Welcome to Daily Encouragement!
Hi, I’m Charlene Notgrass. I was born a long time before you, way back in 1953. I loved homeschooling — once I learned how to make homeschooling who our family was instead of something I carried around like a big, heavy burden every day. From the lessons God has taught me, I offer you daily encouragement.
“You okay?”
Ray and I drove to Missouri on Sunday to spend a few days with our son John, his wife Audra, and our sweet powerhouse of a grandson Henry. Since he is two and a half, every word that comes out of…
Forty Years of Grace
On Saturday Ray and I celebrated forty years of marriage. In August John, Bethany, and Mary Evelyn and their families sent us on our first and only cruise–to Alaska. On Saturday our girls and their families made us breakfast and…
Generation to Generation
Mary Evelyn asked Ray the other day which was the first Christmas present he remembered receiving. Her question led to a discussion about Christmas memories and other childhood memories. While we talked, Ray remembered board games he received at early Christmases.…
God Teaches Us to Give
An astounding thing happened just over 2000 years ago. Our Father sent His only Son away from the wonder and majesty and safety of heaven to the earth He had created. God didn’t give Jesus a message to write in…
The Day Shift and the Night Shift
Ray and I spent yesterday Christmas shopping. In a Christian bookstore, I found a nice reusable sticker book about the birth of Jesus. I was impressed with the quality. The background scenes for the stickers were great. The book included Nazareth,…
Joseph and Mary Were Careful to Obey
When people tell the story of Jesus’ birth, they almost always tell about the manger and the shepherds and usually about the visit of the magi. I love all these beautiful stories, but I also love the stories of Simeon and Anna,…