The gal perched in front of me droned on about the sad state of her life. She expressed her complaints not so much in words, but in whines. She oozed negativity. Honestly, the more she talked, the less I wanted to hear. I tried to excuse myself–politely, of course. That’s what civil people do when…

Comfort and Joy. I looked down at my Christmas coffee cup and noticed the words etched on the side. This year, more than any other, this is what I need. And what I have. Comfort, because my precious father passed away a few days ago. Joy, because I know he is in heaven, and I…

Every November we can count on it: media outlets bombard us with reminders of why thankfulness is good for us. Giving thanks will make you happier, they say. Healthier. It will change your outlook and usher in peace. And, they are right. Still, knowing all the benefits of thankfulness isn’t sufficient motivation for most of…

What do you do when someone hurts you? This is the hard stuff of life, isn’t it? Maybe they talked behind your back. Or worse, stabbed you in the back. Maybe they hurled insults at you, called you names, or questioned your motives. Maybe they judged you wrongly or ignored you completely. The truth is hurt hurts.…

Two weeks ago, my oldest daughter had her first baby. Ten hours later my mom called to tell me the paramedics had taken my dad to the hospital and he was in ICU. The next day I learned the baby (Jones Ryan Healy, 8lb 9oz) had jaundice and would need to stay an extra day…

I’m sure my neighbors wondered why I screamed, but if they’d seen what I saw, they would have screamed with me. I picked up the hose to water a potted tree next to our garage, and when I did, a huge tarantula lept at me. I dropped the hose, ran inside, and called our exterminator.…

Welcome! If you’re here after reading the Proverbs 31 Encouragement for the Day Devotion, I’m so glad you’re here! If you haven’t read the devotion yet, you can find it here. If you’ve followed me for a while, you probably know I’m married to my pastor. One of JP’s most often quoted phrases is, “The…

JP and I sat crouched on the floor in our garage, pouring over old photos. We’d been tasked with finding baby pictures of our middle daughter, Kylie, who’s expecting her first child in just four weeks. “Look at this!” “Oh my gosh…I didn’t even remember that!” Our conversation went on like this for a full…

I started a new habit that has changed my perspective, my attitude, and has taken my walk with God to new depths–which is saying a lot, since I’ve been a believer for decades. It takes less than 30 seconds. I do it first thing in the morning and the last thing before bed. And, no,…

Hey Friend! Today’s encouragement is the transcript of next week’s “That’s Just What I Needed” podcast. I wrote it after a heartfelt conversation with a group of women from various parts of the country. But, because you are my special blog friend, I’ve included a bonus just for you at the end of this devotion,…

Should I give up? I paused chopping vegetables long enough to voice my question to JP, my knife poised in mid-air. I have no idea why, but I process my biggest concerns and deepest doubts in the middle of my most mindless activities. I’ve been known to circle around life’s most important issues in my…

Have you ever hesitated to ask someone to pray for you because: You didn’t want to bother them? You thought, “My concern is not that big of a deal. I can handle it on my own.” You were embarrassed to ask? You didn’t think to ask? You didn’t know who to ask? Survey a hundred…

First…Congratulations Barbara Grant!  You are the lucky winner of the book giveaway!!   My laptop was stolen. My car got recalled. My cell phone crashed. My email stopped sending. All in the same week. Of course, all these inconveniences are nothing compared to the heartbreak going on in our world right now. The world’s problems. Our problems.…

If you are here after listening to the podcast, Welcome! I’m so glad you are here! If you haven’t listened yet, I think you’ll find encouragement in ways you might not even know you need. You can find “That’s Just What I Needed” with Donna Jones anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify,…

Hey Blog Friends! In all my years writing blogs I’ve never sent out two emails in one week. But, I’m making an exception today because I want to make sure that you–someone I value–know about my new podcast which launches Wednesday, February 2nd. The podcast is called “That’s Just What I Needed”. We’ll have life-giving…

Today is BOOK GIVE AWAY DAY and I HAVE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: My new podcast, “That’s Just What I Needed” launches Wednesday, February 2nd. If you enjoy these blog posts you’ll love the more personal conversations and interviews I’ll be having on the podcast. You can find “That’s Just What I Needed” anywhere you listen…

Even there your hand shall lead me,     and your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:10 NIV)   God, lead me! How many times have you whispered that prayer? If you’re like me, probably a bazillion times. Recently though, I’ve become aware of how often I’ve tried (unknowingly) to lead God. (Not that I like to…

It’s early at my house (6 am, I think) but I woke up this morning impressed to pray for you. So, that’s what I’m going to do. Sit back. Breathe deep. Let the love of God enfold you this moment. Receive what He has for you. Lord God, I pray for my sweet friend across…

The last twenty months have taken their toil. We all hoped 2021 would be better than 2020, didn’t we? Surely, we thought, life can’t get crazier than living through a pandemic! But for many of us, 2021 has been worse, not better, which leaves us with a Thanksgiving dilemma: How do we say “thank you”…

I got hijacked. Yes, you read that right. Every Monday at 7:30 am. I meet a former neighbor for a walk around a lake near her home. Today, one of my friend’s neighbors invited herself to join us. Normally, welcoming a stranger into our morning ritual wouldn’t be a problem. However, I was on a…

You’ve read about stinkin’ thinkin’ (if you haven’t, check out my last blog post) but have you ever considered stikin’ talkin’? Recently, I realized I’ve become a victim of stinkin’ talking. Correction: I’ve become a perpetrator of stinkin’ talking. I suspect you might be able to relate. Let me explain… Last week I was in…

I sensed something was wrong. Let me rephrase that. I smelled something wrong. I was fairly certain the odor came from somewhere in my youngest daughter’s room. A quick look, though, seemed to indicate everything in her bedroom was fine. I opened closet doors. Nothing. I got down on my hands and knees, and peered under…