Molly's Zone

Raise your hand if you're someone who becomes easily distracted. (I know that I am definitely writing from a place of personal experience on this one.) While the Lord laid the theme of distraction upon my heart many months ago, this particular sentence came to me just recently; one ounce of truth that was one of those "hit you square in the face" moments of unfiltered honesty:  If Satan cannot destroy, he will simply distract, and if he can distract, he will surely destroy.  I couldn't help but think about how profound that statement truly is.  Have you ever truly been distracted?  As I'm piecing together this thought...the image that immediately pops into my head is that one car that you're following down the road as it continually swerves all over the place, venturing into the other lane and putting themselves and others in harm's way.  You wonder "what in the world is going on?" and then you suddenly realize that they are either responding to ...

  The Lord placed this thought on my heart a while ago and I never have gotten around to sharing all of what it entails until now. I ultimately made the decision that today would be the perfect time (not that there would ever be a wrong time) Three years ago, I came to the point of desiring to write but found myself running short on the creative spark that I love SO much. I live for it because for me, having the opportunity to build devotionals and to create stories has forever fulfilled something deep within me. My brain can be pretty loud at times and it somehow takes all of that away. The absolute best feeling in the world. There's truly nothing like it. SO much joy. I had started hormonal treatment and I was doing better than ever health wise, but I remember hitting that point of not being able to write for awhile and it truly bothered me. I felt as though the Lord would never be interested in using me again and the thought of stopping after so many years was just absolutely d...

I spent some of my Saturday cleaning away all the dust and dirt that somehow found its way behind my bed, along with completing the surface level of household chores that stays on the "to do list" that forever lives rent free in my head.  But wouldn't it be wonderful if we only had to clean up the rooms of our houses once without ever having to worry about it again?  There is never a time at my house when there isn't something that needs done (whether it be the floor that needs swept and mopped, the hallway and family room that needs vacuumed, bathrooms that require regular cleaning, or everyone's least favorite....dusting the furniture)  Housekeeping requires a spirit of daily effort and fervent diligence The same could be said about keeping up our hearts by renewing our minds daily through simply taking the time to pray and to have fellowship with the Lord.  Just as no one loves to think about cleaning house absolutely every single day, our flesh will never natu...

  (December 1974: Lincoln County, West Virginia)   “What a wonderful story,” Pastor Perry said with a smile. “I’m so sorry for your loss.  Would you want to say a few words before the service starts? he asked.   “Sure, I have a few notes here in my coat pocket that I wrote down last night,” I replied. “Shouldn’t we be going?”   Pastor Perry glanced at his watch. “I reckon so, are you ready?”   “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied nervously.   “It’ll be alright son, just speak from your heart,” he said, nudging my side with his hand.   The time for momma's homegoing service was now upon us. I didn’t know if I would ever be ready for this moment but my soul knew that I would one day see her again. We would both be in the presence of God’s everlasting love; the space that surrounded us would be filled with the wonderful peace, eternal hope, and boundless joy that His presence provides.   “It’s a pleasure to have you all here today,” Pastor Perr...

  (December 1974: Charleston, West Virginia)   "I am starting to see why your mother was such a soldier.” Pastor Perry shivered on the bench as he started to feel the cold winter breeze flow past them.   I smiled. I loved recalling my mother’s tales. It had taken her years to become that soldier.   “No matter what she would just keep on keepin’ on,” I replied. I adjusted my coat. It had fallen slightly off of my shoulders. “That was the best thing about her.”   Momma kept a heart of thankfulness and praise for the wonderful ways that God had reminded her of His unwavering presence. She clung to Christ because He was the faithful father, precious Savior, and wonderful friend that she could always count on through each and every storm.   Working became difficult for her as time passed by and her health began to decline. She eventually moved in with Cookie and me though she didn’t like asking for help. We bought her a new puppy in hopes of lifting her spirits:...

  (Lincoln County, West Virginia: April 1971)   No one could prepare us for the turn that our lives would take after I accepted that job offer. Frank's sudden passing created such a huge void for us; nothing could ever replace him. A new chapter of adventure began that day, though we couldn't see it at the time. We always held onto the fact that God always provided for our every need.  We were forever safe in the palm of His hand.    The newness of it all was quite overwhelming to me at first. Our lives became surrounded by undeserved plentiful blessings. Thankfulness and praise filled our hearts as the road of adventure grew sweeter. We knew that we would have the strength to endure whatever came our way because of His faithful shield.   Working on the farm fell away from us somewhat as my clientele grew.   Our days had become full of those new great adventures that Frank loved. Our story as a family began to blossom. Rosalie Combs had provided me wit...