Dianne Barker

Author: Dianne Barker

  • Moving from Broken to Beautiful® through Grief

    Grief comes to all of us. My friend Yvonne Ortega has had her share. Within seven months she lost two aunts, her mother, and her only child, Brian, who had just finished college and planned to marry. Her new book Moving from Broken to Beautiful® through Grief” walks us through the questions and anger to…

  • Rejoicing by Decision

    As you welcome another day, are you rejoicing? If you don’t feel like rejoicing, possibly you’re carrying yesterday’s stuff. Some days I have trouble moving past yesterday’s disappointments, and I find no reason to rejoice. The Psalms overflow with rejoicing. “I will be glad and rejoice in your love” (Psalm 31:7 NIV). “Then my soul…

  • The Wilderness…Where Do We Go from Here?

    Wilderness…have you spent time there? Years ago my husband and I took an unforgettable vacation, driving from Tennessee to California and visiting popular tourist sites along the way. We crossed desert areas—miles of brown loneliness. Fighting anxiety over what might happen if our car broke down in the unbearable heat, I felt huge relief and…

  • All Joy…Wouldn’t that Be Sweet?

    I never actually asked God to make my life all joy, but I expected him to do so. I’m convinced a life full of joy is his will, but I confused life full of joy with life free of trouble. I knew better. If you’d complained about your circumstances, I would’ve assured you God never…

  • Perseverance…a Choice When Life Isn’t Fun

    Perseverance…continuing in spite of difficulty. I may be an expert on this topic. But before discussing that, I need to address another matter. The new General Data Protection Regulation (known as GDPR) went into effect recently. To comply with GDPR consent requirements, I need to know that you want to continue hearing from me. For…

  • Laugh out Loud when Life Isn’t Hilarious

    Laugh out loud. Texting has changed our vocabulary, shortening words to letters. Everybody knows what lol means. My friend and fellow-author Angie Martin is my blog guest today. You’ll enjoy her thoughts on laughing out loud when life isn’t hilarious. “and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of…

  • Believe God when There’s No Reason to Hope

    Believe God in a hard place? Abraham found himself there. Could he trust the Lord when human reasoning said it was futile? The Lord had sent Abram on a journey and made large promises. Directing his gaze to the stars of the heavens and the sands of the sea, the Lord said, “I will make…

  • Fragrance that Lingers and Sweetens

    Fragrance is the word I think of when my friend Ellen comes to mind. We’d shared life and laughter over lunch. I dropped her off at home, and as I continued my afternoon errands I noticed her fragrance lingered. We’d spent enough time together that the fragrance of her perfume remained after she left my…

  • Surrender—My Best Decision Ever

    Surrender is the plan Jesus laid out for following him. Before we talk about that, I want to welcome new friends. Thanks so much for signing up via BookSweeps non-fiction promotion. I’m honored to meet you! Feel free to browse my website and learn more about my writing/speaking. Hope you’ll read previous blog posts when…

  • Suffering…Trust God No Matter What

    Suffering isn’t my favorite thing. It comes in different packages, and my family has had our share. Yours, too? Many of us understand all too well David’s cry: “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul….I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me” (Psalm 69:1-2). My translation:…