Out of the mouths of babes… A couple of days ago our son texted a photo of a “secret message” sweet 4-year-old, Hallie, wrote to herself: “Trust in Jesus Christ.” It’s a message I needed to hear. We all do. If you’re like most Christians, you know you need to trust in Jesus Christ for…

Did you know recent studies show that less than 20% of us say we’re happy? I know. I know. I was shocked, too. Of course, I sensed personal peace, joy, and satisfaction were on the decline in recent years—you’ve probably sensed it, too. But, according to researchers, happiness has reached a five-decade low. Recently, author…

When I answered my phone I knew she’d been crying. “Mom, are you OK?” my heart skipped a beat as I asked. Her voice quivered in response, “My wallet was stolen.” “Are you sure? Could you have misplaced it?” “I’m sure. I’m here at Nordstrom Rack. I paused to chat with a friend and when…

Welcome Friend! You don’t want to be unloving, in fact, you want to be more loving–am I right? Sometimes, though we accidentally do things that, at first glance, don’t seem particularly unloving, but upon further reflection, actually are. Read on to find out about five surprising ways we’re accidentally unloving. (note: this is not just…

“What should I have done differently?” It was an odd question, mainly because it came from my mother–a terrific mom in every respect. Her question got me thinking: why do those who are the best moms worry most they are not? Mom guilt. It’s real. We know we’re not perfect, so we worry and we…

“I have a bad attitude.” Ever had this thought? That’s like asking if the Pope is catholic, isn’t it? We all struggle with bad attitudes from time to time. The question, though, is what to do about it. How do we change a bad attitude? The answer is surprisingly simple: We change our attitude when…

“It’s hard not to have regrets when you’re angry.” – Becca Jones I stood in the kitchen discussing my upcoming book with my daughter-in-law. Though the book won’t be released for months, the book is about how to handle conflict so we don’t hang our heads in regret, and think, why on earth did I…

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…