At Home With Maw Maw Deb

Author: Deborah Seale

  • The Sound of the World

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    Deborah Seale
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    We’ve all been in that room. The one where the air feels heavy with the talk of “more.” More investments, more acquisitions, more status. It’s a constant hum of financial strategy and self-congratulation. Sometimes, you look around and wonder: Is this all there is? There is a specific kind of “smirk” that comes with worldly…

  • The War of Wills

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    Deborah Seale
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    We’ve all said it. We’ve sung it in worship songs and whispered it in the quiet of a difficult season: “Not my will, but Yours be done.” It sounds holy. It feels right. But if we’re being honest, how often is that prayer actually a negotiation? Most of us are perfectly happy for God’s will…

  • The View from the Pig Pen: Why Rock Bottom is a Blessing

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    Deborah Seale
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    Sometimes, life has a way of stripping us down until there is nothing left but the cold ground and the smell of a spiritual pig pen. It’s midnight, you’re covered in the consequences of your own choices (or just the heaviness of a broken world), and the “reality” you thought you knew has vanished. But…

  • The Gift of the Red Flashing Lights

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    Deborah Seale
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    We spend our lives trying to beat the yellow light. We optimize our commutes, shave seconds off our grocery runs, and treat every delay like a deliberate act of disrespect towards us. But then, it happens: the bells start clanging, the guard rails drop, and the world comes to a grinding halt. I have to stop…

  • Mercy on the Shower Floor: When Selective Hearing Ends

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    Deborah Seale
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    We spend a lifetime building filters. We curate the parts of God we are willing to hear, leaning into the “sweetness” of His encouragement while politely nodding past His correction. We want the comfort of the Church Pew without the confrontation of the Cross. But eventually, the filters fail. Eventually, the soul finds itself on…

  • The Tragedy of the Static Soul

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    Deborah Seale
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    There is a profound sadness in a faith that has stopped searching.We have entered an era of the vicarious believer—someone who is content to sit in a pew, Sunday after Sunday, being “fed” by a middleman. We have outsourced our spiritual hunger to the pulpit, taking a man at his word rather than wrestling with…

  • Different Classrooms, Different Lessons: The Divine Syllabus

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    Deborah Seale
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    One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is that not everyone is in the same class learning the same lesson. What God may be teaching you or showing you in the spirit is not for everyone. As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose…

  • The Sacred Pause

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    Deborah Seale
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    In a world that prizes “toxic productivity,” the act of intentional stillness is a radical—and necessary—choice. We often feel that if we aren’t moving, we’re falling behind. But there is a specific kind of clarity that only arrives when the dust of our own activity finally settles.We so often try to solve our problems through…

  • The Upward Move: Spiritual Truth from the Inside Out

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    Deborah Seale
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    In our fast-paced, information-heavy world, we are conditioned to believe that understanding begins in the brain. We read, we analyze, and we hope that if we think hard enough, the truth will eventually “sink down” into our hearts. ​But spiritual truth is different. It doesn’t flow downward from the intellect; it moves upward from the…

  • When “Alignment” Is Really Just Control: The Cost of Following the Voice of God

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    Deborah Seale
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    We like to talk about the “still, small voice” of God as if it always leads to green pastures and still waters. We paint it as a path of immediate peace and communal nodding.But sometimes, that voice leads you straight into a thicket of misunderstanding, judgment, and isolation. The truth that no one warns you…

  • When “Thank You” Goes Unheard: The Sin of Familiarity

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    Deborah Seale
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    We’ve all seen it. Maybe we’ve even lived it.You’re sitting at the same dinner table you’ve sat at for a decade. You reach for the salt, and a hand passes it to you. You say “thank you,” but the words don’t even hit the air. They fall flat on the floor. Not because the room…

  • Walk in love and bridge gaps

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    Deborah Seale
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    Our world is fractured by “gaps” that split our politics, communities, and families. It’s easy to stay where it’s safe, and everyone agrees, but Jesus calls us out of our filter bubble. We aren’t meant to pick a side of the canyon—we are called to bridge it. The New Testament utilizes the Greek term agape…

  • When the Air Runs Out: Finding the Hand That Won’t Let Go

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    Deborah Seale
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    There are moments in life that aren’t just “stressful.” They are suffocating. It’s the kind of pressure that feels like a physical weight on your chest, crushing the air right out of your lungs until every breath feels like a victory you’re losing. Maybe it’s a season of grief, a collapsing relationship, or a failure…

  • Moving Beyond Regret

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    Deborah Seale
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    As I sit at my table today, gazing out the window, I hear the sound of my grandkids running up and down the hallway. It’s a joyful sound, but it’s also a nostalgic one. It carries me back to when my own children were that small. If I’m being honest, those memories come with a…

  • The Myth of the Disposable Soul: Finding Worth in a Broken World

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    Deborah Seale
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    In today’s world, almost everything is designed to be temporary. From the paper cup in your hand to the razor in your bathroom cabinet, we are conditioned to use things until they no longer serve us and then simply toss them aside. Most people don’t even give it a second thought. But a dangerous shift…

  • Finding Freedom in the Small Moments

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    Do we ever truly stop to consider what it means to walk in freedom?It is a heavy word—freedom. It is more than a political right; it is a spiritual condition. As the Apostle Paul reminded us, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). Most of us never weigh the true…

  • The Journey: Finding Your Footing in a Scattered World

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    Deborah Seale
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    Do you ever feel like you’re your own worst enemy? Like you’re constantly running headlong into chaos, trying to do everything—read everything, learn everything, accomplish everything—only to find that nothing truly gets done? If so, you’re not alone. I often find myself in this very spot, pleading with my Heavenly Father, “Show me where to…

  • Are Your Own Words Holding You Back?

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    Deborah Seale
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    Have you ever noticed it? That nagging feeling that you’re stuck—that you’re simply not getting anywhere? Maybe you’ve felt like you aren’t accessing everything this life has to offer. You know, deep down, there has to be more to existence than what you are currently seeing and experiencing. You might even find yourself asking, “What…

  • Why Integrity Matters in a Dark World

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    Deborah Seale
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    In a world that often feels dominated by cynicism, self-interest, and negativity, it’s easy to feel like a small act of kindness is just a drop in the ocean. We look at the “dark and perverse” headlines and wonder: Does it even matter if I’m the only one doing the right thing?The truth is, it…

  • Built for Belonging

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    Deborah Seale
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    Humans were designed for connection. We were never meant to be solitary creatures, yet many of us now live distant lives, hesitant to let others in. While some consciously choose this isolation, others long for community but simply lack the tools to build it. They carry the constant ache of seeking friendship but never quite…

  • What have you done with your life?

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    Deborah Seale
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    What have you done with your life? You might think that your accomplishments are what count, but they aren’t. What truly matters is how you have loved others. Ask yourself: How have you made others feel during your lifetime? What about just recently? What did you do to help someone else, regardless of whether they…

  • The one letter

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    Deborah Seale
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    Have you noticed that there is only one letter between hear and heart? I heard that what’s in your heart determines what you hear. The more I thought about that, the more that could go both ways really. What you hear can determine what’s in your heart. Do you listen to good stuff or bad…

  • Don’t live in the past

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    Deborah Seale
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    (Previously posted) It is never wise to live in the past. There are, indeed, some uses of our pastwhich are helpful, which bring blessings. We should remember our pastlost condition to keep us humble and faithful. We should remember pastmercies, that we may have confidence in new needs or trials in the future.We should remember…

  • His Unfailing Presence

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    Deborah Seale
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    Another year I enterIts history unknown;Oh, how my feet would trembleTo tread its paths alone!But I have heard a whisper,I know I shall be blest;“My presence shall go with thee,And I will give thee rest.” What will the New Year bring me?I may not, must not know;Will it be love and rapture,Or loneliness and woe?Hush!…

  • When life is overwhelming

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    Deborah Seale
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    In this life, it is so easy to get overwhelmed, especially this time of year, with all the hustle and bustle of Christmas and the coming of a New Year. We can get overwhelmed just by the everyday stresses of life, even if it’s not a holiday. I know I have had lots of people…

  • Press on !!!

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    Deborah Seale
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    I wrote this post a long time ago on another blog I had, however, this is something I have to remind myself to do regularly. PRESS ON !!! Have you really thought about what it means to press on? It means to move forward despite the fact that you feel like quitting. Through every obstacle…

  • Sometimes …

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    Deborah Seale
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    Sometimes, the pressure is too much to bear. Sometimes, the pain is too great. Yet, it’s in that time when we can’t move another inch, God shows it’s in His strength that we go on. When we bow, we bow in prayer, not to the adversity. We run to face adversity and not curl up…

  • Happy Thanksgiving (even though it’s late)

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    Deborah Seale
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    I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. However, due to issues beyond my control here, things did not go as planned, but here is my late Happy Thanksgiving. Can you imagine what would happen if we all had a spirit of gratitude?  I think the results would be simply amazing. Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)…

  • The stolen voice

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    Deborah Seale
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    Discernment is so, so very important, especially in these last days. I find it amazing, and I don’t think in a good way,  at how subtle the enemy works his way into our lives to steal, kill, and destroy. To steal not only our material wealth but our physical health, our hopes and dreams, and…

  • Staying focused

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    Deborah Seale
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    Good morning, everybody It is so hard to stay focused when there are so many storms surrounding us. The winds are blowing, and the rain is pelting us from every direction. And we find ourselves putting out small fires instead of staying focused on the task at hand. If we are not careful, we will…

  • When the key becomes a weight

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    Deborah Seale
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    When I got my first car, I was in my mid-twenties. I didn’t understand how the key turned in an ignition made the car start, I just knew it did. And then I had my keychain, and with this keychain, I soon had more keys to add to it.  The more keys I had, the…

  • A favorite spot

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    We all need a favorite spot. By favorite spot, I mean a place to sit and just be still. A place to spend time alone in the silence of the morning or the day. To be alone in the presence of the Lord. It’s in that favorite spot you find comfort. It’s like a deep…

  • Supernatural “REST”

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    Deborah Seale
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    How many of us go to bed, and we toss and turn, and we claim we are resting? Or we claim we are getting rest by sitting on the couch and watching a movie or videos? Yet, when we wake up from a night of “resting” or “resting” in front of the television or starring…

  • Focus on today

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    Deborah Seale
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    So just for today, focus on just today. Not yesterday, because that is already in the past, and we can not go back and change anything. Don’t focus on tomorrow. It is not here yet, and you may think you know what tomorrow holds, but the truth is, you don’t know, and everything has a…

  • The Choice

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    Deborah Seale
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    Joshua 1:8 (ESV)  “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.“ Psalms…

  • Happiness or the lack thereof

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    Deborah Seale
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    Too many people are trying to make their flesh happy and are willing to throw their life away for it. Sure we have made a mess of things just trying to make ourselves happy but what happens when we try to make amends for it. Most of time we want what we can’t have and…

  • Pride

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    Deborah Seale
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    Good morning, everybody As I was sitting here in my favorite spot, enjoying this cool temperature of fall, a thought hit me. There are some things that are just not meant for others to see. In this day and time, everybody has a camera, pretty much. So, it is not uncommon for someone to be…

  • Truly the forgotten

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    Deborah Seale
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    As I sit here in the safety of my home, I think back to the times that I haven’t always been in a place of safety. And we take so many things for granted. We live now in threat of constant turmoil locally and globally. So, it’s easy to focus on everything going on in…

  • Things we don’t see

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    Deborah Seale
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    One of my favorite things is being outside and watching the clouds or looking at the stars at night. But I really love photography, so when I get to take pictures of the night sky and clouds, I get super excited. When you take pictures at night the camera draws in light from all the…

  • Purpose

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    Deborah Seale
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    As I sit here in the silence of the morning, I think back to when my children were small. It was always something going on. In fact, there was never a dull moment. Looking back, those times were hilarious. However, at the moment, they made me feel like pulling my hair out. What we don’t…

  • Beauty comes

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    Today, I was looking at the mess the chickens had made, and I saw a beautiful butterfly. God is moving in the lives of His people. And He is calling people to come up out of the chaos.

  • Christmas in September

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    Deborah Seale
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    Good Morning Everybody !!! It is such a wonderful day. I just want to share some wonderful news. It is so good it feels like Christmas in September. One of my favorite things is to sit on the couch (sofa) and read in the mornings and have coffee. I sit in the silence (try to)…

  • A question

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    Recently, I encountered someone who made me shake my head because of their stubbornness, and the problem is I am beginning to think it is not because they are stubborn but maybe just blinded by a religious spirit. The problem was they don’t really read the Bible, and they believe it is so full of…

  • Its Sunday

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    Deborah Seale
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    Goodness, it has been a rough few weeks. When our loved ones pass on into eternity, it is never an easy thing. It doesn’t matter how much we can give ourselves pep talks and tell ourselves we are ready. We are prepared. In reality, no, we are not. There is that thing called grief. And…

  • The changing of seasons

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    I am sitting here at my table watching leaves fall, just thinking. It has been a sad couple of weeks. My ex-father in law had passed away the other day after suffering a massive stroke. Even though that in itself is bad, yet good, because I know that he is with his family on the…

  • ???

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    Deborah Seale
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    I used to live my life being tormented by things I could and could not see. I was tormented by fear and paranoia.  My life was a living hell, and I think that is an understatement. I felt powerless up against the things that came at me. I used to think my only solution was…

  • Nobody Knows Me

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    I used to get upset because I felt like nobody knows me, nor do they really care to know me. I felt like nobody really knows what makes me do the things I do. I felt like nobody understood me at all.  I am just a speck out here in this vast universe and I…

  • Dare to Dream

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    When I was a little girl my mom and dad took me with them to see a well-known evangelist. As I was sitting there watching the singers under the bright lights of the stage, I was amazed at the beautiful dresses they were wearing. I had never seen anything so beautiful. I had stated with…

  • Lessons from my dad

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    I have learned a lot of different lessons from my dad through the years. But one of the greatest lessons I learned from my dad is persistence. In life, things can be complicated, and if we don’t learn the lesson of persistence, it is easy to skim over things in search of an easier answer. My…

  • But I really want the prize

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    I had posted this previously but I feel like we (me) could use a reminder of this very thing. Sam has been sick for a few days, and he missed school. During his absence, he missed the deadline to turn in a paper for a library challenge. It was during a conversation that we had…

  • Dignity and self-respect

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    In this life we all have decisions to make, regardless, of what the decisions are or who we are. I also have a firm belief that everybody has the right to be treated with dignity, no matter the circumstances. I have sat back and watched, more and more people are being treated less than human…

  • Plain Old Oyster

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    By Anonymous There once was an oyster, whose story I’ll tellWho found that some sand had gotten into his shellIt was only a grain, but it gave him great painFor oysters have feelings, although they are plain Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fateThat had brought him to such a deplorable state?“No,” he…