We need to reframe the idea of “being grateful.” Gratitude does not replace grief or loss but comes alongside it.

A Heart Returned to the Lord “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But […]

Oftentimes, the plan of the Father can only be drawn out of the water if it is first surrendered.

Gardening was a hobby adopted later in my life. I enjoyed growing herbs, simple wildflowers, and some vegetables. Things like basil and zucchini are some of my favorite things to grow because they develop quickly, and the harvest is bountiful. Other plants take more care and attention, and it may be a much longer wait […]

I have been fortunate to work a wide range of jobs. I was a babysitter and waited tables at a local fried chicken restaurant for much of my young adulthood. In college, I spent my summers as a white water raft guide, and for a brief part of my story, I worked as a registered […]

James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” I believe that any good gift apart from salvation is seasonal, and if we try to hold onto it out of season, it will turn bitter.

Dear Faithful Preschool Volunteer (or soon to be volunteer),You come every Sunday; sanitizing toys, updating phone numbers of parents, sing Jesus Loves Me, rock a crying baby, change diapers or help the potty training child. Your service can be thankless and far less glamorous than the Sunday School teacher who leads a class full of […]

“So what are you hoping has changed since this time last year? What differences do you want in your life?” They were thoughtful questions from my dearest friend who is truly gifted in asking questions and even better at genuinely listening to answers. I knew the answer but struggled to articulate it. “I don’t want […]

“Are these all your kids?” When out in public with my children, it’s a question I hear frequently. It’s a question that possibly has two different meanings. It usually means, “are you the mother of the children present?” The answer is yes. It sometimes means, “Do you have four children?” The answer is no and […]

Five years ago I was cooking a thanksgiving meal in a different home with much different circumstances. Here is what I wrote on that day. “Today I am literally barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. While my husband and little girls watch the parade, I am overwhelmed with gratefulness. Not just today, but everyday I […]