On March 3, 2015 the first book in my new Prairie State Friends series will be published. I chose to write this series because I know the value of friendship. I appreciate the friends I’ve been blessed with, some whom I have known since I was a girl. Others are newer friends, but all are equally special. Some friends live near me, while others reside in other parts of the country. No matter where my friends live, I know I can count on them, if only to pray when I have a need.

A true friend is loyal, loving, encouraging, compassionate, understanding, and so much more. Those are the attributes of the three special friends in my 3-book series set in the Amish community of Arthur, Illinois.

In Proverbs 17:17 it says “A friend loveth at all times.” In the Book of John, chapter 15:12 we are told, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Is there a special friend in your life you wish to thank this week? What are some ways we can show our love and appreciation to our friends?

In my Simple Life devotional book, I share a story entitled “Going Nowhere.” It’s about a woman named Sylvia who worries all the time. Sylvia’s daughter reminds her that worrying will not prevent something from happening. She told her mother that “Worry is like rocking in a chair. It gives you something to do, but it never goes anywhere.”

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) offers a good alternative to worry. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

With worry comes stress, and stress can cause us to become sick. It’s like a vicious cycle. Prayer and faith are the opposite of worry; they bring the peace of God that help us relax and give our troubles to Him. There’s an old saying that’s helpful to remember whenever we begin to worry: “When worry knocks at the door, send faith to answer it, and you’ll find no one is there.”

Is there something or someone you’re worried about? Ask God to fill your heart and mind with peace as you give your concerns to Him.

Another Christmas has passed, and all the gifts have been opened and probably put away by now. Some of my readers have asked me if the Amish give their family and friends gifts for Christmas or birthdays. The answer is yes, most do exchange gifts. However, while the Amish may buy some of their gifts, many are homemade. Did you receive any gifts that were made by the gift-giver? Did you give any gifts to others that were made by you? There’s something special and gratifying about making a gift with your own hands; although it can also be fun to shop for gifts, too.

However, the focus of this journal entry is not about the gifts we receive or have given to others. The gift I’d like to talk about is the one God gave to each of us when He sent His Son, Jesus to earth as a baby. God’s gift was not just for one individual, but to all people living then, or who would live in the future. God’s gift was for you and for me. All we have to do to receive that gift is to acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Savior, and believe on His name. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the word; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16 & 17. Now, that is truly the best gift of all!