God’s Protection
So You Think You’re Tough?
I like to think I’m tough. Here’s how I know I’m not. The other day I was re-reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Farmer Boy. I love reading about these hardy pioneers. I mostly love to read about them while sipping tea in my fuzzy slippers. Now these folks were tough. Back then, it got so cold…
Don’t Mess with Mama Bird (A reflection on the soft fierceness of a mother’s love)
In the tree outside my window there is a little nest. On the electrical line that runs not far away there is a giant black bird. This is not a good combination. From the oversized tail feathers and the car-alarm-competing cry, my bird book tells me the giant black bird is a great tailed grackle.…
When God is all You Need
I didn’t begin to understand this saying… until recently. Then I found out what you do when God is all you have.
Coming After Me
This post was first shared at inspireafire.com. Enjoy! Anyone living in my region has probably noticed the freak snowstorms we’ve had three of the last four Wednesdays. I’m pretty sure it’s my fault. Let me explain. The other day I was listening to a video where Cory Asbury talks about his song Reckless Love. And…
Pray. And Go.
This blog was originally posted in November 2014 on Inspire a Fire, a blog site for inspirational Christian messages. Visit the original post at www.inspireafire.com/pray-go/. Sometimes we are the answer to our own prayers. There is a scene in the third installment of the Harry Potter series that I love. Harry and his friends are…
Quotes for the New Year
Happy New Year, everyone! I have been thinking about this pair of quotes from a sermon I attended last weekend, and they seem like a great way to start the new year. 1) “We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we know Who holds tomorrow.” The start of a new year always bring the promise…
I Love Winter
No, I’m not being facetious. After this winter, I won’t be sorry to see spring come (although I’m beginning to suspect that spring this year means small flocks of robins chirping happily in the midst of a light snow shower. I’ve never heard birdsong in the midst of a snow storm before this morning, have…
Journey Home
One of the best parts of any journey is returning home. There are a few exceptions. When I’m travelling with family and friends, I sometimes wish the trip would never end – or at least not yet. But more often than not, by the time my plane, train, or automobile is pointed home, I am…
A Tale of Two Mountains
In 2010, I made my first trip to Alaska. More than six years in the planning, it was more than a vacation. It was a celebration with two friends to culminate the end of my Ph.D. program. Needless to say, by the time I finally arrived in Alaska I was nearly uncontainable with excitement. With…
Laptop Lessons
Someone once said you never know that God is all you need until God is all you have. I tested this theory recently during a business trip to Moscow. When I stepped off the plane, I was dragging my suitcase in one hand and clutching the business card of someone I had never met in…
Search the Blog
Categories
Join the email list to receive the latest post and occasional exclusives
Meet Janet!
Janet Beagle, PhD is the founder of The Mustard Patch. She divides her time between the Midwest and New England, and if she’s not writing, she’s probably out hiking with her 2-and 4-footed friends.