Author: Kerri Tracht
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Choosing Hope for 2026: A Grateful Look Back at 2025
Hope for 2026, and a Grateful Look Back at 2025 I slept through the New Year. That says a lot about where I am in life right now. It also says a lot about what I’m carrying into 2026. Sleeping Through New Year’s, and a West Coast “Cheat” I slept through the New Year.…
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Goodbye Wondering, Hello Promise; Hello Christmas Part 5
The prophecy that pointed to Bethlehem “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2 The prophecy had been repeated for…
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Goodbye Seeking, Hello Guidance. Hello Christmas Part 4
The Mystery of the Magi “We three kings of Orient are…” We have all sung the song, played the roles in a Christmas pageant, or placed the characters in the Nativity scene in our home. The three wise men, the Magi. They have many names. Tradition has even given each of them an individual…
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Goodbye Fear, Hello Joy
Not Wanting To Be A Shepherd Boy: “I don’t want to be a shepherd. I always have to be a dumb old shepherd.” The little boy hung his head and scuffed his foot in the dirt before he climbed into the car. “I want to be a wise man for once. They were the cool…
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Goodbye Anxiety, Hello Peace; Hello Christmas Part Two
If anxiety has edged into your Advent, Mary’s path points the way to peace. Here is Part 2 of Hello Christmas. Hello Christmas, Part 2 Goodbye Anxiety, Hello Peace What Mary Witnessed Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, just enough time, it seems, to see John born. What must she have witnessed? She would…
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Goodbye Doubt, Hello Faith–A Christmas Series
Hello, Faith Elizabeth was not a young woman. She had bade farewell to youth and to dreams of motherhood years ago. Now, as her age-spotted hands caressed her swollen belly, she chuckled softly. Never doubt what the Almighty will do to bring His plans to fruition. Zechariah in the Temple Six months earlier, her…
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What I Learned From A Lifetime of Goodbyes (And Why It Matters)
Childhood Goodbyes All my biggest hurts have come from goodbyes. They started in childhood. When I was three years old, my two sisters and I went to live with our paternal grandparents. Our mom was unable to care for us, and our dad was active military. We lived with them for three and a half…
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Who We Run Alongside Matters
. Tuesdays Matter Tuesdays are strange days. For some reason they were picked as the day America votes. We choose everything from our local school board to our mayor. We elect our county officials, state representatives, and every four years our president. Tuesdays matter. The District Meet They matter in smaller but significant ways, too.…
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Why Just Change the Clock When We Can Change Our Lives
The Return to Standard Time This weekend is the return to standard time. On the upside, we all get an extra hour of sleep. On the downside, it will be dark an hour earlier, and we have to change all our clocks again. Do not forget the one on the coffee maker. Or the car.…
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What To Do When Your Kids Don’t Want Your Stuff
Saving for What We Wanted When my husband and I were young, just a short time ago, we saved our money to buy things. Archaic concept, I realize, but we didn’t have the luxury of unlimited spending on credit cards. So we shopped intentionally for the things we wanted and put money aside until…