Dianna Buchwalter

Last summer, I bought a brand-new pair of shoes for our upcoming vacation. They felt perfect in the store. Before we left for our summer getaway, I decided to break them in for a day. Several hours later, those expensive, comfortable shoes gave me a blister, and I couldn’t get them off fast enough.   The unexpected pain made me think of our faith journey . It’s easy to trust God when life feels smooth and familiar. But what about when God calls us to something uncomfortable or unfamiliar?   In Joshua chapter 1 , after Moses had died, God appointed Joshua, his assistant, to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land . Can you imagine being given that task? The fear could have overwhelmed Joshua. However, God knew Joshua’s heart and what he needed to hear. In the first chapter alone, the Lord repeats the same message three times:   v. 6 Be strong and courageous…   v. 7 Above all, be strong and very courageous   v. 9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courag...

  Have you ever attended a gathering and you’re the only one over-dressed? Gosh, it feels all eyes are on you as soon as you enter the room. Last weekend, I took my decked-to-the-nines 10 year old to a Christmas party. It was the first time she had been to this friend’s home and her nerves and excitement had been building for a week. She looked beautiful in her black lace dress and red velvet shrug. As we walked in, Ava inched behind me with her hands clutched as she realized all the other girls were wearing jeans.  Mom fail #2,847! This got me thinking about all the firsts we experience throughout our lives. Walking into a new school. Entering a social event to find cliques have already been made. Visiting a church seeking food for the soul but not knowing one. We all have a first time for everything. For some, it can attack us with anxiety. But maybe it’s not first encounters that you find difficult. Maybe it’s the 300 th and yet still feel as though you don’t belong. ...