Beverly Joy Roberts

I'm pretty good at figuring out when I've been wronged.  Yes, I have a keen talent for that.  One could even say that I've perfected that gift.  But, that talent comes to a screaming halt when I'm the offender instead of the offended.   There has been many occasions that I've been the offended and the offender all within the same week.  Okay, fine--day! When I have a day like that, I try to be aware of this truth.   W hen I understand the depth of  mercy  that has been extended to me, I should all the more be ready to extend mercy to others.   Yeah, right?  That sounds awesome in print, but as I've said many times before, I'm a slow learner. No one, including me, would intentionally hurt another, but sometimes we do just that.  I've had a few occasions when I've been hurt, or hurt someone else and when that happens, I usually withdraw to one of there places.   I might avoid that person with the hopes the problem will go away in time.  You

For many years, we had a garden in our backyard.  It was a good producer of cucumbers, zucchini, squash and tomatoes.  When the harvest was abundant, I remember walking out to the garden to pick the goodies and pretty much without fail, I'd  arrive in the garden empty handed. I knew there were plants producing an abundance of produce, but there I stood in the midst of all that bounty with nothing to carry the abundance of vegetables back to the house. If this would have happened only once, it wouldn't be such a great illustration, but this happened to me time and again.  There I stood, looking at the vegetables around me and totally unprepared.  So, I'd improvise by putting the small stuff like cherry tomatoes in my pockets, then I'd turn the bottom of my shirt up and fill that to overflowing with larger items. I'd carry the abundance to the house leaving a trail of vegetables behind me. Why didn't I go to the garden with the expectation of the bounty th

On Wednesday nights in the summer, my preschool class at church would often go outside to play.  The church has a nice fenced-in playground not too far from the exit door near the classroom.  Even though the playground is close, it's still far enough away that we have this little rope with hoops for the children to hold on to--to keep everyone together. Every time we leave the church building, I instruct the children to follow me and hold on to their colored circle until I open the gate of the play area.  I give this warning each week with the hope that there will not be a stampede or injuries on the short walk to the playground. That's how it's suppose to work--but it rarely does. What usually happens is when the playground is in the children's line-of-vision someone drops the rope and runs for the playground.  Usually, this sparks a chain reaction and I'm left holding the rope while children bolt. I observed an interesting thing when this happens.  As soo

Have you ever felt self-doubt?  Have you felt  incapable of the task?  I know I have.  A few weeks ago, I stood in a worship service and I heard these words spoken to my heart.  What's in your hand ?  I felt it was from the Lord.   He continued.  It's what I want.  Give it to me.  I can do more with it than you ever could. After these words ran through my mind, I immediately saw in my hand the 3rd book that I'd just finished writing.  (Yes!  I finished my third book...Hillbrooke God's Rewrite and the editing has begun.) I have been working on writing this book for over a year.  There were times I laid it down for months because I didn't feel capable or knowledgeable about the topic.  My own self-doubt and insecurities rose to the surface.  It seemed nearly every time I was ready to completely give up on this book, I'd get an email from someone who had read one of my other books.  Those emails contained fuel for my depleted engine-- words o