Do We Know When God Wants Us to Bravely Intervene?

James 1:5–6 reminds us:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

1. Pray.

Prayerfully seek the Holy Spirit’s wise direction and guidance gleaned from reading the Bible and prayer.

Spiritual discernment and godly wisdom lets God guide.

2. Be patient.

Discernment takes time and effort to develop as we grow and mature in our faith and develop an ability to sense God’s plan and purpose in a given situation.

3. Obey.

Expectantly ask God for the willingness, strength, and desire to take whatever action our discernment dictates and let God handle the consequences.

Some Christians are more sensitive than others to the still small voice of God; but with patience, studying—not just reading—God’s Word, and a desire to know God’s will, we all have the ability to seek and obtain discernment to be braver than we ever thought possible.

Maybe you’ve sensed the pain behind a word or facial movement or body stance. You know there’s a sadness hidden behind, “No, everything is fine.”

Discernment is seeing what others may not see or say.

It’s more than just a hunch, or burying our hunch in denial, even when faced with observable evidence of a problem. When we discern a situation, we have a choice—ignore or ask God what He wants us to do about it.

Sometimes, we can wait to take action, but other times we can’t dodge, deny, or dismiss the signs that our discernment is revealing—we’re the ones who must act immediately.

In Everyday Brave, I tell the biblical story of Huldah, an Old Testament prophetess who King Josiah asked to decipher the meaning of the lost “book of the law” found during restoration of the temple. Huldah felt dismay, but not panic, as she resolutely read the words in “the book.” She knew she must bravely tell the king the dreadful consequences of the Israelites’ sin and rebellion.

God wanted her to proclaim the truth, no matter how distressing, from His written Word.

Fortunately, because of King Josiah’s grief over hearing from Huldah about his people’s unfaithfulness to follow God’s laws and His covenant with them, God gave a reprieve of punishment during Josiah’s reign.

Josiah took advantage of God’s grace to initiate a spiritual revival.

Lives saved, spiritually and physically, all because Huldah bravely resolved to interpret God’s Word truthfully, even though it was painful for all to hear.

In moments that require the spirit of discernment, we need to pray for God’s protection and then respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. If we ignore the Holy Spirit, we may regret it or even feel responsible for a preventable crisis.

It takes great courage to step out in faith on a revealed truth.

If it’s God’s will, He will be there, giving us the help and reassurance we need when it’s difficult or others shy away from getting involved.

When you act on Holy Spirit–inspired discernment, you’re braver than you know.

So what would you do now when facing a situation you know isn’t right? 

Janet Thompson is an international speaker, freelance editor, and award-winning author. She mentors women in sharing their life experiences and God’s faithfulness. Janet's latest book, Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith, releases today, September 10, 2019! Among the 20 books she's authored: Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness; Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten; Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby?; Dear God They Say It’s Cancer; Dear God, He’s Home!; Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter. She founded Woman to Woman Mentoring and About His Work Ministries. Sign up for Janet's blog/free newsletter at womantowomanmentoring.com.

Graphic adapted, Photo courtesy of Bethany Laird on Unsplash.