He Restores My Soul - Susan Dollyhigh

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:2-3

Driving up the steep, curvy, gravel road, I asked the Lord to meet me on the mountain. After a season of intense trial, I needed some time alone with the Lord. I needed the peace and comfort and restoration that only come through Him.

After breaking my right foot, I’d been unable to walk or drive for ten weeks. As my world shrunk to four walls, the days crawled by. Satan didn’t waste this time of weakness and discouragement to attack. Life delivered another blow that threatened to break my very spirit - my soul.

As I returned to the doctor for check-ups and x-rays, the news was the same time after time. The bones haven’t healed. The bones haven’t healed. “Why aren’t your bones healing?” the doctor finally asked.

The news from my spirit was the same. The heart hasn’t healed. The heart hasn’t healed. “Why isn’t my heart healing?” I cried out to the Lord.

I felt so helpless. I felt so alone. I felt so wounded. The words that usually poured from my heart onto the page ceased.

Finally ten weeks later I returned to the doctor. With the x-ray report in hand, he delivered the wonderful news - your bones have healed. My foot had been restored.

But my heart - my spirit - that was another story. Realizing that I desperately needed to get away, I made a reservation for a few days at a little tobacco barn cabin. After unpacking my bags, I laid down for a nap. As I closed my eyes, sleep didn’t come – prayers did. Lying on the bed, I began to feel God’s mighty presence as I poured out my heart to Him. Throughout the weekend, I was drawn to God’s Word and read Scripture that I’d highlighted while going through previous trials.

Thinking my broken spirit couldn’t be repaired in one short weekend, I’d merely hoped to find peace and a little restoration. Packing my car to return home, I realized how little faith I have in our big God. I’d asked the Lord to meet me on the mountain and He had met me on the mountain. The Lord had given me His peace that passes understanding. He had healed my broken spirit. I returned home to the same problems I’d left behind only now, by His grace, I knew I could handle them. The Lord had restored my soul.

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women in Faith Shine the Light Contest. She and her husband have two children and one grandchild and reside in Mount Airy, North Carolina. Susan is a featured writer in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust, A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95

A Season of Peace - Susan Dollyhigh

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Gathering around the kitchen table at the homeless shelter, we lit the purple Advent candle that symbolizes peace. Peace that is sometimes in short supply for those living at the shelter. Peace that is sometimes elusive in my life as well.

This small group of women and I talked about the different things we once used to fill our soul’s desperate need for peace: relaxing music, bubble baths, soothing candles, food, cigarettes, and even turning to the escape found in alcohol and drugs. We talked about addictions that had destroyed all illusions of peace for some—along with jobs, relationships, and even health.

We talked about what happens when the music is turned off, the bath water grows cold, and the candle melts down into a puddle of cold wax. We commiserated about feeling miserable after a food binge and how the desire for one cigarette just produces the desire for another. We agreed that when the high is gone and a hangover has taken its place, we are left once again searching for peace.

As we talked, we began to realize what a wonderful gift peace actually is. But how do we find true and lasting peace? How do we hold on to peace when our situations are anything but peaceful? We found the answer in Isaiah’s prophecy that a child would be given us whose name would be the Prince of Peace.

We reflected on the times when we had turned to Christ seeking peace and how He had always proven Himself faithful. In that small kitchen, with the flame flickering on the candle of peace, peace began to flicker in our souls as well. No, our situations hadn’t changed but our minds and souls had been transformed by the peace of God that transcends understanding.

Glory to God in the highest, for to us a child was born and He is the Prince of Peace.

Prayer: Father, thank you for Your peace that is beyond our understanding. Help us to feel Your peace today.

Thought for the Day
“Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God”. ~Augustine

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women of Faith Shine the Light Contest and 3 awards at the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. She resides in Mount Airy, North Carolina (better known as Mayberry). www.inspirationfrommayberry.com

In Our Father's Arms - Susan Dollyhigh

“Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is
right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” 1 John 3:7 (NIV)

The blonde curls bounced as a blue-eyed little girl pranced down the aisle. The pastor had called for all the children to join him at the front of the church for the children’s message. The little blonde-haired girl joined the circle of small children seated on the carpeted floor.

As the pastor spoke, some of the children squirmed and looked around but not the little blonde girl. She sat very still and kept her eye on the pastor as he spoke. When the pastor asked the children a question, her hand shot up and she answered with the honesty that only small children possess.

The pastor concluded the children’s time with prayer and each child began to find the way back to their seat in the large worship center. As the little girl found her way back to her seat she paused, her eyes scanned an endless sea of faces. Not seeing her parents, she bravely proceeded up the aisle with slow certain steps, timidly taking in the faces of those seated in each row.

The little girl continued her slow journey, and a couple waved their hands so she would see them and notice her parents close by. But as the little girl looked at them, her pretty face frowned with an expression that said, “No, you’re not my mommy and daddy.” She kept walking. As the little girl got closer to her parent’s aisle, her father stood so she could spot him. A smile replaced the frown as the little girl climbed into her daddy’s arms—safe and secure again.

As we go through life, do we let the distractions take our focus off of following after our Father? Are we distracted by waving hands that aren’t His? Or do we just continue to walk with slow, but certain steps until we see our Father? We, too, will feel safe and secure again—safe in our Father’s arms.


Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women of Faith Shine the Light Contest and 3 awards at the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. She resides in Mount Airy, North Carolina (better known as Mayberry). www.inspirationfrommayberry.com

Spirits Can Be Restored - Susan Dollyhigh

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5

An empty old Georgian style house with magnificent columns in front sits on my street. Passing by this old house, I think how beautiful it must have been when it was first built and in times past. Neglected for many years, the white paint is fading and peeling. The house has even been vandalized inside and out. Having been empty for so long, it’s hard to know how much damage has actually been done. How much would it cost to restore this old house? I wondered. Can it even be saved?

How I wish someone would move in and fix up that old place! I know it has the potential to be so beautiful. That dilapidated old structure is a lot like many of us. We come into this world so beautifully created by our Maker. Then someone we trust hurts us; emotionally, physically or both. We may shut down emotionally because it hurts too much to feel. We may not care about our appearance. Beautiful spirits broken and sometimes even destroyed. After our “spiritual house” sits empty for so long, others may start to wonder if we can ever be restored. What will it take to restore us? How much will it cost? Can we even be saved?

The answer to this question is simply, “yes.” If we allow Jesus into our hearts, He can heal the scars caused by abuse and repair the broken spirit. And, unlike that old house on my street that would probably cost so much to restore, the cost of Jesus’ restoration is free. And Jesus’ work is always beautiful; after all, He is the Master Carpenter.

Invite Him in—let Him restore.

Prayer: Father, thank you for being the Lord who heals us. Help us to feel your healing touch today.

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women in Faith Shine the Light Contest and recently won 3 awards the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. She and her husband have two children and one grandchild and reside in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Gladiolus Story - Susan Dollyhigh

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

The gladiolus plants stood tall and proud in my neighbors’ garden just waiting to burst forth into bloom with their beautiful pink, purple, red, white and orange flowers. But my neighbor decided she was tired of her gladiolus garden and up they came—flowers, stems, bulbs and all. Tossed into a pile, they were destined to be thrown away.

As any good neighbor would do, I walked over to see what was going on and arrived just in the nick of time. I gathered an armful of the long, green stems with the bulbs still attached and rescued those plants.

Preparing a new home for those orphaned gladiolus plants; I dug little round holes into the rich soil of my flower garden and dropped the bulbs in. As I worked transplanting those brown, onion-looking bulbs, I suddenly realized they were actually, well…ugly. Had I not known the potential inside those bulbs, I certainly wouldn’t have put forth the effort to transplant them. But I knew inside the bulb, which at this time appeared to be all dried-up, lived everything needed to once again grow strong, tall stems and produce beautiful flowers. The bulbs just needed someone to care—someone who would replant and feed them.

Major moves in life like divorce and the loss of loved ones can leave us feeling uprooted. We may feel we’ve been tossed into a pile and thrown away by those we love and, maybe, even by God. We feel all dried up and ugly and our heart has withered into an ugly, brown bulb.

Just like that gladiolus bulb, inside we still have everything we need to grow back strong and tall. When we take our circumstances to Him, the Lord who takes great delight in us will quiet us with His love. Our souls are held close to the Master and tenderly cared for. His Word will give us wisdom and discernment as we make decisions and it will feed our Spirit as we heal and grow.

Just as I use the flowers from my gladiolus garden to bring beauty and joy to others, Jesus can use us to do the same. Because we’ve been there and survived, we can reach out and minister to others. And as our Lord rejoices over us with singing, others will see that, because of His love, we’ve grown back tall and straight and the flowers in the garden of our life are once again fragrant and beautiful.

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women in Faith Shine the Light Contest. She and her husband have two children and one grandchild and reside in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-1-5

Mama, is it free? - Sue Dollyhigh

“The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17

Excitement was in the air as we gathered for Bible study at the homeless shelter.

“I’m being baptized next Sunday night. Will you come?” Jane* asked. Jane had accepted Christ as her Savior the previous week at the shelter.

Kristen*, a 12-year-old resident, then exclaimed, “I learned all about Jesus in Bible School and I want to be baptized too.”

Turning to her mother, Kristen asked, “Mama, can I? Can I be baptized?”

“You don’t need to be baptized now,” Mama responded.

A hush fell over the small group as Kristen’s chin quickly dropped to her chest. Even as my heart ached for Kristen, we began our lesson which interestingly enough was on the plan of salvation. We talked about how God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in Him could have eternal life. We talked about Jesus being the way, the truth and the life and the only way to the Father.

As we talked, the little girl continued to plead her case. “I know that. I learned that in Bible school. Mama, why can’t I be baptized?”

“Hush. We’ll talk about it some other time,” Mama said.

“Mama, I need to do this. Please?” the little girl begged.

“I said ‘No’,” came Mama’s reply.

And then the child who had been told “no” so many times because the things she wanted in life cost too much asked, “Well, Mama is it free?”

Silence once again fell over the group. Even Mama didn’t have a quick answer to that question. Kristen’s eyes then turned to me and the answer that sprang from my heart was, “Yes, baby girl, it is free. It is God’s gift to us and is free to all.”

The following Sunday evening the baptism of those two was a glorious affair to behold. And even though Mama didn’t attend, a radiant-faced little girl stood in the baptismal waters as she announced that she had accepted the one thing in life that is truly free, the gift of Jesus Christ as her Savior.

Even in the worst of economic times when we may be concerned about the cost of even our most basic needs, we can rest assured that the cost of our greatest need truly is free to us all.

*Names changed.

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women in Faith Shine the Light Contest. She and her husband have two children and one grandchild and reside in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Would Anyone Know You Are Related To Him? - Susan Dollyhigh

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

As I made a drive-through deposit at the bank, I noticed that the teller kept looking up at me. As she returned the deposit slip to the metal bin, she said, “You sure remind me of a girl I went to school with.”

I asked her what the girl’s name was and the teller looked down as she tried to recall a name from long ago. Suddenly she looked up, smiled and said, “Geraldine Atkins.”

Time seemed to stop as I comprehended her words. Then I shared with her that my mother, Geraldine Atkins Shelton, had recently passed away.

With a smile the teller said, “She was such a sweet girl.”

The conversation left me feeling so many emotions. Sadness that my mother is gone. Happiness that I had talked to someone who knew her as a “girl.” Thankfulness that my mother had such a sweet and gentle spirit. And just a little pride that this stranger could tell that I was related to her.

As we go through life, others are looking to see who we might be related to. I hope that those I encounter might think, you know, she sure reminds me of someone. I hope that there’s enough of Him and so little of me that His light shines through. I hope they can see His sweet and gentle spirit living in me. And if anyone ever asks if I’m related to a carpenter from Galilee, I’m sure going to feel just a little pride as I answer, “yes.”

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women in Faith Shine the Light Contest. She and her husband have two children and one grandchild and reside in Mount Airy, North Carolina. Susan is featured in Spirit & HEART: A Devotional Journey.

Spirit & HEART: A Devotional Journey

Created in the image of the Father, we carry His Spirit and Soul, His Spirit and Mind, His Spirit and Body and His Spirit and Heart. From the authors of Christian Devotions comes the first in a series of 30-day devotionals focusing on the image and attributes given to us by God. Contact us at books@christiandevotions.us

A Season of Hope -- Susan Dollyhigh

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

As we sat around the kitchen table at the homeless shelter, we lit the purple Advent candle that symbolizes hope and talked about the great reason Christians have to hope. We talked about the hope the prophet Isaiah gave the world when he foretold the birth of Christ. We talked about the eternal hope that Jesus gave after he came to earth and promised to return and take us with him. We talked about how that eternal hope surpasses the condition of our lives on earth. Even the condition of illness. Even the condition of job loss. Even the condition of domestic violence. Even the condition of just being released from jail. Even the condition of struggling with an addiction. All of the conditions that lead to homelessness.

We made lists of things that we want and things that we hope for. We talked about the things we hope for this week, this Christmas season, next year, and for the rest of our lifetime here on earth.

We talked about our next life in Heaven and what it will be like to see Jesus face- to-face. We tried to imagine what it will be like to go where He is. We talked about the hope that believers have that someday Christ will take us to our permanent heavenly home where there will be no more illness, no more job loss, no more sin, no more homelessness, and no more death.

As we talked, the peace that passes understanding replaced expressions of worry on all the ladies faces. And it was then that an uninvited guest showed up. He loves to do that. He loves to ruin a party. He loves to steal our joy. He loves to remind us of sins that our Father tells us He has forgotten. And he did just that as he reminded one of the ladies of her past sins. And her expression of peace melted away as her face drooped with sadness.

In a small voice she shared, “I know I’ll be there. I know I’m going to Heaven but I have a feeling I’ll be in the back of the crowd and won’t be able to see Jesus. I’ve just done too many bad things in my life.”

And then another lady chimed in, “Yeah, me too. I’ve done too much. I know I’ll be in the back too.”

“Why would you think that?” I asked. “If all the sinners have to be in the back of the crowd, that won’t leave anyone to be up front with Jesus! He’ll be all alone.”

They slowly smiled. They just needed a reminder as do we all in this season of Advent. We have hope. We have the good news of great joy that is for all the people. In the town of David, a Savior was born and He is Christ the Lord.





Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a free-lance writer and columnist who recently won the Women in Faith Shine the Light Contest. She and her husband have two children and one grandchild and reside in Mount Airy, North Carolina.