A year ago today, my best good buddy Choca died in my arms. Many of you were part of my community here at the time and remember it. It kicked off a year of loss: our dog, our unborn baby, my job. This is why I was convinced Sassy wouldn't make it to 2022. Choca was my hiking partner for many years, and because she never said anything, I came to enjoy silence rather than the adrenaline and distractions of my life off the mountains. I think my career in TV news eventually ended because of that - as the silence allowed me self-relfection, which brought self-awareness, and with it, awareness of the world around me. Choca's death was a violent one in the sense that natural death, I've heard, isn't always how movies depict it. This was the first time I'd ever been there for a last breath and for months after it, I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat and had other unexplained health problems. This may seem an odd reaction, but as a child I accompanied my doctor parents to hospitals and witnessed sickness and dying at a very young age. Avoiding death, while trying to understand it, became a driving motivation for me. Perhaps it is, in part, why I went to seminary and eventually became a reporter. I sought distraction from my own mortality while also seeking to control it through knowledge. A losing combination. In the book he wrote about his wife's death, CS Lewis said, "No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid." That was my experience. And I had no choice but to sit through it. Then to confront it again and again throughout the rest of the year. But as I sat quietly, I realized something. I had believed that if I could unlock the secrets of death and finally come to peace with it- the ultimate question of existence that has eluded philosophers for centuries - I would finally come to know God. Instead, after last year, I now believe that I had gotten it backwards. Instead, it is coming to know God that brings one peace about death (and all other things for that matter). And thus begins a new journey, not of the head but of the heart. I'll end with another quote from a favorite Lewis book, the last lines of Til We Have Faces, “I ended my first book with the words 'no answer.' I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice? Only words, words; to be led out to battle against other words. Long did I hate you, long did I fear you.” Blessings to all of you on your journey. Thank you for being a part of mine.
We drove 90 minutes to Central Florida yesterday to go peach picking at a friend’s farm and then stopped to get feed and hay on the way home. We were gone all day, and the goats must have sensed something. They figured out a way to open the pasture gate and free themselves into the backyard, helping themselves to all of the hay and grass their bellies could hold.
it is a good thing. I take the fermented cod liver/concentrated butter oil blend from green pasture. As a 44-year old mom of littles, as well as goat wrangler, I need the energy from all the vitamins and omega 3s in it. The secret is in the sourcing and processing - wild fish and fermentation instead of high heat. Say goodbye to cheap fish oils and head to https://greenpasture.org/ - make sure to use “ALISON” as your promo code at check out for 10% off.
I came out to do farm chores this morning, and noticed the hallway to the barn was filled with water. At first, I figured it had something to do with the rain we got last night, but I quickly saw that the hose was turned on, and likely had been spraying water for hours. The entire barn hallway was under water. As this has happened before, and there’s only one animal who is loose in the barn hallway overnight, the suspect was immediately charged with her crime.
I’ll give you a hint: she has been with me 33 years which is like 90 for her species. And if you want to look as good as she does at that age, make sure you grab some fermented cod liver/butter oil from https://www.greenpasture.org/ and give your teeth some longevity! it would be terrible to take a jail booking photo at her age and show holes in her mouth. I’ve been taking it for 15 years and I no longer have chronic cavities. Sassy still has all of her teeth and I’m shooting for that too at 90! Use promo code ...
Jack makes a mean chocolate pudding! This recipe is healthy and delicious. Two avocados. One-half cup milk. Four tablespoons of both cocoa powder and maple syrup. Add a dash of vanilla extract. Blend and enjoy! Teaching a kid to cook is a messy activity, but it is so worth it! Before you know it, they’re not only making their own breakfast, they want to make it for you too. I think we may be compelled to say “no I’ll just do it” when our kids ask to help, as we are all so busy in today’s modern life, but if we just put in a little elbow grease now, it will return dividends in the future. And not just in the kitchen - in their soul.
And you know what else comes in chocolate flavor? The fermented cod liver/concentrated butter oil from Green Pasture. I prefer the cinnamon tingle flavor, but if you are a chocolate lover, give it a try. It’s full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, D & K. I have been taking it for about 15 years. I used to get chronic cavities and now...
Daily Devotion | In Touch Ministries
May 29, 2026
The Stages of Our Christian Life
God is patiently guiding us to release our old life and embrace who we are becoming in Christ.
Philippians 1:5-7
Every Christian’s journey is unique. Yet certain stages of growth should be common to all of God’s children. For example:
The Lord wants to teach new followers basic principles as a foundation on which to build. He expresses these truths through other believers, His Word, and things that happen in our life.
God allows us to serve Him. Christians were created to do good works, and this becomes evident as we glorify Jesus (Eph. 2:10).
The Lord lets us experience “frustrated inadequacy.” In other words, our Father brings us to the place where we realize we can achieve nothing of value without divine guidance and power.
To make freedom a reality, the Father brings His children face-to-face with whatever holds them captive. God allows us to struggle through issues with His help. As we surrender to Him ...
