Lightning Bug Love
The inside message on the Valentine’s Day card was simple and sweet. However, the message on the outside of the card received much more of my attention. No catchy rhyme or thought-provoking poem. No sugar-coated phrase or scripture reference on…
The Cast Sheep
A sweet friend and fellow Christian writer recently posed a question about what items bring comfort to you. After a moment of contemplation, I quickly honed in on a small figurine given to me by a friend. While the figurine…
Dare to Dream
Dreams are defined as a “cherished aspiration or ambition.” We love to dream about brighter days, adventurous times, and richer lives. Dreams motivate us to be a better person, strive for higher goals or work towards long-awaited desires. The dream…
Restoration and Remnants
When considering how best to address the New Year as well as a new decade, the idea of restoration came to mind. Perhaps some of us feel the need of a little restoration to face the challenges 2020 will bring.…
My True Love
One of the most entertaining carols to sing at Christmas is “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Who doesn’t love trying to recall all of the drummers, pipers, ladies dancing, and lords-a-leaping in the correct order? Heck, I can barely remember…
A Name Like No Other
Ozbel, Tiberius, Sharmela, Truly, Elfie, Akeema, Ridge, and Curran. BuzzFeed deemed these unusual first names as belonging to a list of 100 of the most beautiful names that stand out from the crowd. My name is Karen Gail O’Kelley Allen.…
Bless This Food
November brings a splash of colored leaves before they fall to the ground, thoughts of gratitude as we contemplate God’s blessings, family gatherings around the three-leaved table, acorns and hickory nuts in the yard, preludes of Christmas with neighborhood lights…
Blessing and a Curse
One of my husband and I’s favorite detective shows is “Monk.” Adrian Monk is a brilliant detective from San Francisco who has an obsessive-compulsive disorder he uses to solve murder cases. He calls his disorder “a blessing and a curse.”…
Big Bad Cancer: My, What Big Blessings You Have (by guest Valerie Powell)
Diagnosis and the days to follow were some of the hardest days I’ve lived on Earth thus far. No one expects to be given a cancer diagnosis, but even fewer expect a cancer diagnosis at 28 years old after going…
Wearing the Label
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month which causes me to reflect upon my own experiences as well as be cognizant of the importance of breast cancer awareness. Recently I was telling someone about how it seemed unlikely sixteen years ago…
