Whatever you look for, you will see. Annie F. Downs What are you looking for this Advent Season? Hope Peace Joy Love Those are the four themes of Advent, but all too often, I am looking for: Disappointment Conflict Despair Indifference I don’t think I ever intended to look for these opposites of the Advent … Continue reading What are you looking for? Psalm 121
Are you weary? Do you long to find soul sustaining rest? Maybe you need a session of soul tending in your day? Check out my blog post for some soul tending guidance. My name is Anthea Kotlan, and I have a passion to equip and empower women to build God's kingdom. Join me on this … Continue reading Welcome
Grit is living life like it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Angela Duckworth Marathoner or Sprinter One thing to be sure of is that I know very little about running. I am neither a marathoner nor a sprinter. While many members of my family enjoy running, I do not. Running is something that I … Continue reading Got Grit? Psalm 30
In December of 1995, my family experienced a Christmas like no other. My youngest daughter, not even a year yet, had a spiral fracture of her femur. The path to healing required a rigid cast that extended down from her chest to her toes. Diaper changes, eating, sleeping, and surviving were incredibly difficult for us. … Continue reading How Can I Find Peace in the Second Week of Advent? Psalm 85
It is dark at my house this morning. The electricity went out at some point during the night, leaving my entire neighborhood shrouded in blackness. I wander about the house, gathering candles, a lighter, and my trusty book light. Without light, my home becomes a frustrating obstacle course featuring various objects ready to bruise my … Continue reading Holding onto Hope in Advent – Psalm 80
Hospital waiting rooms are a great equalizer. All who enter join the fellowship of uncertainty. Plans and predictions, once held tightly, slowly tick away with the pace of watched clocks. I have logged many hours in these places over the years. Often arriving flustered and departing relieved, but now I am back again in crisis. … Continue reading Are You Bargaining with God in the Waiting Room? Psalm 26
If I am being honest, I love a good checklist. A clear path lined out for me, revealing what was right to do and what to avoid. I want to know deep in my soul that if I get the boxes checked off in proper order and complete all items before the deadline, all will … Continue reading How Can I Avoid Suffering and Other Lies I Have Chosen to Believe – Psalm 34:15-22
Some families pass down an inheritance of precious jewelry while others share treasured recipes written on weathered cards. Other families gift each generation with stocks or bonds. Some families even pass the ownership of a family business to the next generation. Sadly, my family held on to the tradition of passing down a legacy of … Continue reading Can Fearing the Lord Reduce my Anxiety? Psalm 34b
Perhaps there is some time-space continuum operating in the dark of the night? Bear with me for a moment, but if you have ever had trouble sleeping, you might know what I mean. What about gazing at the digital clock at 2 am that causes time to slow down to a crawl? The minutes creep … Continue reading How do I seek God in the Dark of the Night? Psalm 34a
I spent Sunday afternoon and evening in an emergency room with an elderly family member. God showed up in the kindness of pre-warmed sheets, wrapping us in care. As the hours inched passed, all reports and test results provided much-needed reassurance. Finally, long after sundown, the doctor graciously wrote prescriptions to relieve the most troubling … Continue reading What Am I Called to Share? Psalm 22:22-31
How does the world respond to suffering? We medicate it. We dismiss it. We deny it. We try to explain it away. We even blame the victim sometimes. Jesus has a different way of sitting with suffering. Psalm 22 invites believers to sit at the foot of the cross with Jesus and bear witness to … Continue reading How do I sit with suffering? Psalm 22
Anthea Kotlan 