by Kathy Brasby | Aug 11, 2025 | Humor, Personal, Stories, Travel
When it comes to planning, I don’t do much.
I often travel with my sister, who is as into to-do lists as I am. She called me the day before we left on a trip last month. “Are you packed?”
“As much as you are.”
Which was code for, “I haven’t even done my laundry yet.”
We had decided to visit family in Wyoming.
I actually booked a motel room for us ten days ahead of time at the Arrowhead Motel. I had several emails confirming the reservation. All from the Arrowhead Motel.
I was ready to order the “New Great Planner” award for myself as we started out for Sundance.
As we neared the town, my sister (who was driving) asked for directions to the motel. So I just punched “Arrowhead motel, Sundance” into my maps app.
Um, no Arrowhead Motel in Sundance.
I didn’t panic. I had at least five emails from Arrowhead Motel, so it must exist.
But did I dig into those emails? No, because I had a better plan. (As the New Great Planner).
Our brother had told me he and his wife were staying at the Bear Lodge Motel, which was right beside our motel. So I just needed to search for Bear Lodge Motel. That’d be faster than rummaging through all those emails.
I typed in Bear Lodge Motel, and the map found it. “Take a right at the stop sign,” I told my sister. “We need to go about a mile.”
Sure enough, a mile east we spotted a big bear sign on the corner with a sign Bearlodge right by a building about the size of a three-car garage.
Sundance was a small town, but really? That was a pretty small motel.
“That’s the Bearlodge Ranger District,” my sister said. Not nicely, either.
Whoosh. My planning award flew right out the window.
I hadn’t looked up the population yet (that’s more planning than I’d do) but learned it was a town of 1,143, small enough to accommodate driving up and down every street.
“Every street, huh?” My sister didn’t say that nicely, either.
I had a smart retort loaded into my response tray, but then I spotted a sign. Bear Lodge Motel. And right behind it was a building.
The size of a car wash. In fact, it was a car wash.
The Bear Lodge Car Wash?
A block later, we spotted a big sign for Bear Lodge Motel and a little sign beside it for Arrowhead Motel.
What did I learn? That Wyoming small towns seem to like names like “Bear Lodge” and “Arrowhead.”
Did I learn to plan better next time?
Of course not.
by Kathy Brasby | Aug 6, 2025 | Listening
A yellow flower stands in a rolling green meadow, a picture of hope. Smell the delicate sweetness of the blossoms. Stroke the silk petals.
Listen. Can you hear the breeze rippling over the tall grass? A bee buzzes nearby.
Life continues.
It’s easy to forget that truth when massive loss buffets you.
You want to curl up in a tight ball on the cold, hard ground and squeeze your eyes shut to blot out the pain.
I hear your stabbing cries, and I don’t ignore your pain because I know loss.
But there is life beyond loss.
The color of life is my gift to you, my child. Smell the air tinged with coming rain. Press a leaf to your cheek and feel its freshness. Count the colors of the dawn.
Rest in my creation. Let my strength revive you and allow my healing power to flow into you.
I know your pain, my child.
Rest in my graceful presence and be restored.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
The wild animals in the fields will thank me,
the jackals and owls, too,
for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
so my chosen people can be refreshed.
Isaiah 43:19-20
My book, Cutting Through Despair: Dare to Hope, expands the idea of trusting God in hardships.
by Kathy Brasby | Jul 30, 2025 | Listening
In your deep pain, you thought you’d never experience joy again.
But grief doesn’t get the last word. I do.
I will give you a picture of what my triumph looks like.
Imagine twirling from note to note on the clouds, your feet playing music on a xylophone of colors with the angels.
As you dance, each toe tickles the melody, and the music taps at your heart.
Let it in.
Inhale a mist of sweet sounds, a warm and healing drizzle of song and love.
Let your feet touch the crescendo of sweet music. Dance to my songs of life and hope.
Be restored, my dear. Be encouraged.
In this moment, I lift you from the darkness of loss to remind you that you don’t journey alone. I am with you.
Even in your pain, sing with me. I will set you free.
See, God has come to save me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
The Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
Isaiah 12:2
by Kathy Brasby | Jul 23, 2025 | Listening
At times, the stillness of grief seemed to trap me when I wanted healing and growth. I couldn’t reverse my loss and, to be honest, sometimes the very air I inhaled seemed tainted with sadness. I wanted more for my life, and so I asked God for help. He had this for me:
Can you feel the breeze blowing against your skin? The gentle kiss of air flowing by? This is my Spirit of change.
Let it flow over you and get ready.
Your steps will be small for a little while as you step onto a new path. I am directing you. Embrace fresh joy to revive your heart and renew your life.
Don’t fear my winds of change.
Close your eyes and feel the cool breath renew your heart and your mind.
Don’t be afraid of what I bring to you.
I am remaking your life.
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
by Kathy Brasby | Jul 15, 2025 | Listening
There were days, even a year into my grief journey, when the pain of loss was like a monster driving sharp claws into my heart. In those days, when I felt the heaviness of loss, I asked God for help. His answer calmed me and connects strongly to the themes found in Daniel 7 in the Old Testament.
Grief can be like a beast rising from the ocean, roaring and sending churning waves to slam you to the ground.
Grief can be like a dragon gripping a mountaintop, shooting out scorching flames and deafening shrieks.
How can you stand against such raging power and gripping pain?
You feel overwhelmed, pressed down, crushed.
Despair wishes to drag you under, pretending to have strength that it does not have in my presence.
Don’t give in.
You need not be defeated because I am the conqueror.
My rule is eternal and the monsters fall at my command.
Even grief won’t steal your life if you remain with me.
Don’t give in, my love.
I have overcome the world.
He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
Daniel 7:14
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. All rights reserved.
