Aunt Mary and her niece Julie were once traveling together on an airplane. The plane was small and the turbulence was significant making Mary, Julie and everyone else on board a bit anxious. Mary noticed many of the passengers grasping armrests with white-knuckle grips. As the turbulence increased, she realized she needed to do something to relieve the fears building up in six-year-old Julie.

When the next big dip occurred, Mary enthusiastically let out a single word, “Wheee!!!!!!” With fearful and bulging eyes, Julie snapped her head in the direction of Mary to discover her aunt smiling. Julie smiled too.

Another dip. Another “Wheee!!!”

Another dip. This time in unison of Mary and Julie, “Wheee!!!”

Another dip. This time in unison of nearby passengers, “Wheee!!!”

Mary had turned fear into fun.

Were the passengers ever in danger? According to askthepilot.com, turbulence “is ordinarily seen as a convenience issue, not a safety issue. Conditions might be annoying and uncomfortable, but the plane is not going to crash.”

A friend of mine is in the middle of a complex, yet worthwhile project. Two weeks before “launch” date, I promised to be her “Wheee!!!” person. As she navigates the ups and downs, my job is to remind her about the exciting upside of the adventure she faces.

Do you have a friend who is going through something BIG? Perhaps you could volunteer to be their “Wheee!!!” person. Can you pray them through the days, weeks or months? Can you provide tangible touch points so they know you are thinking about them? Will you earnestly pray for them — not only to make it through — but to find joy along the way?

We all face big things at some point in our lives. In the Bible, during the battle of the Amalekites, as long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites were winning. Aaron and Hur became the “Wheee!!!” team for Moses. They held his hands up to support his tired arms.

As a “Wheee!” person the spotlight is off of you. But it is such an honor, whatever they are facing, to help someone see it through.

Who knows? The next time you are on an airplane, you just might experience a little bit of turbulence. You know what to do.

Somewhere along I-90 in South Dakota, we were bumping down the road in our motorhome. Mom was driving while my sister and I lounged in the back reading our “Archie” comic books. My brother was sleeping in a bunk above the driver’s seat and dad was reading at the table. Don’t judge us — these were the days when you could drive a motor home down the highway unrestrained by a seatbelt.

The camper made a slight jerk as mom decided to make an unplanned stop at the upcoming exit ramp.

“Why are you exiting the highway?” my dad asked.

My mom replied, “We are stopping at Wall Drug.” Within a few minutes the camper was parked in the middle of nowhere at a giant drugstore.

Why? Because for almost 300 miles, mom had passed over 200 billboards suggesting travelers stop at Wall Drug. The billboards promised all kinds of delights; the original billboard from 1931 simply promised “free ice water.” According to Wall Drug, they have 300 paid billboards, but there are many more unofficial billboards extending from Minnesota to Montana. There is actually a Wall Drug sign in London.

As the story goes, Ted and Dorothy purchased a drug store in 1931 in Wall, South Dakota, population 231 (today 688). Business was grim until Dorothy had the idea to post a billboard along the highway offering free ice water to travelers. An immediate response kept the drugstore in business as customers begin to buy ice cream and snacks in addition to receiving their free water. According to the Wall Drug website, in 1931 the city of Wall was somewhat affectionately known as “the geographical center of nowhere.” Yet today, the store attracts 2 million visitors each year.

Our family drank the free ice water and then purchased some taffy and potato chips. Soon after, refreshed from our stop, we loaded into the camper and resumed our travels on the desolate highway. We continued to Mount Rushmore and spent the night.

It is interesting that after all these years, I barely remember seeing Mount Rushmore, yet I can vividly remember our short stop at a drugstore in the middle of nowhere.

In a way, our lives are sort of like walking billboards, “advertising” what is important by how we live. Thinking about Wall Drug makes me wonder: what does my billboard-of-life say about Jesus?  Are my actions compelling enough to make someone stop and ask?

Fortunately, God has not given us the job to convince people about Jesus. We are simply called to be compelling — to live a life that models Jesus so others will want to experience him too. With Jesus, the Living Water is free.

Jesus said, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink!” (John 7:37-38a).

Annually I choose a word for the year. In late December, I began to ponder which word might help me focus on a main idea for 2025. Although a word usually “finds” me, I was struggling to claim one for 2025. Normally, I see a word in a variety of places or I sense the Lord nudging me in a certain direction. But so far, it had been crickets. Nothing. Nada.

I had made a list of “good” words, but nothing seemed right. I was looking for something that reflected my feelings about the coming year. I have been sensing God calling me to a certain lifestyle where my hands are loosely open so I can more readily participate in the spontaneous rather than the planned. Truthfully, this makes me uncomfortable. The idea of not having a concrete plan in the coming months is disconcerting.

Then on January 1st, I received a monthly newsletter from my cousin Cindy who happens to be a prolific author. Like me, she chooses a word each year. As she shared her thoughts, I knew her word was also for me. Finally as in years past, my word found me, this time via my sweet cousin.

This quote confirmed it: “I’m sure many would agree that American culture places a high value on accomplishment. Many would also agree that constant “doing” comes at a price, most often, relational erosion. We can lose an awareness of God, of others, and even of ourselves.” Pastor Stephen Van Dop

Therefore, my word for 2025 is PAUSE (often translated in the Bible as Selah). Selah is best described as the opportunity to pause, contemplate, and praise.

My prayer and desire this year is to use PAUSE as an invitation to become more aware of the presence of God so that giving Him praise becomes be my highest calling. And as I practice pausing, I pray it will also help me notice opportunities to nurture relationships with others.

I suspect a lot of days this year might look like a big bunch of nothing.

But regardless, I plan to praise God for the pause.

Friend, what is your word for the year? I would love to hear about the 2025 journey you are about to embark on.

“All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Psalm 66:4

P.S. Click here for my cousin Cindy’s website.

They were shepherds doing what shepherds do.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep” (Luke 2:8).

Up to this point it had been an ordinary day for them, doing ordinary things. But in a moment, everything changed and their ordinary day became extraordinary.

“Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people” (Luke 2:9-10).

They were told heavenly news and it was going to bring joy to all the people on earth.

“The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11).

So, they did something unimaginable. The shepherds left their sheep and rushed to see. Think about it, leaving your sheep was unheard of.

“Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about… They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger (Luke 15b, 16).

They could not contain their excitement. They wanted everyone to hear the good news.

“After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened” (Luke 2:17a).

They went back to their shepherding jobs,  but they were forever changed.

The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20a).

My Prayer for you this Christmas:

May your ordinary turn into extraordinary

May you experience the unimaginable that forever changes you

May the great news of joy overflow to you and others

Above all, may you glorify God and praise Him for His indescribable gift

Merry Christmas!

I just spent four glorious days in Charleston with my five Soul Sisters. They still live in Kansas City where I enjoyed eighteen years of “doing life” with them before moving to Alabama five years ago. Being with them reminded  me of how much I still miss the times we had while I lived there.

As I drove home through the Georgia/Alabama countryside, the trees were changing colors. They were pretty, but nothing compares to the brilliant colors Kansas City showcases in the fall. Traveling back to Alabama, not only was I missing my girlfriends, I found myself wishing I could see the beautiful shades of  Kansas City’s October foliage.

Fall is a bit different here than what we experienced in Kansas City. On this particular late-October day, the sun was offering warmth as the temperatures neared 80 degrees. But in Alabama, the weather can rapidly change. Realizing a freeze could be around the corner, I decided to enjoy the warm conditions while they last and I conducted a yard tour. Here’s what I discovered:

My impatiens have grown into giants — something I never saw in my garden in KC.

The re-blooming tea olives were still producing a sweet aroma  — even our college student who helps out on the ranch commented on the fragrance.

The red Coleus have grown so big and vibrant they look like  bushes — certainly nothing like the potted version I had in KC.

The beauty of my yard tour overwhelmed me and reminded me that God shares his splendor in different ways, no matter where I live.  It made me grateful for what I have right now.

It also helped me realize that enjoying my forever girlfriends — even if only for a few days — is also a gift to cherish and appreciate.

Winter will soon come (whatever that looks like in Alabama) and my beautiful plants will be gone for this year. But I don’t want to be sad, because as the next season approaches, I anticipate what amazing things God has in store for me to enjoy. I know it will be different, but the smell of tea olives and the gift of friendship reminds me to embrace this season of my life.

We are a society which measures success by size. We love grand. We tend to believe bigger is always better.

But is bigger always better?

Does it seem like you are in a season of small and the grand things are happening only to others?

Do you feel the things you are doing are not making that big of a difference?

Friend, I am convinced God has big plans for you and our world. But, I have also discovered he often does this through small and ordinary things — things that only you can do.

In this latest podcast of Unconditionally Her, host Karen Shayne and I discuss how your small  actions delight God and can also make a huge impact. We also chat about one of my favorite Bible women and her willingness to act upon faith using a scarlet cord.

I hope you will take a few minutes to listen and share your thoughts. Then, please forward this podcast to a friend you think might need to hear this encouragement.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…”Zechariah 4:10

Click  HERE   to listen to the Podcast