Breathe!
By Joy West Take a deep breath. Exhale slowly. I was having a difficult week, and my anxiety level increased as the urgent began to...
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joywest
Dec 16, 20212 min read
Giving Presence
By Joy West With a crunchy and creamy bite of a pastel de nata (custard tart) dusted with cinnamon lingering on my tastebuds, I take a...
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joywest
Sep 29, 20212 min read
"Where are you when you're not with me?"
By Joy West A few weeks ago at the gym as I was in the locker room changing into my street clothes after my workout, God spoke to me...
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joywest
May 6, 20212 min read
After the Storm
By Joy West Wild winds drove the relentless rain chaotically in all directions. Balcony plants fell over, dumping a muddy mess of potting...
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joywest
Apr 22, 20212 min read
Habitual Pathways
By Joy West Hidden beneath the surface of the brackish waters of the Tagus estuary’s high tide exists what some call a habit. Murky...
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joywest
Apr 8, 20212 min read
Only One Thing
By Joy West If you were granted only one wish or desire, what would it be? Health, riches, fame, relationships, power, happiness? Would...
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joywest
Mar 23, 20213 min read
5 Things the Pandemic Didn't Take Away from Me
By Joy West When my husband and I were dating, we enjoyed going to the lake and skipping rocks — and still do. We would search for small,...
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joywest
Mar 9, 20212 min read
Hope: deferred or deployed?
By Joy West The last twelve months have delivered multiple disappointments as governments have mandated lengthy stay-at-home...
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joywest
Feb 23, 20212 min read
Unkind Words
By Joy West The other day I wrote an email to a dear friend and inserted a phrase that I thought might be a little humorous. I hesitated,...
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joywest
Feb 9, 20212 min read
The Invited Intruder
I slowly opened the door and Fear’s dark form cast an ominous shadow over my heart. As the darkness began to creep over the threshold...
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joywest
Jan 28, 20211 min read
Nose Up or Nose Down?
By Joy West Here in Portugal, we are once again “settling” into a possibly very long government-mandated confinement, and pastoring LIFE...
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