“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14-15). As believers in Christ, we are each called to fulfill our purposes on the earth, but many times we …
Author Archives: michelledowdybytheway
By Name
“I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). One of the desires of the human heart is to be known. More specifically, to be known, appreciated for who we are, and loved. When someone uses your name, it makes things personal. If someone knows your name, and uses it when addressing you, …
Follow the Pattern
“I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless” (Psalm 101:2-3). Patterns are a part of life. Symmetry, in nature and art, is part of what gives a thing beauty. I remember the symmetry in my grandmother’s quilts as she stitched a hodgepodge …
Good Soil
I’ve been pondering lately how people can hear the same information, or the same piece of music, for instance, and get totally different things from it. We comprehend concepts, works of art, or literature, on different levels, perhaps due to our background, education, or life experiences. For example, I think back to my introduction to …
More is More
I have a good friend who I normally decorate a table with for special occasions at church – Valentine’s banquets, Ladies’ Christmas Gatherings, etc. We each bring things we have at home and try to create something beautiful! Sometimes when we are trying to determine what will go on the table, one of us will say, …
Willing
This time of year our hearts are turning toward Christmas, and the story we know so well. There is a lot of detail in Luke 1 and 2, beginning with the origin story of John the Baptist. Have you ever wondered why Zechariah was struck dumb for questioning the angel who gave him good news, …
Born Again?
I’ve always loved the line, “The happiest days are when babies are born,” from Gone With the Wind – Ms. Mellie. I do believe it is true. The birth of a baby and the arrival of new life, is undoubtedly the most impactful and profound experience a person can have. Even though the parents are …
What Are You Wearing
What are you wearing? I wonder how many times in our lives we have each said that phrase . Particularly women, want to know that they will not be overdressed or underdressed to the situation. This has most likely happened to all of us – we’ve shown up somewhere too “fancy” or too casual, which …
Words and Confessions
Words. Twenty-six letters in our alphabet. They can be arranged to create a nursery rhyme or great works like Shakespeare produced. Letters can be put together in such a way as to inspire, or to criticize, to convey truth, or to spread falsehood. In the very beginning, the world came into existence with words, God’s words. The nothingness became …
Servant First
“Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, …” (2 Peter 1:1) I once heard a seminary professor say to “always look at the greeting” in the Epistles of Scripture. How the apostles addressed their audience was important. Reading the Apostle Peter’s second letter recently, I noticed this – he identified himself first by …
Life By The Way 