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Finding Direction in the Game of Life
God's guidance Dana Rongione God's guidance Dana Rongione

Finding Direction in the Game of Life

Have you ever heard of the game of bowls? I hadn't heard of it until we moved to the UK, but it's very popular here, and Jason has taken quite a liking to it. Let me explain for those of you who are still in the dark about what bowls is. The game of bowls is a blend of bowling and horseshoes. You roll your balls (called bowls) on a mat towards a smaller ball (called the jack) and try to get as close to it as possible. It's a simple concept, but it can be surprisingly challenging.

Jason has been playing bowls with a local team for about a year now and really enjoys it. Not only does he get to participate in a game he loves, but he also gets to minister to others in the group each week. It's a win-win situation!

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Lessons From the Birds, Part Two
Encouragement, Comfort, God's guidance Dana Rongione Encouragement, Comfort, God's guidance Dana Rongione

Lessons From the Birds, Part Two

In my last devotion, I shared about the persistent sparrow who refused to give up on getting his share of the suet ball. Today, I want to revisit that scene because, as is often the case with God's creation, there are multiple lessons we can glean from a single moment.

As I continued to watch the birds that day, my attention was drawn to another sparrow—one who took a different approach altogether. You see, while most of the birds were content to jostle for position on the side of the feeder, one resourceful sparrow decided to think outside the box—or should I say, inside the feeder? He flew to the top and went down inside the feeder, allowing him unhindered access to the last ball. Sneaky, huh?

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Man Plans; God Directs
Life's Journey, Trust, God's goodness, God's guidance Dana Rongione Life's Journey, Trust, God's goodness, God's guidance Dana Rongione

Man Plans; God Directs

Eager to hit the hiking trails last week, Jason and I checked the forecast for the best day. Friday showed sun, while Saturday predicted snow, so Friday it was!

After breakfast on Friday morning, we were greeted by rain showers mixed with fat snowflakes instead of sunshine. "No problem," we shrugged. “It’s Wales! Wet weather is just part of the charm. Besides, as usual, the rain will likely come and go in short bursts.” You can probably guess where this is headed.

Despite the continuing wintry mix, we stuck with Plan A, trudging up muddy slopes in worsening snow and sleet for hours. Slipping in sodden boots with freezing fingers, I muttered, “Maybe we should've waited till tomorrow." By the time we stumbled back to the car, I was as drenched and weary.

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Up Is Down
trust, God's guidance, When Life Doesn't Make Sense Dana Rongione trust, God's guidance, When Life Doesn't Make Sense Dana Rongione

Up Is Down

Ahoy there, me hearties! Let's set sail on a journey into the treacherous waters of the Caribbean, where Captain Jack Sparrow and his trusty compass guide us, not toward true north, but rather, toward a profound spiritual lesson.

In the world of pirates and plunder, Captain Jack Sparrow is known for his uncanny ability to navigate the choppy seas. Yet, there's one thing that left even the wiliest pirate scratching his head: a perplexing clue that declared, "Up is Down." When Jack first laid eyes on these words, he famously proclaimed them to be "maddeningly unhelpful." But what if there's more to this cryptic phrase than meets the eye, me hearties?

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