An Audience of One
Musings of Kendra Purtell
Hello and welcome!
I’m a wife and mom, living in California, along with my family. My story involves a history of health issues, which led to a prolonged addiction to prescription Fentanyl. More importantly, praise be to God, my story also involves healing, deliverance, and freedom from Fentanyl.
I may talk more about that at some point, but thus far, I’ve enjoyed blogging about my faith in general, along with life circumstances (with a bit of humor thrown in).
As to the title of this site, it was inspired by The Man In The Balcony, which is a story my dad has told through the years. It’s a story I think of often, and is explained more in the post titled What’s In a Name.
In the performance of life, let us remember there is just one in the audience whose opinion truly matters. That’s the opinion of Jesus, the man in the balcony. May this richest of understandings then shape the entirety of how we live each day, as we seek only to please Him.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
🤍, Kendra Purtell
Blog Posts
- What Is Your Worldview?
We need to extend grace to others when they behave in a manner that puzzles us or seems out of character. - Give Me Your Minds
There’s a correlation between the mind and the heart. When we love God with all of our mind, the result is a connection that satisfies the deepest yearning of the heart. - Why Our ‘Why’ Matters
While future generations will likely grapple with the same questions, we can certainly set the stage for them. - Middle-Aged Musings
It sort of makes you wonder about God’s sense of humor. - What’s In A Name?
He looked inside himself, and knew he could not play better. He had given everything he had. - Give It A Rest
God is the ultimate creator, and He’s placed this same desire within us. Where it becomes an issue is when our creativity interferes with the creator. - No Snacks, Lord?
If I’d been a disciple, I may have needed to “confirm my understanding” on that one. - I’m The Favorite
His mouth dropped open, then he gave a laugh and said, “I feel like I’m His favorite!” - The Frog
“Mom, where were you at 2 o’clock this morning? You’ve become a person of interest in the death of this frog.” - Sunday Naps
There’s no guilt, because it’s tradition, after all. - The Chosen Few
The potter knew this vessel had been through the fire, and it hadn’t been broken. - It Starts With One
The irony is that God uses people – imperfect people, just like you and me – to do His work. - “You Made Me Feel Like A Valued Customer“
Way to pull out the big guns with the whole “being a light” part. Not what I wanted to hear, Dad. - The Anticipation Is Killing Me!
There’s something about the word expectancy. It’s like faith taken to the next level. - How Desperate Are We?
The word that keeps coming to mind is desperation. Maybe that’s because desperate people are willing to take desperate measures. - Sunday Bulletin Bloopers
Enjoy a chuckle or two over these announcements, which actually appeared in church bulletins. - Little-Known Characters in The Bible: Anna
This woman, who had so longed for the Messiah, lived to be among the first to see Him. - A New Take On Subrogation
I was slogging through a course on subrogation, trying to keep my eyes propped open, when suddenly, I found myself sitting straight up in my chair. - You Might Be A Blogger If
This post is best when read aloud in a Jeff Foxworthy twang. 😄 - Do I Even Know You?
I’d imagine there were times he wondered if the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was going to be the God of Joseph. - Paul’s Tall Order To Husbands
When my husband said, “I Do,” almost 27 years ago, he had no idea the journey he was about to embark upon. - The Funny Thing About Loyalty
Another funny thing about loyalty is the person being afforded it is often completely unaware. - A Bible Version of ‘Would You Rather’
A post from earlier in the week titled Would You Rather prompted the idea of doing an actual Would You Rather ‘game,’ using Bible characters. - The Non-Negotiability of Faith
In other words, faith is more than a “should-have,” it’s a non-negotiable requirement of our walk with God. Thankfully, when our faith-ometer is low, we know the author of that faith. - Would You Rather?
The servants were given front-row seats to the first miracle Jesus ever performed. In fact, they weren’t only witnesses to the miracle, they helped facilitate it. - Working From Home Ain’t No Dog’s Life
You want me to turn my camera on?! Nobody told us this 7:00 AM Zoom meeting was a video call. - Muthlabben: Choosing Praise in Times of Pain
It’s as though David had an ability to move beyond his own pain, and recognize that God was still worthy of praise. Exactly like Becky did that day at the memorial. - Reminders of God Are All Around Us
You know what I did? I cried. And I mean big ‘ole blubbering, ugly-face tears. - A Trip Worth Taking
Some even say Mary embodied every sin set in motion by Eve’s fall so many years before. A fall involving a woman and a tree in a garden. - What If: Thoughts to Ponder
What if the Apostle Paul had been paralyzed by guilt over his persecution of the christians? - Blind Spots
Like the negligent driver, it’s easy to be caught off guard by something hovering just out of our line of sight. - Removing The Nails
If we do not remove these kind of nails, we will never have freedom and peace in our lives. - Deep Calling Unto Deep
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Ps. 42:7 - Does God’s Love Save Us?
On the one hand are those who believe God’s love and grace are all we need to be saved. On the other hand are those who seem to forget the love and grace part completely. - I Know What Karen’s Problem Is!
For those of you who haven’t experienced this, let me explain. When females reach a certain age, everything in life goes wonky. - I’m Proud of You, But…
I can almost see Him glancing our way with a smile, and responding, “Oh yes, I’m proud of them, but… probably not for the reason you’re referring to.” - Lead On, Pastor
Nefarious scheming, political strategizing, and intrigue can all be found within the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. - Guarding Against a Critical Spirit
Eventually, whatever lurks inside our heart will be placed on display through words and actions. I should know. It happened to me just the other day. - A Reason For Fasting You May Not Have Considered
I’d convinced myself food fasting (or water fasting, as it’s called) wasn’t an option for me. - Redeeming The Time
Picture going to your mailbox today and finding a package inside containing $50,600 in cash. - What a worm!
The word used for worm here is tôlā, which refers to the female coccus ilicis, or scarlet worm. - Kingdoms
A fairytale about kingdoms of our own making. - Be Still… And Know That I Am God
I had to stop and wonder how often God feels like that. How often He goes about doing the same ‘God things’ He does every day, all the while, wanting us to ‘look at Him.’ - But First, A Child of God
How well we do in our role as a child of God determines our success in every other aspect of life. - Who Am I?
If you enjoy guessing games, try your hand at this reimagined version of Who Am I. - Kung Fu Panda and The Faith Statement
In identifying with these feelings, I was made to realize how far I’d veered from my faith statement. - Thy Walls Are Continually Before Me
Just as God had ordained the Jews’ captivity, He had also ordained their deliverance. - When You Don’t Have The Words
Have you ever got down to pray, only to feel like you were slogging through molasses – in rain boots? - What Is My Purpose?
Consider with me that long before we had goals and dreams of our own, God had goals and dreams for us. He had a purpose for our lives. - Walking With Jesus
The thing I sometimes struggle with, is not the desire to walk with God, but knowing how to walk with God while doing all the other things we’re called to do. - Ralph
I realized at last why the song had meant so much to Ralph. - The Power of Presence
I remembered the feeling of standing there, wondering how quickly we could manage to slink off the stage. - Trusting His Heart
The most painful part is not the lost ‘thing,’ it’s having trusted God throughout the process, and still finding ourselves with a dead promise lying at our feet. - Possessing God’s Promises: Part Two
All of this suggests there are lessons we can apply to possessing the promise in our own lives. - Possessing God’s Promises: Part One
We see this same concept played out often in Scripture, where God makes a promise, but for that promise to come to fruition, action is required on the part of the ‘promisee.’ - In Pursuit of Peace
Peace is not something we passively allow to happen. We must earnestly endeavor to acquire it. - Covered Wounds Don’t Heal
Thinking we’re protecting ourselves, we place that pain where the breath of the Holy Ghost cannot reach it. Past hurts, even small slights, left untended, can lead to an infected spirit. - Spiritual Diplopia
While double vision isn’t typically something we want to experience, it’s an entirely different story in the spiritual realm. - Permanently Sheltered In Place: Part Two
He doesn’t want to simply be a place we run to when the storms of life come. He wants to be the place where we permanently dwell. - Permanently Sheltered in Place: Part One
The writer relates the story of Jacques Lowe, who was the personal photographer for President Kennedy. - Breaking News! Aaron Appointed to Top Job Over Moses!
EX40 reports in a shocking turn of events, Aaron was selected for the priesthood instead of front-runner Moses. - Girl, You Need A Girdle!
Let’s stop rationalizing away what we feel in our hearts to do. Let’s go out and get us that girdle! - “You Were Not Selected”
From a spiritual perspective, we all have an interview scheduled with Jesus – the ultimate hiring manager – on Judgment Day. - Agent or Instrument?
Invariably, this occurs when the agent’s own free will becomes misaligned with, or takes precedence over, the mission, causing the mission to become compromised.
An Audience of One 