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Blog2025-03-18T20:26:18+00:00

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Have I committed an unforgiveable sin?

    By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA "Many people fear they have committed some sin that God cannot or will not forgive, and they feel there is no hope for them, no matter what they do. Satan would like nothing more than to keep people laboring under that READ MORE

Lifting our thoughts!

            By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA Recently, while we were spending some time in our hometown, two of our friends came to the townhouse where we were staying to give a presentation they were planning for their church congregation. They had done in READ MORE

What keeps us from hearing God?

Note: This story is taken from my book The Chaplain is In: Journey to Health and Happiness. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21 This is one of the READ MORE

Feeling frazzled with too much to do? Sad? Depressed?

    By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, M.A. Please realize the importance of taking good self-care. There is only one of you in this world! You have something to give that no one else can give. If you have not found the "something" yet--you will, but doing so will READ MORE

God’s surgery on a grandmother’s heart

With the approach of Easter, so also does Bethany’s birthday. Thirty-three years ago, this “little teacher” came into my family. Just prior to her birth a rather strange experience occurred. With very few exceptions, everything I purchased over several weeks seemed flawed in some way. Back to stores I go, READ MORE

The power of Grandparents

      By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA My Grandmother Margret chewed tobacco. She grew up in Arkansas in the early 1900s at a time when most teenagers savored this practice. But Grandma continued this into her old age. Certainly, this was a questionable behavior for us who READ MORE

Tears: How they help the body heal, as well as the soul

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA It is said, “Healing the soul is like peeling an onion.”  This is true.  The layers of pain, resentment, bitterness, and sorrow come off one by one.  No matter how many conferences attended and books read in hopes of getting more comfortable in READ MORE

God cares when we fall

    By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA One sweet, sunny day while on a walk with Gary, I recalled a spot where I fell some 20 years ago, having slipped on loose gravel at the corner of South Palo Verdi and Fiesta Drive. Suddenly we hear the squeal READ MORE

How can the Bible be more easily understood?

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA Some people say the Bible is too hard to understand. Once I heard “reading the Bible is like eating fish, savor the meat and leave the bones on the plate.” That makes sense because there is hardly ever a time of reading the READ MORE

Is soul’s lamp on — or off?

By Chaplain Joy Le page Smith, MA Most people are exclaiming concerns as to "the way the world is going." Change is exceedingly apparent. Yet, a YouTube lifted my spirits today; so, I will share this amazing short video, here, in hopes it does the same for you. I found READ MORE

A great loss to our community

  By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, The tragic death of Walt Foxcroft at the early age of 43has shaken our hearts to the depths here in this community. It is unspeakably difficult to think of this happening, so deeply rending an event for his wife and family. All who READ MORE

Is soul’s lamp on — or off?

By Chaplain Joy Le page Smith, MA Most people are exclaiming concerns as to "the way the world is going." Change is exceedingly apparent. Yet, a YouTube lifted my spirits today; so, I will share, here, in hopes it does the same for you. At the beginning you may wonder, READ MORE

Black holes can seem to happen in our lives

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA Early in my mid-20’s divorce became part of my life for safety's sake. I married at 17 and gave birth to my first of three sons at age 18. Eight years into the marriage I could clearly see I had no other good choice but READ MORE

Pondering “end times”

By Joy Le Page Smith, MA Have you ever wondered about the passages in the 2 Peter 3:11-12, that bespeaks of a great fire to take place before “that day” when a new heaven and earth comes to be?  Sometimes I find the courage to ask God a question, then READ MORE

A young doctor asked “Could you give me a blessing?”

              It was easy to recite the blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 from the Holy Bible on the day the young doctor asked, "Could you give me a blessing?" It is one often recited for patients. “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon READ MORE

My near death experience

By Joy Le Page Smith, MA Many people have had near death experiences. Their stories are of great interest, allowing us to peek “beyond the veil” of life on earth. My near-death experience is a “heaven sent” event that astounds me to this day! I had no urge to make READ MORE

How to deal with difficult emotions

  By Chaplain Joy L. Smith, MA Few people realize that validating their emotions is one of the best things they can do for their physical health, as well as for their emotional and mental health. Many people fear their emotions, as they don’t know how to manage them. Many READ MORE

The Power of letting go

      By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA, BCC Most of us have heard the story of “how to catch a monkey.” Find a jar with an opening large enough for a monkey’s hand to enter when the jar is empty. Yet, the opening also needs to be READ MORE

When in trouble

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA When something happens in life that is unsettling, we are not at our best. We are stressed! This blog post extends “numbers to call.” As if help is as close as a “phone.” For instance, we often need support when we are in READ MORE

Building Healthy Coping Skills

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA Building healthy coping skills Learning to cope with the difficulties of life is a task we learn through trial and error. This writing is about exploring ways to circumvent difficult feelings and distracting thought patterns through pleasant escapes. We can distract ourselves from READ MORE

Are You Afraid of Death? (I Was)

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA I had a hard time staying alive between the ages of 13-35. First, I had encephalitis with high temperatures for many days with sleeping sickness, at age 13; then at 18, I started forming blood clots in my legs and abdomen. There were READ MORE

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Dear Reader,

If you are interested in entering the peace, comfort and joy God gives to those who belong to Him (our Creator)—plus eternal life—here is how to start:

“Jesus, I want to begin following ‘The way’ You taught. Please cleanse my soul from the wrongs I have done. Strengthen and feed my soul so I can grow, becoming the person You knew I could become when I was first born. Amen.”

For support in your decision and your growth in faith please see the post “Being God’s child is a choice”
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