“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38 I distinctly remember the day I gave my grandma the nickname “Ol’ Money…
Author: The Beautiful Spirit
The Beautiful Spirit is designed to encourage women to apply the truths of living a Spirit-filled life. Our goal is to reach a greater number of people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and encourage ladies in their walk with Him.
Strangers and Pilgrims
During my first two months or so in China, I lived in three different cities and in five different apartments or hotel rooms. As a girl who has had the same home address for more than twenty years, I found it difficult to adjust to being a stranger and a pilgrim. I know we are…
Meeting Day, Part 2
I waited patiently for the phone to ring again, and it did. This time a voice I had only dreamed of hearing was on the other end. “Hello, Mari, I am Evonne, and I have been searching for our daughter.” Tears of joy and fear filled both mother’s hearts. For eighteen years, Evonne had dreamed…
Meeting Day, Part 1
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” Proverbs 3:5 Our life with our daughter, Alyssa, has been a joy at every turn. She has grown into a very lovely young lady. Never did I realize what a blessing she would be when we fondly called her our…
The Other Side
When I rose from my knees, having drunk deeply from Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21, I was in awe – that I “might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Since I am so limited in my scope, such a thought surpasses my wildest expectations of what God has for me in Christ. As a…
They Called Her “Mom”
Everyone called her “Mom Steel,” though the only ones in our group who could really claim to be her descendants were Matt, Shannah, Ruth, and John Mark. The rest of us were college kids excited to have a home-cooked meal and a place to fellowship on Sunday nights. Mrs. Steel’s motto was “All are welcome….
Is My Unlove Showing?
About thirty of us from our church’s career group wee packed into a living rom, listening to our friend Ellen share insights from her nine-year career as a single missionary in Cameroon, West Africa. When Ellen had concluded and a thoughtful silence hung in the air, she asked, “Does anyone have any questions?” From the…
My Fountain
We who have been redeemed can choose one of two kinds of lives to live here. We can enjoy a life of continual vitality, or we can live in an arid wasteland. The prophet Jeremiah begged Israel to choose life, asking the question, “Why will ye die?” And this exhortation I am continually burdened to…
Social Influencers
We have all read about people who are getting paid thousands of dollars to be “social influencers” online. There are nano or micro influencers with followers in the thousands, mid-level influencers with hundreds of thousands, and the ultimate macro influencers with a million or more followers. In fact, social influencing is a billion-dollar industry now…
Serving or Slaving: Love Makes the Difference
“Mommmeee!! I neeeeed yoooouu!” For the third time in five minutes, I had been summoned in this way. The first time was for an “accident” in the bathroom. “No problem. It’s okay, Honey. We’ll do better next time.” A minute later, two-year-old Annie needed help opening the door to the basement. “Here you go, Baby….
The Beautiful Spirit 