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Blog
Here are insights
and life experiences from myself and guests through this blog.
I hope you find the messages
useful, inspiring,
enlightening, interesting...
any of the above would be fabulous!
When I moved my blogs from another website, all my comments were lost.
I appreciate your comments.

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Two Roads: The Choice That Defines Everything
In every life, a moment comes where the path splits. Two roads stretch before you, and though they may begin in the same place, they end in worlds apart. One is a road that leads to life, and one leads to death. You must choose which one you will travel. The Narrow Path: The Way of Honor The first is a narrow road that leads to honor and life. The Cost: It is the hardest road. it requires unwavering discipline and gritty determination. The Challenge: Often, this road is shr

Rena Groot Oord
3 days ago2 min read


Make My Life a Prayer
"Make my life a prayer to You, I wanna do what You want me to. No empty words and no white lies, No token prayers, no compromise..." Keith Green once sang that. But, what is prayer? Is it simply speaking with the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists or is there something more? Could our lives really become a prayer? The Heart-to-Heart Connection Often words seem so inadequate. There are times when we don't know how to describe what is on our hearts. God understands

Rena Groot Oord
Sep 243 min read


You Are More Than Your Past
You Are More Than Your Past: Negative Feelings & Past Mistakes Don't Define You! Many of us carry deep wounds—negative feelings about ourselves and scars from our past. Those who were meant to love and protect us may have failed us, leaving us with memories of pain instead of safety, hardship instead of comfort, and betrayal instead of trust. As a result, we often struggle with feelings of unworthiness, self-doubt, or even shame. If you are carrying those heavy thoughts today

Rena Groot Oord
Jul 211 min read


Inspiring Faith Journeys
There’s something deeply moving about hearing stories of faith—especially when they come from women who have walked through valleys and climbed mountains in their spiritual lives. I find myself drawn to these journeys, not just as stories to admire but as lights on my own path. Each story whispers a message of hope, resilience, and transformation. And maybe, just maybe, it nudges you too, dear reader, to reflect on your own walk in life with God. Life is not a straight line.

Rena Groot Oord
Jul 124 min read


Honoring the Good, Healing from the Bad: A Father's Day Reflection
Every June, Father’s Day arrives with a flood of ready-made cards, cheerful commercials, and a glossy image of a perfect family. But in my household—and for many of you reading this—the day isn’t a simple, Hallmark holiday. It’s a complex, emotional tapestry. To be honest, I have never written a message about Father's Day before—it has always felt a bit too complex to put into words. Two Perspectives on Fatherhood My husband and I look at this day through vastly different len

Rena Groot Oord
Jun 214 min read


Ethereal China: Lessons from the Middle Kingdom
I lived in the Middle Kingdom nine years ago. Zhongguo (中国), the actual Chinese name for China, literally translates to "Middle Kingdom." The country has deep historical roots and a traditional view of itself as the center of the world. I think the term "Middle Kingdom" sounds grand, ancient, and slightly mysterious...the perfect name for this beautiful country. I went back recently with my husband Bill. Here are a few excerpts from my time there then and now. It was fun watc

Rena Groot Oord
May 285 min read


Celebrating the Gift of Motherhood
Before the foundations of the Earth, before God breathed life into Adam, He knew who your mother would be.

Rena Groot Oord
May 42 min read


A Life Set Free: Embracing God's Grace and Love
Have You Ever Felt God Prompting You? I have. A few heartbeats ago, while sitting under a mosquito net in China, I felt God leading me to write. So, I did—non-stop—from morning to night. Two years later, I gathered all my scribbly notes onto my iPad at a guest house in Haifa, Israel. It took several years for God to prepare my heart to share this story. It is a story of a lonely, abandoned little girl and God's amazing compassion, grace, mercy, and love. Once upon a time, fai

Rena Groot Oord
Mar 14 min read


An Interview with Allyson Koekhoven
Allyson Koekhoven lives in a small village on the East Coast of South Africa with her husband and two boisterous dogs. She has two grown-up daughters, both in the medical field, and one grandson. She is a business-to-business content creator by day and a novelist after hours. What inspired you to write stories? I’ve always loved stories—both reading them and imagining my own. I announced to my parents, when I was just six years old, that I was going to write a novel one day.

Rena Groot Oord
Feb 145 min read


Mommy & Baby's Journal
This beautiful foreword about Mommy & Baby's Journal was written by Nancy Campbell from Above Rubies. "What a beautiful treasure you hold in your hands. Yes, I am talking about this book, although your own precious baby is the greatest treasure of all. Your heart will stir with emotions of love and joy as you admire the beautiful pictures and read the prayers and thoughts about your baby growing in your womb. Truly, there is no greater feat you can do as a woman than to coope

Rena Groot Oord
Feb 113 min read


The Festival of Lights
What Is Hanukkah? In a world that often feels heavy with uncertainty, fear, and loss, Hanukkah reminds us of a timeless truth—darkness is not defeated by force, but by light. Each year, usually in December, Jewish families around the world faithfully kindle candles as they have done for thousands of years to celebrate Hanukkah ~ the Festival of Lights, also called the Feast of Dedication. Jesus observed this festival. "At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusa

Rena Groot Oord
Dec 17, 20253 min read


BETRAYAL
Betrayal is a gripping psychological drama that exposes how evil doesn't always break down the door--sometimes it marries you first. Betrayal Cuts Deeper Than Any Wound It shatters truth, destroys trust, and makes you question everything you thought was real. Ashley Knows This Pain... The man who vowed to love and protect her became a stranger—one defined by lies, manipulation, and infidelity. His deception shattered her world, leaving her isolated and gaslit in a life she

Rena Groot Oord
Nov 14, 20251 min read


The Cost of Freedom: A Legacy of Sacrifice
"Remember the many who gave their tomorrows so we could have today." We often speak of freedom, but we must never forget the staggering cost paid for it. History is marked by those who stood in the gap for others—none perhaps as poignant as the story of Corrie ten Boom. A Love Deeper Than the Pit During WWII, Corrie and her family hid Jewish people in their Netherlands home, driven by their faith and love. Their courage was met with betrayal when a man they tried to help info

Rena Groot Oord
Nov 7, 20252 min read


Charlie Kirk; Why the Message Outlasts the Messenger
Charlie Kirk was shot and killed yesterday. He was a man who inspired multitudes. But today, more than mourning, we reflect—on what it means when someone so willing to walk into danger, to speak truth as they saw it, is silenced. And on how the message he carried refuses to die. A Life Lived Without Retreat Charlie didn’t shy away from conflict. He sought debate; he challenged prevailing winds; he informed those willing to listen; he inspired even those skeptical by plantin

Rena Groot Oord
Sep 11, 20253 min read


The Highlander's Secret
Secrets, clan wars, and forbidden love. What happens when secrets from the past affect the present? If you like historical, romantic fiction with a twist of suspense, you will enjoy this beautiful story that takes place in 1850...and in 2000... in the rugged Scottish Highlands. Aileen Campbell, the fierce daughter of a clan chieftain, stands at the crossroads of love and loyalty. Her choices could shatter her family—or redefine its legacy. . Fiona Campbell grew up hearing tal

Rena Groot Oord
May 21, 20251 min read


The Bride Price
Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to Him. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7:7 The Betrothal. It was the night of the Passover. A marriage contract was offered. It was to be sealed by the bride drinking wine from a ceremonial cup handed to her by the groom. If the bride drank, she agreed to the marriage. The groom knew he would not see his bride again until he had prepared a place for her an

Rena Groot Oord
Apr 14, 20254 min read


Would you like to be healed?
My friend, would you like to be well? You might think the answer would be obvious. Of course you want to be healed—right? It’s a question Jesus asked a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. But Jesus knew something deeper. Healing isn’t always simple. It requires something of us: a willingness to be changed, to let go of what we’ve grown used to, even if it hurts. It requires hope. It requires trust. So let me ask you the same question today: Would you like to be w

Rena Groot Oord
Mar 11, 20253 min read


Unexpected...
Does life sometimes seem like a rollercoaster, tossing you from one unexpected thing to another?

Rena Groot Oord
Feb 2, 20253 min read


One Foot in Heaven
What would it be like to face death? Despite a tragic near-death motorcycle accident, God has used Sheila Preston Fitzgerald's life to turn a tragedy into triumph. She is alive today thanks to the grace of God. But, this hasn't been easy. Sheila has endured several years of excruciating pain, numerous surgeries, unending daily physical therapy, and the ever-present risk of serious setbacks. One Foot in Heaven recounts Sheila's journey from the night that changed everythi

Rena Groot Oord
Jan 3, 20257 min read


The Bethlehem Star
When Jesus was born, a star arose in the sky—a sign that a great king had been born. Was this star an alignment of planets? On December 21st, 2020, the giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn aligned, causing what some have called a once-in-a-lifetime event—the first sighting of the Bethlehem star in eight hundred years. "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born kin

Rena Groot Oord
Dec 8, 20242 min read
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