by Stacey | Jun 9, 2026 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
In the book of Job, after losing his children, health, and security, Job sits in unimaginable grief. His wife, equally devastated and exhausted by suffering, does something shocking. In chapter 2:9, she encourages Job to “Curse God and die.”
Her words could be read as bitter or maybe even as desperate. She really seems to think Job should give up on God and reject his faith.
I get that.
Absorbing hit after hit in fast succession makes cynicism feel reasonable. Piled up pain brings a temptation to consider faith to be naïve. And in that place, we can either curse God and die or cling to Him and live.
Job reprimands his wife asking, should we accept good from God and not trouble? Faith is an invitation to trust the heart of God through joy, grief, abundance, loss, long nights, and unanswered questions.
The past stretch of life has been hard in ways I don’t always know how to explain. I don’t know what comes next. The difficult stretch might end soon or more hard things could be ahead. But this much I know: God’s character does not change when my circumstances do. And despite the trouble that has come, I am stubbornly determined to cling to God and live.
by Stacey | May 24, 2026 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
In our house, we no longer say the word walk. Instead, we say things like meander. Or take a casual lap. Sometimes it’s a hop, skip, and a jump, said in the most nonchalant voice possible because the second the actual word ‘walk’ is spoken, our dog completely unravels.
His ears go up, his body stiffens and his eyes locked on mine. He paces between me and the door, whimpering in barely controlled enthusiasm. All he wants is to get outside, and all his energy is focused on accomplishing it.
What our dog doesn’t know is that walks come with risk. He doesn’t understand traffic. He doesn’t think about coyotes. He has no concept of how quickly a peaceful trail can turn dangerous. All he knows is that adventure is waiting on the other side of that word.
The trails near our home are beautiful and I love to walk them. They’re peaceful and quiet and perfect for clearing your head. But they’re also home to animals that roam at dusk. Most of the time, I don’t see them. I only hear about them in warnings posted online with updates and reminders to be careful. Danger is like that. It’s not always obvious, but it’s real.
Peter gives us a similar warning:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
A prowling lion is not subtle language. Still, I step into my day confident, distracted, and not particularly watchful. I underestimate spiritual danger because I can’t physically see it. I assume I’m fine until temptation feels reasonable and fear gets louder than truth.
But here’s the comfort: God sees what I don’t.
I leash my dog when we walk not because I want to limit his joy but because I want to protect him from the dangers he doesn’t see. In a similar way, God protects me through His Word, through conviction, boundaries I don’t always understand, and nudges that say, Not that way. Stay close.
It isn’t restriction. It’s protection.
The safest place for my dog is tethered to me on the trail. The safest place for me is tethered to God, and I don’t need to understand every spiritual danger to trust the One who does.
So today, I’m asking myself: Will I stay close? Will I let God guide me, even when I don’t see the risk? Will I trust that His nearness is not limiting but life-giving? Will you?
Because the walk really is richer, steadier, and far safer when we stay near the One who sees the whole trail.
by Stacey | Apr 26, 2026 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
Laughter has a way of diffusing what feels overwhelming. It can soften tense moments, and it has even been shown to lower stress levels and blood pressure. If laughter is so good for us, why can it be so hard to laugh?
Verse 25 in Proverbs 31 has always been part encouragement and part challenge to me. A woman who laughs at the future? She’s not worried about it or bracing for it. She laughs. When I picture it in my mind, that’s who I want to be: a confident and carefree, joyful woman.
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”
Proverbs 31:25
Proverbs 31 is an oracle that King Lemuel’s mother taught him (v1). It’s an acrostic poem, each line beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In it, the kind of woman worth pursuing is described. This woman represents a collection of qualities that women of God portray, but even more important than what this “woman” does is who this woman fears (v30b). She is praiseworthy because she fears the Lord.
This woman is not carefree because life is easy. She works hard. She plans. She provides. She faces real responsibility and real uncertainty. She can only laugh at the days to come because she fears the Lord and places her confidence is in Him.
Until we’ve settled in our hearts, once and for all, that God is good, that He is for us, that His plans are always better than our plans, until we understand that He sees the world and our lives with eternity in mind, prioritizing what is ultimately best for our souls, we’ll struggle to laugh.
So maybe the goal isn’t to become a woman who has it all together. Maybe it’s simply to become a woman who trusts the One who does because when our trust is in God, we don’t have to fear what’s ahead. We’re free to face the future with strength, dignity and yes, even laughter.
by Stacey | Mar 17, 2026 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
St. Patrick’s Day had once been the worst night of Maeve O’Connell’s life. Now it was the biggest celebration of the year at her coffeehouse, The Lucky Clover Café. Green streamers hung from the ceiling, fiddle music drifted through the room, and the scent of fresh Irish soda bread filled the air.
This year marked the café’s tenth anniversary, and Maeve dove into the festivities. She was determined to make new memories and forget the heartbreak of St. Patrick’s Day, one year ago, when the love of her life moved to New York.
Maeve was so absorbed in her tasks that she didn’t notice him at first. But when their eyes met across the room, her breath caught. Aidan Coller. The man she once planned to marry.
“It’s good to see you.” Aidan slid onto a stool and dunked his hand into the bowl of mixed nuts on the counter.
If it were anyone else from her past, Maeve would lean her elbows on the counter, cradle her chin in her palms and reminisce. But before she could even consider playing it cool, her heart slammed against her ribs and her belly did a little flip. Her body didn’t seem to get the memo that Aidan was probably just visiting.
“What brings you back to town?” She hoped the words sounded smoother than they felt tumbling out of her mouth.
He jutted his chin into a familiar head tilt, and it felt like he saw all the way into her soul. “It was time to come home.”
It was the way he said home. It warmed her from her toes to her cheeks.
“New York was missing something. It took me a long time to figure out what.”
She coiled one of her fiery red curls around her index finger, staying quiet.
“I was hoping to reconnect with old friends tonight.” He looked disappointed that she hadn’t asked him to elaborate on what had been missing in New York. “Does the gang still come here?”
Their old friend group would certainly come out for St. Patty’s Day. It would be an act of solidarity to support Maeve on the anniversary of Aidan’s departure.
“They’ll be in at some point.” Maeve forced a bright smile. “What can I get you?”
“Your famous Irish cream hot chocolate,” Aidan said with a grin. “I’ve heard it’s still the best in town.”
Maeve chuckled, relieved to be on safer conversational ground. If there was one thing she could talk about until the wee hours of the night, it was the traditional recipes she served.
The old gang came and went, yet Aidan stuck to her like glue. Maeve had overheard him probing her friends for her relationship status. He’d said that he didn’t pack up his New York apartment on a whim. He knew what he was in for when he walked into The Lucky Clover and he wasn’t leaving until Maeve knew losing her was his biggest regret in life.
She didn’t know what to do with that information.
As the night progressed, Maeve felt herself loosening up. She didn’t even mind when Aidan followed her into the kitchen to keep the conversation flowing. It reminded her of their dating years, when they would cook side by side in Maeve’s small apartment.
Aidan rolled up his sleeves. “Someone once taught me the secret to a great shepherd’s pie.”
“Really?” She cocked a sassy eyebrow.
“Hand pies,” he said, reaching for the pastry dough. “You used to say they tasted like home.”
They fell into a familiar rhythm.
As the clock approached closing time, the place quieted down. They stepped outside and the streetlights cast a soft glow on the cobblestone streets.
“If I could go back in time,” Aidan said, “I’d never leave you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver shamrock pendant. “I found this unpacking. Do you remember it?”
Maeve gasped. Of course, she remembered the pendant. Her fingertips brushed the gem. She’d called it her lucky charm, but tonight she realized it had never been about luck at all. It had always been about love.
“You gave it to me years ago.”
“And you returned it when I left for New York.” He moved slowly, unclasping the necklace and looking into her eyes for permission. “You were what was missing in New York. I came home because I still love you. You’ve built a good life here, and I’d like to be part of it, if you’ll let me.”
Maeve lifted her hair so he could fasten the necklace. Her fingertips brushed the small silver shamrock. She might have called it her lucky charm, but tonight she realized the charm had never been the pendant. It was the man standing in front of her.
She felt the sincerity in Aidan’s words and the weight of what he was offering. Tonight wasn’t about everything they had lost. It was about the possibility of beginning again. About love coming home.
She turned to meet his gaze. “I’d like that.”
They walked back inside, where laughter and fiddle music still drifted through The Lucky Clover Café. The celebration hadn’t ended after all. And neither had their story.
If you enjoyed When Love Comes Home, you might also enjoy Sweet Beginnings in Sycamore Hill, where one brave whistleblower sets off a twenty-four-hour chain reaction on the eve of the town’s most important holiday celebration.
A baker receives a career-making opportunity, a reporter chases the truth, a woman faces her greatest fear, and a lost child returns home as the day unfolds.
As the residents of Sycamore Hill prepare to welcome a new year, five couples discover sweet beginnings filled with hope and unexpected possibilities. This interconnected story sequence introduces the Sycamore Hill Series.
Each Sycamore Hill book offers something a little different—romance, mystery, and even suspense (my personal favorite to write) as the lives of its residents intertwine.
Step into Sycamore Hill and see where the first domino falls.
by Stacey | Feb 26, 2026 | Special Announcements
On March 7th at 6:30pm, I’ll be speaking at a local Safe Families event and I would truly love to see you there.
We all feel it, don’t we? The quiet nudge when we notice a family who looks like they’re barely holding it together. An ache when we read the headlines. The whisper from the Holy Spirit that says, “Love them.”
But what does helping actually look like? How can one person make a difference? Am I equipped? Where would I even begin?
Those are only a few of the questions that swirl when we see the overwhelming and growing needs of people in our communities. That’s exactly why this evening on March 7th matters.
What You’ll Experience
This isn’t a fundraising pitch. This isn’t about pressure or guilt. It’s night to provide clarity and hope.
You’ll learn how Safe Families works right here in our community. You’ll hear how ordinary people step in during moments of crisis to provide stability, dignity, and hope for children and parents. Some open their homes. Some provide meals. Some offer transportation, prayer, friendship, or practical support. Every role matters.
You’ll hear real stories of lives changed through simple, faithful acts of love. And you’ll discover that helping doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. Compassion has many expressions.
I’d Love to Meet You There
I’ll be sharing encouragement that evening, and I’ll also have my books available if you’d like to browse or chat afterward. Nothing brings me more joy than connecting in person with local readers and friends.
If you’re already serving with Safe Families, come and be refreshed. If you’re curious about Safe Families, come and learn. If you’ve felt that nudge but didn’t know what to do next, this is your space. You can be part of God’s work in a way that fits your real life.
Reserve your free spot for March 7th at 6:30pm
I truly hope to see you there.
