by Valerie Murray | Jan 8, 2016 | Blog, Facing Fear |
To escape fear, you have to go through it not around. Richie Norton How many times have you heard that in order to overcome fear we have to face it? For someone living with fear, the mere thought of “going through it” can bring anxiety. One reason is that...
by Valerie Murray | Jan 4, 2016 | Blog, Facing Fear |
The Unexpected Cure for Fear: Facing Fear Series F.E.A.R. It’s a four-letter word. A word I associate with two other words. DO NOT. God does not want us to fear. Truth. Solid truth. And because I have lived in an anxious world of “what ifs” fearful...
by Valerie Murray | Dec 30, 2015 | Blog, Faith |
A friend of mine committed to pray for me this year and asked for my prayer request. Since I’ve already been evaluating what my grace goals are for the new year (see below), her question helped solidify my answer. The words to Psalm 46:10 immediately came to...
by Valerie Murray | Dec 21, 2015 | Blog, Book Reviews |
I crave rest–especially rest that is assured. I’m a busy mom with four kids. When I was able to slow down enough to start reading the book Rest Assured, by Vicki Courtney, it felt like taking a deep breath in and breathing out the frantic,...
by Valerie Murray | Dec 18, 2015 | Blog, Christmas, Faith |
Accept Your Free Gift! Freebies! Who doesn’t love them? On black Friday millions of people rush to get the best deals. If you are one of the first 100 people in line, you just may get a free gift. I’m often lured to the Estée Lauder counter to purchase my foundation...
by Valerie Murray | Dec 11, 2015 | Blog, Christmas, Faith, Family |
I like to get things done. Once everything is done, then I can rest, right? Not so much. Everything is never done. There’s always something more. And it’s easy to grow impatient as I try to find peaceful moments for myself. My impatience reveals a...
by Valerie Murray | Dec 4, 2015 | Blog, Christmas, Family |
I have given up on the idea of a dreamy white Christmas. You know, the kind where all the kids smile for that Christmas picture–or at least look at the camera without having been bribed with candy or making threats to tell Santa they’ve been naughty. Nope, instead–I...
by Valerie Murray | Nov 13, 2015 | Blog, Book Reviews |
When my 12-year-old daughter first saw her new NIV Bible for teen girls, her eyes lit up and she said, “I like it!” The cover is well-made and sturdy and the pages are durable. The artwork and colors (greenish turquoise, pink, muted black and peach) really make it...
by Valerie Murray | Nov 6, 2015 | Blog, Faith |
I love fall! November always reminds me of the importance of being thankful, which can frankly, be hard for me. Sometimes I assume it must be easy for others to quickly compile their top 10 reasons for being grateful. But honestly, aside from the blessings of the...
by Valerie Murray | Oct 23, 2015 | Blog, Faith |
My alarm jolts me at 5:00 a.m. I pat my nightstand to find my glasses and make my daily trek downstairs for that essential first cup of coffee. I walk my puppy to the backyard and stand on the dewy grass while I wait. It’s dark outside. I look up into the...