Dianne Barker

Author: Dianne Barker

  • Forgiveness…An Exercise Good for Me

    Forgiveness. Wish we didn’t need to talk about that. For the apostle Paul, maintaining relationships had priority. He said, “Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man.” The word exercise interests me, since physical exercise is not on my favorites list. It’s something I make…

  • Worry–Is There a Better Way to Do Life?

    Worry is one thing I do well. I suspect you worry, too.  There’s plenty to worry about in this life! I’m learning to conquer worry by casting every care on the Lord. That’s the second key to dispensing the sweet fragrance of Christ as we walk through this life. Last week we looked at the…

  • Dispensing the Sweet Fragrance of Christ

    Hyacinth—the sweet fragrance of spring—triggers a favorite memory. Growing up, my brother Charlie and I joined other neighborhood kids to wait for the school bus at a friend’s house across the road from where we lived. On spring mornings, the delightful fragrance of Mrs. Roller’s hyacinths filled the air. The fragrance takes me back to…

  • Another Trip to the Garbage Dump

    Just made another trip to the garbage dump. I despise that stinkin’ place. Sorry to say, I’ve spent too much time there. Some of the junk I’d discarded had somehow made its way back into my life. A scrap of anger. A handful of discouragement. A chunk of worry. A sliver of fear. A crumb…

  • Following Jesus One Faltering Step at a Time

    A woman stepped off an escalator at the shopping mall, paused briefly, and said to a friend who was following, “Where are we going?” Her friend answered, “I don’t know. Where are we?” Overhearing the conversation, I smiled, recognizing a significant life principle: we need to know where we are to figure out where we’re…

  • Discerning Motive: Legacy or Vanity?

    I wish I could say my motive was legacy but I now know it was vanity. As a young journalist I’d noticed articles reporting the death of local and national leaders appeared on the newspaper’s front page, above the fold, accompanied by a photo. With the passion of youth and ego, I began pouring my…

  • God Uses Small Things for His Purpose

    Never underestimate God’s ability to use small things for his purpose. As the world reflects on the amazing life of Evangelist Billy Graham, I remember with a grateful heart how his life influenced mine. I had the honor of meeting this humble man who walked as comfortably with Presidents and royalty as with ordinary people.…

  • Do You Struggle Living the Christian Life?

    Much of my Christian life has been a struggle. At age seven I invited Jesus into my heart as Savior, but I struggled with doubt for many years until Romans 10:13 settled the issue forever. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” With my seven-year-old understanding, I called. He…

  • Get Your Gratitude Repair Kit Here

    My ’tude has a leak—not the inner-tube on a car tire…my gratitude. I’m an optimistic person—a big dreamer whose great expectations sometimes leave my husband scratching his head. Also I’m big on saying “thank you” for the smallest gesture of kindness. A slow leak But lately I’ve noticed a slow leak in the ’tude. A…