Articles from Jackie
Here you’ll find encouragement, sage advice, and godly counsel I wish I’d had while going through the difficult seasons of life.
The Lord’s Prayer
Music is a universal language. When words fail, music speaks, as I have learned repeatedly. Once vibrant and deliberate in her demeanor and actions, the frail woman lay still on the bed that seemed to swallow her up. Her eyes were closed. I paused at the doorway and...
February On The Farm
As I anticipate the arrival of the seeds ordered earlier this month, I remember the Parable of the Sower, recorded in Matthew 13. Jesus told about a farmer who scattered seeds randomly. Some fell along a path where they were trampled and consumed by birds; they never...
January On The Farm
Looking out over the snow-filled fields at first light, on this cold January morning, I shiver at the sight of gray skies and the sounds of howling winds that have ushered in another winter on the farm. The horses are blanketed, the heater is plugged into the water...
New Year’s Giveaway
As the blustery winds whip outside, I find myself curled up inside, reading some wonderful books. I’d like to share some of my favorites with you. Be sure to read to the end to find out how you can enter to win one of these books. You Were Made for This Moment by Max...
Waiting, Anticipating, and Longing
Some years, turning the pages on the calendar comes more easily to me than other years. Seasons change, and I change with them. Labor Day rushes past, and I start baking with apples and winter spices. By Halloween, I’m pulling out scarves and mittens and writing to-do...
Widowhood
My husband died from the aftereffects of Agent Orange and his years in the military. He fought glioblastoma with every ounce of his being—and mine. The fight gave us seven years together beyond the doctors’ prognoses. When we humans find ourselves in crisis...
Caregiving
Caregiving. It's a HUGE job. You’re offering medical/emotional/spiritual/physical aid and assistance, reassurance, and rehabilitation, often for someone you love: a child, parents, a spouse, or a friend. Caregiving is demanding, physically and emotionally draining,...
Pickleball
I stepped into the gym. New faces. New places. “You can do this,” I said to myself and put a smile on my face. No matter my age, I still fear the unknown, especially when I face the unknown alone. But the faces were all friendly, the players all appeared to be having...
