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Q and A with Lois Flowers
One of many ways God has wonderfully surprised me is through the community found when writing about Him publicly. Several years ago, I met Lois Flowers as we both joined the same blog link-ups. We became friends – and I also consider her a mentor! Her wisdom, practicality, and kindness are a gift to me….
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God is Sufficient for Your False Guilt
“I feel bad about…” I began. My husband joked it was time for my daily list of “things I feel guilty about that I probably have no control over anyway.” If only he wasn’t right! Too often, I find myself stuck replaying all the ways I could have done better, loved more, anticipated and therefore…
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Helping A Child Through a Big Life Change
Change is messy. Even when we’re well-prepared. Even when we’re excited about it. This is true for kids experiencing seasons of transition, like when they move homes or schools, get their first job, or join a new club. However they feel about the change before it happens, there’s a good chance there will be bumps…
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3 steps to helping kids grasp God’s grace when they’ve messed up
She proudly led me into the hall, demanding I cover my eyes first. When she said “open them!” my jaw dropped. The surprise was a drawing done in pen and marker…first on paper, then all over the wall. “You drew on the wall?!” I asked, flummoxed by her surprise and trying to remember where her…
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Follow in Full
Follow In Full “I know the plans I have for you[.]” (Jeremiah 29:11) This verse is often cited (out of context) to encourage modern Christians of the good plans God has for them. But so often, God’s good plans for us aren’t what we expect at all. Imagine what God might have said to Paul…
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Ruins and the Things That Last
We took a trip to England and Scotland recently. Some of our time was spent visiting ruins of castles, abbeys, and fortresses. The sagging, mossy walls with their abrupt openings told of rich histories and of human ingenuity. Strangely, rubble can be meaningful and beautiful! Standing in a crumbled courtyard reading a sign about the…
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Nothing Better To Do
I wonder if the disciples were more surprised when they discovered the empty grave or when Jesus’ nail-pierced hands prepared them breakfast. I’m a little startled every time I read about Jesus’ life on earth after the resurrection. He’d just proven that nothing – not even death – had authority over Him. He was the…
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Forever New
I love our Easter traditions. We decorate cookies while watching a movie that points to God’s mercy, like the 10 Commandments or The Case For Christ. Matt gives me Cadbury Caramel Eggs. We sing the same songs annually, like In Christ Alone and Up From the Grave. We read the same passages of God’s Word….
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Meet Abigail Ruth Brenner
So I’ve been on a bit of an adventure… Will you join me? (And my 9-year-old imaginary friend named Abigail who I’d love for you to meet, plus her people?) I’ve been trying to find the words to share this adventure for a while and I just keep coming back to “Wow wow wow this…
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No More Wincing
Sometimes suffering involves less weeping than wincing. When we love someone who never quite crosses the line to push us away completely, but is unkind enough, often enough, that we never get close. When we face many little health challenges that don’t warrant visits with specialists and intense intervention, but ensure we’re always well-stocked with…