Despite the not-so-uncommon view that the hope of this world is found in politics or prosperity or possessions, one brush with eternity, and your perspective can change in a heartbeat. Hope has a name: His name is Jesus. When our youngest was in junior high, he started complaining about pain in the side of his…
My story is not a dramatic one, but it starts in the shadow of pain. I was born 10 months after the tragic death of a sister, only eight months old. Pain has a way of shaping you, and my sweet mother was never the same after losing a child. I know. She’s told me.…
The words jumped out at me from the page. “Do the next thing.” As simple as this phrase might seem, some days life can stop us in our tracks. Whether we are struggling physically–or emotionally hanging on by a thread, our minds can be overcome by a sense of futility. “I’ll never (be/do/accomplish that)… so…
I love coming home. It’s my safe place, my calm in the storm, my refuge from the hectic-ness of life. Not that my house isn’t loud and crazy at times with our large family, but even then, it is a place of contentment for me where I relish the moments, surrounded by the ones I…
I’ve never been good at celebrating myself. I’m not sure why, really, but birthdays have always been… Awkward. Why is that? Even when it wasn’t about my age, I never liked the attention that a birthday brings. While I should be thankful for another year–another day to be alive, I focus instead on the awkwardness…
Just a quick reminder that whatever it is that you’re seeking, it all starts with desire. We can desire riches or fame or even comfort–but wisdom says, “Seek me. Search for me. I AM is the one who will guide you and guard you and rescue you.”
The voice inside my head said, “You’re not good enough.” And I knew it. I was a mom of four, my youngest still in diapers, and I was overwhelmed. Thankfully, I had a loving husband and friends who recognized that I needed help. My husband is a pastor, so we’re supposed to have it all…
When singer/songwriter Keith Green, along with his 3 year-old son Josiah and two year-old daughter Bethany were killed in a plane crash in July of 1982, it rocked my world. I was a fan. My husband was a fan. We had only been married for six months and Keith’s song, “Make My Life A Prayer…
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 ** I want that. Overflow. So full that there’s no room for more. So filled to the brim that hope overflows. Spills out. …
When our kids were little one of our favorite family games was hide-and-seek. Even when they were too small (or too timid) to hide for themselves, we would team up and have a competition to see who could hide in the best place. Summertime lent itself to hiding outside–sometimes with walkie-talkies so we could taunt…
Yep. It’s one of those days. Gray and cloudy and cold and wet. On the outside too. Begging for just a hint of sunshine to brighten the day…
Grief is lonely. The tragedy of another school shooting on Valentines Day has our nation grieving. I cannot imagine the horror of this nightmare in the hearts and minds of so many parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers. So many who are hurting. Those of us watching it on the news and reading about it online are…
The adoption process is a whirlwind of emotions. Allowing your heart to be vulnerable to the ups and downs of this journey takes more than just sacrifice– it takes stamina. Holding on to hope for what is best for a child takes willpower and true grit. Stubbornly fighting for the rights of a child demands…
Holding on even when it hurts. Maybe because it hurts. The pain. The struggle. The anxiety. You worry, knowing that life happens and you are not in control.
The string of lights are removed. The tree comes down and just.like.that. Christmas is over. Only it’s not.
