PalmTreePundit just posted a great article on a new biography of Elizabeth Prentiss. I encourage you to read the entire post, but let me tempt you with just a snippet. (A particularly a propos one, given our family’s current situation.) “Lay down this principle as a law, — God does nothing arbitrary. If he takes away your health for instance, it is because He has some reason for doing so; and this is true of everything you value; and if you have real faith in Him, you will not insist on knowing this reason. If you find in the course of everyday events, that your self-consecration was not perfect, —…

I’m in an interesting season of life right now. For various reasons, I can’t talk about all of the details with you right now. (Although, please know that I want to! Processing through writing on this blog has been a true grace to me these many years. Maybe one day soon …) As I’ve walked through my current challenges, I’ve been on a bit of a high-wire tightrope teetering over two extremes: 1. Pessimism – I just assume this bad thing is going to happen; and 2. Faith – God is sovereign and God is good. I can trust Him. I’m embarrassed to even admit this, of course. But I…

I re-read this every year now: Pain Does  Its Work and Grace Takes Over (by Ajith Fernando)  

Although this IX Marks entry is particularly directed at pastors, I thought it was spot-on for lay people too: Any Discouraged Pastors Out There? If you or someone you love is struggling at sad this holiday season, I encourage you to pop on over and read it. It’s very short–but very wise. My favorite line was: “Believe it or not, there is more to life than the situation that has you discouraged.”   I just don’t think that a person who never struggles with discouragement or depression would’ve written that line. So thanks, Elder Matt Schmucker! And much love to you, dear blog readers– Yours, Tara B.  

I just added my own story to the 2,100+ comments at BringTheRain’s October 15 (National Day of Rememberance for Pregnancy and Infant Loss) post. 2,100+ comments and I’m sure that number will only grow. This is a portion of what I wrote in my comment: “And thanks so much for your ministry. 2,100+ comments to this one post alone?! Surely the suffering of mothers who have lost their children is a clear mark of just how much this fallen life is “not the way it’s supposed to be”; and also an indication of how good the eternal hello of our true home in Heaven will be. One Good Day.” You…

Pastor Anyabwile linked over to a great article by John Piper and I encourage you to check it out: What to Say to the Depressed, Doubting, Skeptical, Confused, and Angry I’ll tempt you with just a snippet: “If you care about people and risk talking to the depressed, the doubting, the skeptical, the confused, and the angry, you will soon run into a person who says to your counsel: I’ve tried that. Whatever you say, they will minimize it and say it doesn’t work. Do not be surprised at this response. This is what it means to be depressed, doubting, skeptical, confused, angry. It means that whatever they hear sounds…

What a happy title for a blog! 😉 But it accurate … I am stressed, sick, and tired. Stressed because of something challenging that happened yesterday that our family has to keep addressing this morning. (Very hard!) Sick because, well, apparently some little virus or bug is having a happy time inside of me–but it’s making all of the normal sick symptoms fuzz up my brain and knock my energy level down to zilch. Which leads me right to TIRED. Oh well! Every day isn’t like this, right? Makes me appreciate the days I wake up before the alarm and happily head out the door to walk Lilikoi. Hope you’re…

Early yesterday afternoon, I was quietly reflecting to myself just how godly, easy to relate with, loving, funny, and trusting of the Lord a certain woman in my life is. She also happens to be stunningly beautiful with a wonderful husband and four precious children. So THEN I was thinking about how easy it would be for an outsider to look at her faith and her happiness and think, “Sure! If I were beautiful, happily married, with healthy children and a lovely home, I’d be a really happy person who loves and trusts God too. No problem.” But outside appearances don’t show the REALNESS of her true happiness (BLESSED-ness). And…

I was blessed yet again by another CJ Mahanney essay and thought it might encourage you too: Shifting Ground–Finding Joy in Adversity Let me tempt you with just a snippet: “How about you? Are you personally experiencing a season of adversity with no end in sight? If so, rather than peering into the future trying to predict the concluding date of the trial, I recommend you look down and then up.   Look down and realize a transition is under way to shift the ground of your joy ‘from created things to the Creator.’ Then look up and delight in the Lord himself. Contemplate his changeless character and the finished…

I have a friend who is currently fighting for her life against cancer. I pray for her–for treatments, relief from nausea, comfort, a cure. But every time we interact, the truth is that she is the one who ministers to ME. Even just a few lines from her in an email convict me of my own faithlessness and encourage me in my battle to stop questioning God’s goodness and SUBMIT to Him. Trust Him. Worship Him. Stop being so Tara-focused! Because there she is, rejoicing over God’s provision of a stylish wig. There she is, rejoicing in the Light of the Lord and the ministry of His people. She wrote…