" And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4
One of the many bluegrass songs that impacted my childhood was the song "Rank Stranger," written by Albert E. Brumley and made famous by the Stanley Brothers. It would be impossible for me to say when I first heard it. All I know is that it has been there, in my memory bank, for as long as I can remember. I absolutely love this song. So did Mom and Dad.
'I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
Psalm 37:25 (NKJV)
Guest Post #3
"Two Favorite Christmas Memories" by Chris West
"First, when I was 11 or 12 maybe, Dad (who was a pest control man by trade) was between jobs and times were a little hard, even though we never went hungry in the least. My mom had collected S&H green stamps during this time and had gifted to her (begrudgingly donated by my grandmother on my dad’s side) some green stamps as well. Best Christmas I can remember! I got a bathrobe, a 110 camera (most folks won’t remember that, lol) and something else that I can’t remember. Mom and Dad worked very hard and would take us out somewhere and do little tricks to make us think that Santa was real, but at this point, we knew Santa wasn’t real anyway and truly appreciated Mom and Dad for what they provided for us and working so hard for us to have a good Christmas. This was also, most likely, the catalyst that made me realize Christmas was so much more than material things.
The second story was when my first born son, Aaron, was maybe 2 1/2. He could talk and carry on a conversation like an adult at the time and his love at the time was Jurassic Park. I swear, my ex-wife and I bought him every single thing related to Jurassic Park. We were filming it as he opened his presents and after about the tenth one he said “oh great, another (mild expletive) dinosaur!” Worlds apart from the first story, but still showing how much a mom and dad wanted their kids to have a good Christmas."
Bio: Chris plays guitar and sings lead and harmony vocals for Blue Moon Rising and has written his fair share of the band’s original material through the years. Chris was taught to play guitar by his uncle, Tony Thomas, and has played in several bands with Tony through the years. Along with Tony, Chris was influenced heavily at an early age by the music of The Knoxville Grass, Boone Creek, The Country Gentlemen, and the Stanley Brothers. Chris enjoys writing new bluegrass, gospel, and country songs while trying his best to make them sound like they could have been written decades prior.
You can read our Homespun Devotions' Exclusive interview with Chris by clicking HERE!
Also, I hope you can take the time to enjoy listening to one of our favorite songs written by Chris!
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."
Romans 8:37
(KJV)
My family and I were recently blessed to enjoy a concert that included the bluegrass band of the young man I am interviewing today. I knew the minute their music started ringing out from the stage that we were in for something special. Not only is he super-talented, he also has a deeply-instilled love for God and speaks of his Christian faith freely while performing and throughout his interview below. They have already won the 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Band of the Year Award, and I know this is just the beginning of the amazing things God has in store for his and his band's future. I am so thankful to introduce him and to share his inner views with you here!
The
of Bluegrass Singer & Musician,
Daniel Thrailkill
Cheryl: Please tell us about yourself.
Daniel: To start, my father is a pastor at Back Creek Presbyterian Church in Mount Ulla, NC. He began his ministry in Spartanburg, SC at a small church, and in his time there, my older brother, myself, and my younger sister were born there (I was born in 1997). Being raised in the church, we were always singing hymns and learning about God through song. My mother is gifted with music, playing piano and having a wonderful voice. We moved to Mount Ulla, NC in 2001 and we’ve been here ever since. My siblings and I were homeschooled, which allowed us to have a special time of singing and prayer every morning. I took piano lessons from age 7 to 12 from Ann Drechsler, our church organist. I still use the basics she taught me and I’m able to read music because of her instruction. As a child, I was more interested in sports (baseball, basketball, golf, football) than music. I’ve always enjoyed being athletic and trying to “be good” at sports, however bad I was at them. I still enjoy getting out and playing disc golf with my bandmates and brother. When I turned 13 or 14 I began loving music and focusing on listening to music. My family has always been steeped in a love for good music, so that has been a true blessing. My brother Will plays the upright bass and my sister plays piano as well. I’m 21 now, I still live at home as a student and musician, and music teacher. I’ve been a student at Mitchell Community College and I received an Associates in Arts Degree in 2017. I’ll be starting at UNC Charlotte in the spring of 2019. I also teach guitar, ukulele and piano at Learn Music in Cornelius, NC. I’ve been teaching there for a little over 2 years and love it!
Cheryl: When did you first begin singing?
Daniel: I first began singing in church, and with my mom, Angela. I started singing by myself whenever I got more into bluegrass and country music when I was around 14 years old.
Cheryl: What instruments do you play, and how long have you played them?
Daniel: I play piano and guitar exclusively. I’ve been playing piano since 2004, and guitar since 2009. My first taste of the guitar came from my dad, Bill. He had a few guitars around the house and I was interested in learning how to play. An elder in our church, Mark Merrill, taught me my first song, Windy and Warm (a Chet Atkins tune). I dabble in other bluegrass instruments, such as bass, mandolin, and banjo, but I would not consider myself proficient in them.
Cheryl: Who are your biggest musical influences?
Daniel: Wow, I’m not sure where to start. I’m influenced by a multitude of artists and musicians. If I were to pick a top 5, I would say my mother, Brad Paisley, Tony Rice, Bryan Sutton and my bandmates.
Cheryl: How did your band, The Trailblazers, get started? Daniel: We got started because our mandolin player, Jonah Horton, needed two guys to play guitar and bass with him for an event in Salisbury, NC. So he asked myself and my brother to join him. We called ourselves the Carolina Swinggrassers. Eventually we got a few more gigs as a three-piece band. One night in early 2016, Jonah came to our house for a practice and I asked another friend Alex Edwards to join us and jam with us for a bit. So once we started practicing and jamming, Alex fit right in. I believe we changed the name to the Trailblazers in February of 2016.
Cheryl: Who are your current members? Can you tell us a little about each one?
Daniel: So Will Thrailkill is our bass player. He’s 23 years old and just received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from UNC Charlotte. He’s beginning a job at a ceramics plant called NGK, located in Mooresville, NC.
Alex Edwards is the banjo player and he’s 26 years old. He works in Mechanical Engineering in Spencer, NC. He began playing bluegrass with his family band, The Edwards Family. He was also homeschooled. He is a Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina banjo champion.
Jonah Horton is 17, and he’s from Wilkesboro, NC. He plays mandolin, and has been playing ever since he was seven years old. He’s played with Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, and many others. He took first prize two years straight in Galax, VA at the Galax Fiddlers Convention. Hundreds of people come to compete there, so it’s really awesome he’s been able to win it twice.
Left to right: Jonah Horton on Mandolin; Guest Fiddle Player, Ivy Phillips; Daniel Thrailkill on Guitar; Will Thrailkill on Bass; and Alex Edwards on Banjo
Cheryl: What dreams have you already achieved, as a musical artist?
Daniel: Well, I’ve been able to travel some. That’s a huge part of why I love to play live bluegrass, is the potential for seeing new places of the nation. With my time filling in with Circus No. 9 (band based out of East Tennessee), I’ve been to different places in the Midwest, and up the Atlantic coast. It’s been fun!
Every gig is an awesome opportunity to play the music I love, and that’s an achievement I always look forward to.
Cheryl: As a band, what are your hopes for the future?
Daniel: We’d like to be able to play full time at some point. Also moving towards a new album would be great too! We’re in the process of writing some new original material for an album.
Cheryl: What are some of your favorite songs to perform together?
Daniel: Some of my favorites are Girl in Carolina, Road to Rowan, and Machines…we like to jam out on those.
Cheryl: Please share with us about your personal Christian testimony. How long have you been following Jesus, and what does He mean to you?
Daniel: I’ve can’t really pinpoint a time in my life without a Christian influence. Being a pastor’s child and being raised in the church, I have been accustomed to the gospel and the grace of our Lord! And I’m so thankful for my parent’s faith and the testimony they have shared. When I was in my teens, I was rebellious and apathetic to the faith, I just didn’t understand what a relationship with Christ was, or how to have it. When I was somewhere between 17-19, I can’t remember a specific time, but I started seeking the Lord through prayer and the bible. I love the book of Romans, and that is where I learned about God’s love and wrath combined, and how He has saved me from a multitude of sins. And by faith, I try to live day by day having a relationship with Christ my Savior.
Cheryl: Who has mentored you most, as a Christian? Daniel: There’s been many people in my life that have mentored me, but my dad has been the biggest influence in my Christian life. He’s shepherded our family in the most important things and through the hardest times. Cheryl: As a young person in the music business and during a time of growing hostility toward God and His Word, how do you remain focused on your faith?
Daniel: Well, it’s easy to become scared or even hostile right back to a community that can be against the Savior and gospel that I love…but I go back to Matthew 10:32, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” This fights the fear of man. We’re prone to be scared of scaring people away with the gospel, or being persecuted because of it. This verse just melts that away.
Another good promise to cling to is in Romans. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who is indeed interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Romans 8:31-35
Cheryl: To the one reading this who is feeling overwhelmed and discouraged in their Christian walk, what would you like to say?
Daniel: I would say something I tell myself a lot.
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 42:11
This verse speaks to our emotions and feelings, speaking truth into a place that may be darkened by the world.
I would also say, don’t find comfort in the world. Find comfort in the Word of God and in prayer. He shows up in supernatural ways to those who seek Him wholeheartedly.
Cheryl: To what spiritual resources do you most often turn when you need encouragement ~ are there particular Scriptures, books, or songs that help you the most?
Daniel: Well, you can look back at those passages mentioned before. I love to go to Isaiah 26, Psalm 139, Matthew 10-11, John 17…these all are mentions of God’s love, and they reach down into our hearts to lift us up.
Also, songs like “Power of the Cross” by Stuart Townsend and Keith Getty, and “He Will Hold Me Fast,” by Ada Habershannew. I love old hymns too. “Be Thou My Vision” and Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” ring truth in my heart.
Cheryl: What do you most hope to accomplish through your music?
Daniel: I hope to glorify the Lord in all that I do. Fame and fortune have their place, but nothing surpasses the goal of glorifying God, my Father. I’d like to be able to play music with my girlfriend, Carley Arrowood. We love to play in churches and encourage folks through gospel and bluegrass music.
I love to sleep in late, but I’d want to wake up early for my perfect day. Waking up early, and spending the day with my girlfriend, Carley Arrowood…hiking and being in God’s Creation. Then coming home and playing games with my family, and maybe watching a movie before bed. That’d be a fun day.
Cheryl: What do you identify as being some of the biggest challenges Christian face today?
Daniel: I believe the theology of the church is in bad health. Many Christians are going away from what the Bible teaches on very important things. There is a need for God’s Word in those places. Another challenge is technology and the way we can make our phones and the internet a god over the One True God. It’s a fast paced world, and while we feel we need to keep up with it, it’s making us less godly people.
Cheryl: How can we make a positive difference and successfully meet those challenges?
Daniel: Well, the obvious answer to me, is stay in the word and in prayer. Fervently. And reverently. God’s word is a sword…and it’s not just a sword against our enemies, but it’s a sword to our own hearts, finding the sin and killing it. Through the Bible we can have a right view of God and Christ, making us reprioritize our lives to His standard.
Cheryl: How can we find your music and keep up to date with the Trailblazers?
Left to right: Jonah Horton on Mandolin; Will Thrailkill on Bass; Daniel Thrailkill on Guitar; Guest Fiddle Player, Ivy Phillips; and Alex Edwards on Banjo
Cheryl: How can we pray for you?
Daniel: Thank you so much! Pray that I would have the wisdom from above we hear about in James. I’ve been going through this verse with my girlfriend, and finding good help within it.
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:17-18
A big thank you to Daniel for taking the time to share his inner views with us!
Please keep Daniel and The Trailblazers in your prayers, dear friends.
And, if you can, it would be such a blessing if you could stop by, check out their website, and show them some support!
"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."
I Timothy 6:17
(KJV)
Today, I thought I'd lighten up the subject matter a bit and write a fun post, instead.
I love learning more about the bloggers I follow and thought perhaps you may enjoy that, too!
So, here are a few of my favorite things.
#1. My dear, old, trusted Bible.
Its cover is tattered and torn, the pages are well-marked and highlighted from over 31 years of use, the hours we've spent together are many, and I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world. It is still the Bible I regularly read, and my most precious earthly possession.
#2. Spending time with Jesus.
One of my favorite things to do is pray, and one of my favorite places to pray is outside overlooking the river. It invites me to get real quiet before Him—still enough to clearly hear His voice. I love to pray out there at night, too. Even though I can't see the river, I know it is there. I can hear it gently flowing, its calming movement mixing with other sounds of the night. Speaking of the river, we have been enjoying getting acquainted with the goose family that has been gracing us with visits this spring and summer. There's a mama, a papa, and six little babies.
It is fun to watch them grow. Each time they drop by for a visit and bread or crackers, they are a little bit bigger. They haven't stopped by for several days, but we've spotted them visiting other spots in the neighborhood while we are out and about on our daily walks.
#3. Walking through life with the dearest man and sweetest boy.
One of the most precious blessings of my life is getting to share each day with Kevin and Zach.
This is what we see on our walks together.
The serenity of the mountains and the river draws me in, and it is not at all unusual for the praise in me to well up and burst forth in the form of, "How Great Thou Art!" Yes, I have been known to sing it as we walk, and there may or may not have been people around. God has done SO much more for me than I will ever deserve. How can I keep from singing?
#4. Recently, dear, sweet Zach spent his own money and surprised me with a Wonder Bible!
I was so deeply touched by his thoughtfulness and generosity. Zach is so precious. I will never, ever, ever stop praising God for sending Zach to us right when He did and for allowing Kevin and me to finally have a child of our own and to be Zach's parents. This Wonder Bible is downright amazing. It has already proven to be such a blessing to me, and I love to listen to it as I am going to sleep. What a sweet and perfect gift! Thank you, dear Zach, from the bottom of my heart!
I cannot say enough good things about this stuff! I had tried it several years ago, and then I got slack and stopped ordering it. I didn't realize how much it was helping me until I stopped taking it.
Recently, I started back on it, and boy, can I tell a difference!! It keeps my hunger at bay and helps to regulate my sugar levels, but the best part of it is that it gives me energy and just makes me feel better.
Kevin and I love the pink drink so much, we became ambassadors! So if you would like to try some,
we would be ever so grateful for your support! Just click HERE to place an order! Better yet, I hope you will consider becoming an ambassador, too! The discounts are worth it! If you're interested, please drop us an email.
Since I am trying so hard to lose weight, (you can read about it here where I share about facing obesity head-on), along with taking Plexus Slim Pink Drink every day, I am closely monitoring my carb intake. This means I had to pretty much totally give up honey. 😢 BUT, never fear! THM Gentle Sweet is an answer to my sweet cravings. I started using it a few months ago, and it has become my new go-to sweetener. It is healthy, too, (NO aspartame~it is Stevia-based), and the flavor is amazing with no bitter aftertaste. Hooray!
Okay, I am sure by now, you are wondering about its name—Therma-Lou. Well, that, my friends, is a long story, and I wanted to catch you before you start storming Google with questions like, "Where can I buy Therma-Lou?" Let me explain.
My goal is to take water with me wherever I go so I can keep up with my water drinking commitment throughout the day. I am forever forgetting "her" and calling out things like, "Zach, would you mind grabbing my drink-thermos-water-thing on your way to the car?" So, we decided it was time this little beauty be given a name all her own. Barney Fife and his girlfriend, Thelma Lou, came to mind, and I got this bright idea to alter her name just a bit, replacing the "L" with an "R" and name our water bottle in her honor. So, there, you have it! The ever faithful, Miss Therma-Lou!
(Just in case you want to try to find one like it, and should you happen to get strange, blank stares if you approach a store employee and ask for "Therma-Lou," I wanted to share a picture of the name brand shown on the bottom.)
If you've been reading here for very long at all, you probably already know that I love coffee! I am always on the search for great-tasting, rich, bold-flavored coffee that packs a powerful punch. And, there is this certain quality that I look for in a coffee taste—I hardly know how to describe it, but it has to leave a certain strong coffee aftertaste. Does that make sense?
I have mentioned The Spice Merchant's coffee here before so you may remember how crazy I am about it.
(Get it, Jamaican Me Crazy? Never mind. 😂) This coffee is out of this world.
Today, I also wanted to mention another coffee company that we were just recently introduced to. Let me just tell you that I've been drinking this coffee every day, and it is amazing! Oh, the aroma!
When you open the bag, you can't just take a quick, little sniff. You have to inhale—deeply—and linger. The scent is wonderful, but only a small glimpse of the flavor to come! And don't you just love the name?
I love to support Christian businesses, and when it means there is coffee involved, I'm all in! By the way, the owner's mama just happens to be one of our favorite singers in all the world, too. She is none other than sweet Karen Peck Gooch of Karen Peck & New River! So, why not stop by and visit Matt Gooch at Solid Ground Coffee, & show him some loving support? (Have you ever heard him play the guitar? All I can say is, wow! He is super-talented!)
The antique coffee canister in the photo is a cherished, long-ago gift that Kevin bought for me during one of our times antiquing. I love the way it looks, but I mostly love it because Kevin bought it for me. The pretty mug was another gift from my niece, Kristen—yes, this mug was actually intended for me!
I love the mug so much. It has become my favorite, and I think of Kristen every day when I use it.
As you can see, I love to combine some of my favorite things and pray outside by the river while sipping a cup of fresh-made coffee. The words on the mug say it all!
Oh, my, I love my Keurig so much! Kevin and Zach bought it for my birthday last year, and I can't begin to say how much I enjoy using it each day! It gets a workout and keeps on brewing!
When it comes to coffee taste quality, there is no substitute for buying whole coffee beans and grinding them fresh. In order to ensure the best quality of freshness, I usually only grind enough coffee beans to last for about 2-3 days at a time. This little appliance is a gem!
It is the perfect size and so easy to use! After I grind the beans, I store the grounds in the antique coffee tin. It just makes me smile. I love making coffee for Kevin and Zach, too. They like flavored creamers and enjoy trying different ones. I stick to a limited amount of 1/2 & 1/2 in mine. There is only ONE gram of carbs in 2 Tablespoons of the Walmart brand! YEAH! I feel like a professional barista whipping up a coffee treat for each of us every afternoon! Those little things in life mean a lot everything.
#13. Old canning jars.
We've been collecting old, antique jars for many years. As you can see, we love to make daily use of them and not just keep them for display. Since we have started an intense minimizing journey, possessions that earn the right to stay in our home have to meet one of three requirements—we have to either need, use, or enjoy them. We got rid of a lot of our old jars, but we held on to certain special ones, and we are finding ways to bring new life to them. You may have noticed that we store our THM Gentle Sweet in an old, blue canning jar. I simply cut the label off the plastic bag and taped it inside the jar, to identify the contents. We use old, blue canning jars to store several things inside our kitchen cupboards and outside, too, including a way to display pretty marbles.
Oh, my! I wish there was a "sniff here" button on your computer screen!! Kevin and I recently celebrated our 30th year anniversary! YES, I said 30 years!! Oh, God has been SO good to us. We praise Him from the bottom of our hearts. Kevin spoiled me and was so kind and thoughtful, as always. This McCall's candle was one of my anniversary gifts, and I have been enjoying it ever since. The fragrance of this one is "State Fair," and I can't even describe how wonderful it smells. It permeates throughout the whole room and is just amazing.
#15. Primitives, Antiques, & Homespun Decor
During our minimizing, we have let go of about 90% of our possessions and moved to a much smaller living space, but we have chosen to keep the things that fill our home with comfort and a sense of peace and add value to our everyday lives. Things like this darling "Homespun" box dear Zach recently bought for me.
Isn't it just adorable? The word "homespun" caught his eye and made him think of Homespun Devotions, and he, of course, is well acquainted with my weakness for quilts and anything primitive or old-looking.
#16. Dad's old banjo & bluegrass music.
Some of my sweetest childhood memories have to do with the times my dear Daddy took out his five-string banjo and played for us. Many a family get-together was centered around music, and from my earliest childhood memories, I can recall singing that high lonesome sound Vince Gill sings about. So many who were in those gatherings have been called home to Heaven, and the void they left behind will never be filled. I could easily burst into tears each time I hear certain songs or a banjo playing. When I was in 8th grade, Mom and Dad bought me my first guitar, and through the years Dad taught me to play. I have always wanted to learn to play the banjo, too, but like Dad always said, "If you can't learn the roll, you just can't play the banjo." Though Dad patiently tried many times, I just couldn't get it so I would listen to him play and back him up on the guitar. I miss singing with him and Mom more than I could ever put into words. Dad didn't own many earthly possessions when he died. I cherish the few things he left behind, but this banjo means more to me than anything else. Each one of the memories attached to this old banjo means the world to me. I'll close this post with a few of the songs we used to sing and play together.
I think one of the reasons we love Blind Pig & The Acorn so much is because they remind us of Mom and Dad and other family members and the precious times we used to have singing and playing music together. They sing a lot of our favorite songs, and they are SO talented!
We felt like we had lost a personal friend when Pap passed away not too long ago.
"He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles."
Job 5:9
(KJV)
I just want to praise God and report that Kristen and baby Eli are doing very well!!!!!
Oh, this little guy is so precious, and he just grows cuter and sweeter day by day!!
What a blessing from God!
(To read first post about Baby Eli's entrance into this world, click HERE!!)
We cannot stop praising Him for this amazing miracle.
Isn't he just adorable?????
And the look on the faces of his dear, sweet parents just melt my heart!!!
Have you ever seen anything so precious in your entire life?
This is one loved and cherished little baby boy!!!!!
I tell you, I look back over the last several months and all of the worry and fear and trauma my dear niece has endured, and I just feel like I could never, in a million years, praise God enough! The outcome is exactly what we prayed for and believed God to provide.
"Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
And their eyes were opened..."
Matthew 9:29-30
We would still appreciate your continued prayers that God will keep them both safe and well
and not allow any more blood clots or complications.
Our family is so appreciative of every prayer you have prayed and ways you have reached out to us during this awful trial.
We love each one of you so much and praise God to have such an amazing support system.
May He bless each one of you abundantly!!!
Dear friends, I do not know what you may be going through today or what type of heartache
you may be called upon to bear, but I just want to encourage you.
God is still on the throne.
He still loves you.
Your life may not be void of problems, trials, sorrow, hurt, and disappointment,
but He is WITH you, through it all.
We live in a fallen world.
We suffer.
We are betrayed.
We cry.
We question God and ask Him why.
We struggle, because even in our most doubt-filled moments, we still know and believe that He has the power to prevent hard things from coming into our lives, and that is one of the main causes of our confusion and disillusionment.
We believe that God is in control, and He has the ability to stop bad things from touching our lives,
so why in the world doesn't He do that?
Why does He permit such?
I do not, nor do I claim to, have the answers.
I ask the same questions more often than I care to admit.
I don't know the mind of God.
His thoughts are so far above mine, that the two cannot, nor will they ever, be reconciled.
But, this I do know.
God never promised we would not go through difficult things, but He did promise to go through them with us.
And, He does.
Even when it doesn't feel like it.
Even when we cannot sense His presence.
Even when things seem to only get worse when we pray.
He is there.
"...lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Matthew 28:20
I do not know why my dear niece had to go through the anguish she has endured,
but I do know this.
When I look at this picture, I see the end result of her suffering.
A perfectly-formed, completely healthy, happy, contented, precious baby boy
who makes this face when his Mommy kisses his nose!
"...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
Psalm 30:5
Oh, PRAISE GOD!!!!!
There is a beginning and an end to every trial, my friend.
Your morning will come.
The end result will be beautiful.
God is now working on your behalf.
Even though this season my be beyond difficult, this too shall pass.
Please keep encouraged, always, and let me know how I can pray for you.
I want you to know that as I compose this post, I am praying for every, single person who will ever read these words.
You are loved.
Don't ever forget it.
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And, in case you haven't noticed in the upper right sidebar,
I also wanted to let you know that the goal has been met for the Cooper family to pay off the remainder of Megan's funeral expenses!!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you to each one who made this happen!
The family would like to share this message with you.
"We, the family of Josh and Megan Cooper. would like to thank EVERYONE who helped in any way with Megan's funeral expenses. There are no words in our hearts that can express how thankful and blessed we are for everything that everyone has done for us through this time of sorrow. We truly appreciate the many prayers for the family, especially for Josh and little Sierra, the acts of kindness and sympathy, food, flowers, donations, cards, visits, phone calls, and kind words spoken to our family. We truly appreciate it very much!! May God bless each and every one of you."
The Family of Josh and Megan Cooper
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And, speaking of prayer, I now leave you with a very special picture and story, followed by a beautiful song sung by my all-time favorite singer, Ricky Skaggs.
I first heard him sing on Moon Mullins' bluegrass program when I was 14.
You just remember moments like that.
Mom and I were parked in front of Dad's work, listening to the radio while waiting to pick Dad up,
when this voice came on the radio.
It was the kind of voice that just makes you stop and pay attention.
From that moment until this, he has been, and will always remain, my favorite.
Several years later, Kevin and I fulfilled a lifelong dream when we went to Nashville for our honeymoon.
While there, Ricky Skaggs was filming a "Hee Haw" episode, and we were so blessed to be able to attend as members of the live audience.
After the show, he was kind enough to stop and talk to us and give Kevin time to take this picture.
The day Kevin and I met my musical hero, Ricky Skaggs
Let Ricky's song remind you that somebody's prayin' for YOU!!
