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Dana Rongione 17/06/2024 Dana Rongione 17/06/2024

Tightrope Trusting

As I was doing my Optimize Your Day routine this morning, I looked out my office window and saw a large bird land on the overhead power line. This power line isn't very taught, and the wind was blowing pretty hard. The bird tried to steady itself, but it was a comical sight. Its tail feathers were pointing and flexing, and its wings would occasionally shoot out to steady itself. It was like watching a tightrope walker trying to keep their balance or a child trying to swing for the first time.

This lasted several seconds until the bird finally gave up and flew off. As I watched this, I couldn't help but think about how often I feel like that bird.

Dana Rongione 10/06/2024 Dana Rongione 10/06/2024

Looking Up When Life Weighs You Down

One of my favorite things to do here in Wales is visit old castles. There’s just something about the history and architecture that fascinates me. But as much as I love exploring these ancient structures, I always end up with a pain in my neck the next day.

When you're walking around a castle, you're constantly looking up. You're admiring the tall towers, the intricate carvings, and the beautiful stained glass windows. But, after a while, all that looking up can take a toll on your neck (especially if you already have neck issues).

Life can be the same way. We want to be positive and keep looking up, but sometimes, circumstances causes such a pain in the neck that we find our gaze slipping down to the depths of despair. Our “eyes fail with looking upward.”

Dana Rongione 03/06/2024 Dana Rongione 03/06/2024

Journey Through the Middle

Have you ever felt stuck in a rut? Like a hamster on the wheel, you’re going through the motions but not really making any progress. I’ve been there. In fact, I’m there right now, and it can be discouraging, to say the least. But here's the thing: Sometimes, being stuck in a rut is a necessary step toward where God wants us to be. Just look at the story of Joseph.

Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers and sold into slavery. He ended up in Potipher's house, where he was eventually falsely accused and thrown into prison. But even in prison, Joseph rose to the top. He became the keeper of the prison, overseeing all the other prisoners.

Dana Rongione 20/05/2024 Dana Rongione 20/05/2024

From Bad to Worse

As Jason and I drove toward our house after the lovely ladies' retreat last week, we were surprised to see freshly painted white lines on our street. As I mentioned in a recent post, our quiet little road had been under construction, and it looked like the workers had finally finished up Stage One, leaving behind a gravelly, dusty mess. Gazing out the car window, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. The road was still rough and gravelly, and the freshly painted lines seemed to mock me as we bumped along. Evidently, Stage Two (the painting of the lines) was also the completion of the project.

"Honestly," I muttered to Jason, "I think the road was better before they started all this construction. What was the point?"

Jason just chuckled and patted my hand. "Sometimes, Dana, things have to get worse before they can get better."

Dana Rongione 06/05/2024 Dana Rongione 06/05/2024

From Gravel to Grace

Road construction can be a real pain! Over the past week, there's been a whole crew working on the street right in front of my house. It started off with them just patching up some of the rougher spots and potholes. Jackhammers going off at the crack of dawn, dump trucks rumbling by every five minutes. It was chaos!

The next thing I knew, they were reworking the entire road surface, leaving a bed of loose gravel in their wake. Suddenly, our once-decent road became this rocky, uneven mess. Driving on it is like navigating an off-road course, and our poor car is taking a beating.

Dana Rongione 22/04/2024 Dana Rongione 22/04/2024

Ripple Effects

King Josiah. Now, here was a man of unwavering faith and determination. He was a true leader, always striving to align himself with God’s will and to guide his people in the right direction. He fearlessly dismantled the false idols and restored the temple to its rightful state. And you know what? For a time, the nation was rejuvenated. The people returned to the worship of the one true God, and it seemed like Josiah’s reign was a turning point for the land.

But then, as often happens in life, things took a turn for the worse. After Josiah's death, the people returned to their old ways, worshipping false gods and ignoring the commands of the Lord. It's enough to make a person feel like all their hard work was for nothing.

Dana Rongione 15/04/2024 Dana Rongione 15/04/2024

Do the Next Thing

Have you ever felt like you're drowning in a sea of to-do lists and responsibilities? Like the waves of tasks keep crashing over you, and you can barely keep your head above water? I know I have. There are days when I look at everything I need to get done, and it feels completely overwhelming.

My mind starts racing with questions like, "How am I going to get all this done? What if I don't have enough time or energy? What if I disappoint someone by not meeting a deadline?" Before I know it, I'm caught in a whirlpool of anxiety and stress.

But then I remember a quote by Elisabeth Elliot that has become a lifeline for me in those moments. She said, "Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is, just do the next thing. God will meet you there."

Dana Rongione 08/04/2024 Dana Rongione 08/04/2024

Finding Rest for Our Souls

I take the Boy Scout motto "Be prepared" to new heights. When Jason and I go for a longer hike, I often load the backpacks with anything and everything we might need—a first aid kit, blankets, flashlights, extra clothing, food, water, and even a whistle. Sometimes, I go overboard and have the packs so heavy we can't carry them.

I over-plan and over-prepare for everything, whether a hiking trip or a dinner party. I get so caught up in anticipating every possible need or problem that I forget to simply enjoy being.

Dana Rongione 01/04/2024 Dana Rongione 01/04/2024

Facing the Impossible

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the odds were stacked against you? I mean, really stacked against you? I know I have. And let me tell you, it can be downright terrifying. The good news is that nothing is too complicated for God, no matter how dire the situation may seem.

But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the words of King Asa. If you're unfamiliar with his story, let me give you a little background. King Asa was the third king of Judah and a pretty good king, all things considered. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and got rid of all the idols in the land.

But then, one day, an army of a million men came up against him. And I'm not talking about your run-of-the-mill army, either. This was an Ethiopian army, and they were fierce. They had 300 chariots and thousands of horsemen. It was a pretty intimidating sight, to say the least.

Dana Rongione 28/03/2024 Dana Rongione 28/03/2024

Finding Beauty in Our Brokenness

We can all relate to that feeling of falling apart at the seams, can we? Especially when life throws us curveballs that we weren't expecting. But here's the thing: God can still use us to make beautiful music even when we feel like we’re falling to pieces.

Take the grand old pipe organ in one of our small town chapels, for example. It’s been around longer than anyone can remember, and unfortunately, it's seen better days. The coolness and dampness of the Welsh air have taken their toll. So much so that during a recent service, some of the keys literally fell off while the organist was playing! Talk about a disaster, right? I’m glad I wasn’t playing!!!

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Dana Rongione