With Christmas behind me, I’m ready to blaze my way into 2026 with one essential word on my mind: LOVE. When I look back on my own journey with Jesus, after years of faltering and failing and falling, I see now it was embracing God’s deep and abiding love for me personally that transformed my life from mess to message. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s fact. His love for me has rooted and grounded me in such a way that I’m now able to maintain stability, even when the strongest of winds blow. Isn’t that what we all need in a world so out of our control, evidence of God’s love so unmistakable that we become immovable?

In the spirit of love, I will be hosting a Zoom group called Live Loved. Our anchor verses will be Ephesians 3:17-19, a significant passage about being rooted and grounded in love. As I move into the planning stage, I would like to know how many of you might be interested. Check out the details below to see if you would like to join us.

Quick rundown:

• Live Loved will be a small-group-based Zoom meeting where individuals will discuss assignment content and answer questions.
• Target begin date is Tuesday, January 13^th or 20^th (estimated 10 weeks).
• Time of day for the group is yet to be determined (see poll below).

For those considering joining the study, here are two helpful links to learn more:

Book Trailer: Click Here
Introduction and First Chapter: Click Here

Expanded details:
Who: You, I hope. This is for anyone.
The book we will use for our discussion time was originally written for a female audience, but guys, you’re super loved by Jesus too. If we do have a few men who would like to join, I will do my best to adapt more female-specific chapters to accommodate general audiences. Men will be in a separate group.

What: The book is You. Are. Loved., Live the Love Song.
This book will have free versions available through a downloadable PDF or a document to read online. There is an optional print version on Amazon for $6.27, the lowest price Amazon will allow. I do not make any money off this book. The e-book on Amazon is $.99.

When: Tuesdays @ TBD
– POLL –
This is where I would like your feedback. Times being considered are 10:00 a.m. CST, 1:00 p.m. CST, or 6:00 p.m. CST. **If you are interested in joining the group, please let me know your top two preferred times or your only time available. We will see what works best for the group overall.

Where: We will meet through Zoom.
The format will be small group based. We will start in a large group for an opening where I will share answers to some of the questions in our assignment. Then, you will be split into small groups for discussion time. The time spent in small groups will be determined by how lengthy your discussions are. When you are done as a group, you will just fall off the Zoom meeting.

Why: This is the most important part.
The church is a mess. The world is an even bigger mess. We, as followers of Jesus, don’t have to be. When we know we’re loved and stand on God’s love as our firm foundation, we live differently; we live loved. Children who are secure in the love of their Father don’t live life with fear and anxiety ruling them. They aren’t tossed by every wind of teaching or knocked off course by every difficult circumstance. They watch the world unfold, even knowing the end is near, with the certainty that God has a plan and will come for His Bride at just the right time. Whoever or whatever may come, whether Jesus comes tomorrow (Whoever) or we see way more of the tribulation set-up than we want (whatever), loved people are able to rest as they watch and live out God’s call on their lives.

If you are interested and would like to sign up, or if you have group-related questions, email me at lisa.heaton@comcast.net.

I look forward to kicking off a new year together, one with God’s immeasurable love for us as our intentional focus.

Blessings to you,
Lisa

I hope December finds you well. This year will be over before we can even finish our hot cocoa. Because this tends to be such a busy season for us all, it’s easy to lose sight of the main thing. So, this is me wishing you tons of Jesus for Christmas. I pray for peace and the joy of the season to be the overarching expression of your heart. I hope your family gatherings are filled with love and kindness and good food.

If all goes well, I will have my South Carolina kids coming to stay for several days, so I plan to disconnect from the world and simply love on them. A home filled with hugs and giggles and games and cookies is exactly what I want for Christmas.

After Christmas, I will announce more on a Zoom group that I plan to host in January, so keep an eye out for more on that.

Until then, be blessed and bless others,
Lisa

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is
God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Thanksgiving has taken on a whole new meaning for me this year. The world is only getting colder and sadder and harder, yet I am more at peace and more at ease. Seems odd, I know, but it hasn’t taken long to figure out why. I’m intentionally being more thankful. After a few years of the loss of loved ones, I’m now more thankful for my family and friends who will gather around my table tomorrow. Our uprooting and moving season is finally over, so I’m thankful for our home and for being replanted and settled. With long lines at food pantries like the one I passed yesterday on the way to Piggly Wiggly, I’m thankful for food on the table. And yes, I’m in such a small town that we have a Piggly Wiggly.

I’m thankful for better health at the end of this year more than its beginning. I’m thankful I get to write again and thankful you’re still willing to read it. What I know for certain is that we all have some sort of struggle—or many struggles—in which and through which we can and should be thankful. Some are dealing with the loss of loved ones this year. You may feel alone and lonely. Most have financial struggles. All have family drama, whether it be in raising kids or allowing grown kids the freedom to fly. You might be assisting aging parents or finding a way to love crazy in-laws. Whatever your struggle, just know that God will do something through you in the midst of it if you allow Him. Those around us see Jesus best when we demonstrate His love to them even and through our hardest days.

More vital for your own sense of peace is to know that God will do something in you through this season of struggle, and the next, and the next. After years of my own personal and family struggles, I’ve come out on this side wiser and stronger. I’m more tender and compassionate. I see people and circumstances in a different way than I was once able. I find I’m not so hard on myself, and I don’t push myself so hard. With many hard times in my rearview mirror, I know more are still ahead. While we never want to embrace struggles, much can be said for them since we are all being tenderized and sanctified through them.

“To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,
for You have given me wisdom and power.” (Daniel 2:23)

Recently, when talking about illness, my pastor said, “God’s not mad at you. He knows He can trust you with it.” That really hit home with me, and I see how it can be said of most of our struggles. The Lord has a plan to use them for our good, the good of those on whom we make an impact, and His glory. Let Him.

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

That’s all for now. I just wanted to check in and tell you I’m thinking of you and thankful for you. Happy Thanksgiving! Intentional Thanks-being!

Love through Jesus,
Lisa