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...

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...

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...

By Joy West Wild winds drove the relentless rain chaotically in all directions. Balcony plants fell over, dumping a muddy mess of potting...

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...

By Joy West If you were granted only one wish or desire, what would it be? Health, riches, fame, relationships, power, happiness? Would...

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,...

By Joy West The last twelve months have delivered multiple disappointments as governments have mandated lengthy stay-at-home...

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,...

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...

By Joy West Here in Portugal, we are once again “settling” into a possibly very long government-mandated confinement, and pastoring LIFE...