Beverly Joy Roberts

Recently, my daughter was telling me some discipline issues she was facing with one of her children.    As  I listened, I had a nostalgic feeling.     From generation to generation, all parents face the same things—and  round and round we go .   Parents endeavor to train their children to be valuable law-abiding members of society.   When we are in the trenches of child-rearing, sometimes we feel alone and desperate.  We love our children and only want what is best for them all the days of their lives. Our parent, God the Father, also only wants what's best for His children.   The present social climax we face today is similar to the  round and round we go  through in parenting.  In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the people of the day faced something that has been going round and round for generations.  And yes, we are currently experiencing this same thing today.   It’s an age-old problem.    People try to defend and make excuses for why they believe t

Romantic Comedies are my favorite kind of movie.  There’s nothing as good as a love story.  When I tell my children about how their father and I met and fell in love or tell my grandchildren how their parents met and fell in love there’s always warm smiles and happy giggles.    That’s because everyone loves a good love story. One of the first Bible verses that I remember putting to memory as a child was John 3:16.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life.”   This verse is the foundation of the greatest love story ever told.  When it comes to love, there’s a difference between knowing about love and experiencing love. The same is true regarding knowing about God’s love and experiencing His love firsthand.   The kind of love we see in John 3:16 is referring to God’s love which is eternal not a temporal love like we see in earthly relationships.   Because we are earth

I love endings.   When I was a child sitting in church, I waited with anticipation to hear one of these popular pastoral phrases;   "In Conclusion..."   "My last point is..."    "As I close..."   Even in my childish mind, I was aware that this meant the end was near.  Church service was almost over.   I love a good conclusion. When I watch a predictable Hallmark movie,  okay maybe they're all predictable,  I get bogged down because I already know the outcome.  I want to say, "Hurry up, already.  Let’s get to the happy ever after.”   These movies all start out with two people in conflict.  Let's say that she's mad at him because he didn't follow her to the Yukon where she works her way to the top of a huge ski resort franchise.   Of course, less than 15-minutes into the movie, she must return to her hometown to scope out buying the town's ski lodge that is owned by “ta-da” her ex.   Are yo

When I became a mother and held my newborn son the first time, something fierce rose up within me that was not there before.  Whatever this intense feeling was, I had it bad.  At that moment, I knew I would protect my child whatever the cost.   Shortly after giving birth, I was officially diagnosed with "Mama Bear" syndrome.  It comes from the Latin words  "Don't touch my child or you'll pay dearly."    When I walked out of the hospital and entered the world with my tiny son wrapped in his warm blanket, an overwhelming responsibility to care for him, protect him and keep him safe transformed me.  I would go so far as to say, I was solemnly sworn in as his personal guard.   Now, after three children and ten grandchildren, I am  on guard  all the time!     As powerful as the need to guard and protect my children and grandchildren is, God has given me, and you, something dear that He has asked us to protect with the same passion.   In P