Winter Promises Spring

These past four years full of blessings and still we had been in the winter of our lives. The cold, tired, wearing kind where you have to choose to find joy, hope, and live out loud anyway.

Challenge takes some type of toll on family, marriage, and on most any relationship. We have had struggles and hardships that we would never wish on any one, ever. As each one came, the prior one would find partial or total resolve. For a long time, most would only find partial resolve. 

Thus, the thrust into three and a half years of winter. 

Worshipping Him, our God, always brought just enough warmth to keep us from bitterness. We clung to His love for us and committed to each other. That commitment would have to be spoken out loud over and over again. 

Words are alive. Those words and our worship breathed more and more life into our winter. Helping others and giving some of those words away put more and more logs on the hearts fire; What a gift. 

Speaking, worshipping, trusting, giving, and loving.

Now, we are here. Spring started peeking in over the last two weeks! We’re in the middle of actual winter, but in our family spring has let us know it’s coming. 

Spring - new, green, fresh, alive. We can feel it, something new. It’s springing up and coming round the corner. It’s a brand new season!

You have to wait until January for all the news. 

Yes, this is just a random pic of Shadow...hee hee :D

Just know and be encouraged that God was always good in that harsh season. He never left us alone. We didn’t always “feel” Him. We had this convicting assurance that He was very present and working out His plans. 

You may be in a season of winter 

in your life, relationships, job, or gifts. We are praying and believing for your spring. 
We know that winter promises spring for you too.




Psalm 116

^7-8 I said to myself, "Relax and rest.
      God has showered you with blessings.
      Soul, you've been rescued from death;
      Eye, you've been rescued from tears;
      And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling." 

 ^9-11 I'm striding in the presence of God, 

      alive in the land of the living! 

   I stayed faithful, though bedeviled, 

      and despite a ton of bad luck, 

   Despite giving up on the human race, 

      saying, "They're all liars and cheats."

We are unwrapping today with Ann
over at A Holy Experience. 
You're invited.

The Sustainability of Words -Feature Post at (in)Courage

The wonderful women at (in)Courage online community invited all interested writers for submissions. 

Today, I am blessed and privileged to be featured here. 

(In)Courage is birthed through DaySpring, a Christian subsidiary of Hallmark.

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

“That’s my song playing on the radio!” We stop everything we’re doing and hone in on the words. Now we’re dancing up a storm, crying our eyes out, or filled with strength to face the day. Something we’ve read encourages us to live our dreams or make “that” change. Their sheer expression of delight tells us they love the gift we’ve given. The perfect timing of “I Love You and I really appreciate all you do”can’t be compared.






Words can be written, spoken, sung, or even unspoken in body language and gestures. It can lift you up and fill you or break you down and defeat you. It’s amazing how much power a simple word can have when a certain tone or expression accompanies it.


We are surrounded by words in all shapes and forms everyday and all day long. What are we reading, listening to, watching, or saying? Is it replenishing or depleting?





During one of my quiet times I clearly heard God ask me, “Are you living a sustainable life, Jeri?” I knew he wasn’t speaking about the environment. I knew in my spirit he was asking me about my everyday living. Again I heard him, “My words are a gift for you to use. How are you using it?” Wow! It blew me away. My words really aren’t mine. They are His gifts to me. Yet, so many times I don’t even think about it. I just start talking.




My favorite form of words is writing. I love to write cards, tweet, and send emails to encourage people. I especially like to write to authors and speakers and let them know that what they’ve shared has affected me. Just recently, I’ve started to write articles. It’s so amazing how many different ways you can say “one” thing!


So, I’m choosing what I’m talking about, writing about, and listening to. As often as possible, I’m going to practice speaking life – into my husband, adult children, neighbors, friends, and family. I’m inspired to be an encourager even if the person in front of me is going through something that makes me feel uncomfortable.


I’m praying God can use us to speak, write, and sing sustainable words from Him that will carry them and strengthen them when they’re away from us. More importantly, I’m learning and growing in the truth that apart from Him I can do nothing. As long as I’m having daily time with Him, He’ll give me all I need – even the right words!

I’ll leave you with these life words that are filling me right now:

Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper. He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.


Deuteronomy 30: 19 - This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live…

Sustainable words prosper, refresh, and speak life into us and others - forever.

What's your favorite form of speaking life?

Today