Truthful Grace
Renew your heart with these inspiring articles on heaven by author and teacher, Melissa McLaughlin~ Truthful Grace. There is hope! Our Savior has come!
By Melissa McLaughlin “It’s mine!” he claimed. “No, it’s mine!” she retorted. With hands pulling, muscles straining, and teeth clenching, a tug of war ensued. As an elementary school teacher, recess often included resolving ownership disputes. With a little detective work, I would determine the rightful owner, request apologies, and redirect students to neutral playground … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The antique table glistened in the morning light. The sun beamed through the living room window, spotlighting this treasured piece of furniture in golden radiance. The old kidney-shaped table rests near the picture window in my parents’ home. The gently curving legs and warm wood finish bring a simple grace to the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin My gut wrenched. Tears spilled from my eyes. I was overcome as I scanned pictures of recent hurricane damage in the southeast U.S. Piles of rubble and jagged tree roots dotted the landscape where homes once stood. Roads had collapsed as the earth gave way underneath. The devastation looked surreal. Further, the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin I love reading the Psalms. Every human emotion is captured in poetic song. In addition, the Psalms are packed with God’s wisdom, truth, and prophetic word. During a recent study of Psalm 1, I was overwhelmed by the depth and breadth of this chapter. I must have read this Psalm a thousand … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin “That’s not how we play the game! You broke the rules,” he chided. “Who made you boss?” she glared back. As an elementary teacher, I witnessed countless arguments on the playground. Many of these clashes resulted from one child striving to rule over another or someone breaking an agreed-upon boundary. All too … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin After a quick scan of the headlines, my soul ached. “How much longer, Lord? How much longer until Jesus returns? Why are You waiting so long?” As we gaze across the landscape of humanity, it seems each new day ushers in greater depths of mankind’s sin. We witness violence, hatred, division, and … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Our eyes sparkled as his voice carried us along. Dad and Mom read bedtime stories to us during our early childhood years. We soaked up these tales of chocolate factories, children slipping through a wardrobe, and small hobbits on grand adventures. Dad and Mom were excellent readers who drew us into the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Please join me lifting up a prayer for fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and father figures. Let’s remember the godly men who have cared for us. If you are a father this prayer is for you, too. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your steadfast love which endures forever. Today I pray a blessing over … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin I reached down, pulled out a seedling, and paused in wonder. God made that! I was heading to the backyard to check on our tomato plants. Instead of lush tomatoes, I discovered maple seedlings blanketing the flowerbeds and garden. A sea of sprouts had popped up seemingly overnight, announcing their arrival with … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Finding God’s Comfort in Devastating Loss His story caught my attention, and a lump caught in my throat. I was listening to a sermon on the radio. The pastor shared about a family vacation where his young son was hit by a car and died within minutes of the accident. He and … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Does Anyone Know My Name? Though surrounded by people, I was unknown. This was my first time attending overnight summer camp with a friend. I was nine years old and we were both excited for a new adventure. We settled into our cabin, shared our names and a few tidbits about ourselves, … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Grateful as the falling leaves Releasing their tiny grip In joyful abandon Tumbling free Following the wind’s touch Lighting darkened alleys With splashes of orange, red, yellow, and brown Piling high in gutters and ditches Filling the world with remembrance… What once was living, though now dead, is still moving Announcing God’s … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin One year gone. A new year awaits. Breathless with dazzling days high hopes and glimmers of grandeur. Never mind bent bodies and weary bones slower steps and wisdom from wasted days gone by. Though evil from without and within wages war on hearts leaning to the LORD Yet our eyes blaze bright … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Why Did God Save Us? Why did God save us? That’s easy. The answer rolls right off our tongues- because God loves us, of course! God sent Jesus because He desired to rescue us from hell and bring us to heaven. (John 3:16) Yes, it’s true, God loves us. Yet, scripture teaches … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The gift of Christ The gift of Christ I take the stain of your sin… I cleanse you with the light of my mercy. I take the sting of death… I infuse you with the joy of life eternal. I defeat hell, Satan, evil… I award you with my glorious victory. I … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The Gift of a Child How their innocent eyes twinkled with glee! I remember with such fondness, the days when my children were preschoolers and brought me gifts for Christmas. They rummaged through the toy box and selected a treasured gift to give. With little fingers, they wrapped the items in Kleenex … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Comforting Hymns Some of the old hymns comfort my heart like a warm blanket on a cold night. In these times of heightened division, violence and fear, humming an old tune like “It is Well with My Soul” can reframe my vision and be a healing balm to my aching heart. The … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The Feast of Tabernacles is the last of three fall feasts appointed and initiated by God in the Old Testament. The Feast (or Festival) of Tabernacles is also referred to as: The Feast of Booths / Ingathering / Shelters or in Hebrew “Sukkot”. The word Sukkot is the plural form of “sukkah” … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The Trumpet Sounds There is no music sweeter to a parent’s ears than that of their own child. All three of my children play musical instruments and it is a great blessing from God. From the first tap on the drum, to the ringing chords on the piano, to the rhythmic strum … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin One of the great pleasures of summertime is enjoying fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden. The deep red tomatoes, crunchy sweet cucumbers, lush green squash and overflowing beans. The list goes on and on and on. All year we wait for one bite of this sumptuous and long-awaited delicacy. As I … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Home Sweet Home Surprisingly, one of the sweet joys of a summer get-away is coming home. After all the fun, the visits to see family, the sights and sounds of new places, there is something simple and beautiful about arriving back home. Seeing the familiar. Returning to your own comforts. Sleeping in … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin A Gift of Faithfulness As part of my Mother’s Day gift this spring, my husband and children helped me plant a small deck garden using tubs, buckets and flower pots. Like any faithful gardener, they helped me place and cover the seeds in rich soil, then provided proper moisture and sunlight for … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin A recent household repair necessitated the dreaded nightmare- cleaning the basement. Uggghhh! A massive chore that is avoided in our home at all costs! Nonetheless, the basement storage boxes were lugged upstairs and the tedious task of sorting, cleaning and decision-making began. My mind scaled a mountain of odds and ends. What … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin It was a small and simple surprise, but my heart leaped for joy at the sight! My husband had snapped a twig off our old apple tree and placed it in a vase on the kitchen table. Though half of the tree was now dead, a few branches still pulsed with life, … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin When my kids were young, some of our beloved family pets were hamsters. Our first hamster was affectionately named Hammy. Hammy was a soft, brown and white, handful of cuddly love. At night, Hammy scampered through the trails and tunnels of his plastic hamster cage, like an energetic child unleashed at Chuck … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Breath of God Lift me in the winds of heaven ‘Til arias of angels Float through my frame Refresh my gasping soul With the oxygen of Life Your Spirit Your Breath Your Word As I wait For that Great Day When I see You At last Coming on the Clouds To bear … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin We’ve all been there. That moment when anxiety, doubt or fear grips our heart with paralyzing force. As if the jaws of death are closing in, crushing our breath, imprisoning our thoughts, consuming our whole being. Unfortunately, even in those rare moments when our personal lives appear to be quietly coasting along, … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin What Time is It? What time is it? Are we there yet? How much longer ’til we get there? I remember those days. How we carefully planned each long-awaited vacation. Our children were young, so we selected destinations that provided opportunities for robust outdoor playtime and old-fashioned family fun. We packed clothing, … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The End Have you ever wondered if the world is coming to an end? Ever wonder about Jesus coming back? Ever wonder about the end of your own life? What happens after we die? We can all be certain of one thing… within the next 100 years we will all die. Whether … Read more