Sometimes, in the midst of what should be holiday joy, we feel bound up by sadness. And scrolling through social media to see giant red, white, and blue hair bows; coordinating family portraits; and smiles bright like fireworks can make us feel as though our toes are sifting through ashes instead of beaches. If that is you, friend, I have been there. As I’m immersed in writing my memoir about ... View Post
Diving into Grace
I lay squinting in the sun, eyes half closed, toes woven through the thick plastic threads of the lawn chair, and I listen to splashes and laughter. I can hear my boys above the ripple of the crowd, their sweet voices cast into summer air. “Mom,” my redhead shouts, “come into the water and play with us.” I toss my arm into the air and wave back, but it’s not the response he’s looking for. I know ... View Post
Pinning the Imperfect Marriage
I don’t Pinterest. At least I didn’t used to. I looked up healthy kids recipes once. That was a mistake. Apparently it’s not good enough to feed your children veggies; the carrots, cucumber and olives should be arranged into adorable, friendly penguins. Seriously. Who has time for that? I’m lucky if I feed my kids with sufficient speed to save me from the jaws of their fury. I’ve been known to ... View Post
When You Don’t Think You Can Be Mom Anymore: Seeking Rest in the Weary
“I think the Holy Spirit has left me,” I texted to my best friend late one night after getting my kids into bed. I’d lost my patience with them throughout the evening as they fought over who was more stupid, who really had Jesus in their heart, who made the mess, who loves the dog more, who the dog loves more, who peed on the toilet, who’s driving mom crazier (it was a draw) – you get the idea. ... View Post
Traces of Grace: How What We See Shapes How We Believe
“Do you know all your letters?” the nurse asked Noah in the hallway at the pediatrician. “Yes,” he said enthusiastically, and then he began to sing his ABC’s. She interrupted him, pointing again at the vision chart. She wanted him to identify the letters on the wall. In his defense, she hadn’t made that clear. After the vision test was complete, the nurse looked at me with concern and said, ... View Post
Holy Land Highlights: Where Was Jesus?
Three weeks ago, in a hot parking lot outside a Virginia Chuck E. Cheese, my husband and I stood in a circle, prayed over our two boys, said our goodbyes, and prepared our hearts for the trip of a lifetime. I cried the whole way to the airport, took a break as we went through airport security, and then continued with the water works until shortly before our flight took off. In the previous ... View Post
Holy Land Highlights: The Photo Album
Dear sweet readers, my husband and I have just returned from our two-week journey to Greece and the Holy Land in Israel. If you follow me on Instagram or on Facebook, you've had the opportunity to follow along on this adventure with us. (If you aren't already a FB fan, look to the left and click LIKE.) I posted daily photos and a few videos of our most impactful moments. If you don't already ... View Post
Baggage Claim: How Does God Use Our Failure?
Sometimes, despite my best intentions, I feel like I can’t do anything right. My laundry room is piled up with clothes. There’s more toothpaste on the kids’ bathroom counter than in the tube. I ditch another opportunity to make a wholesome meal and instead load the family into the mini van for a field trip to the local Mexican restaurant. And those are just my perceived mothering failures. Don’t ... View Post
Baggage Claim: Dealing With Doubt
We're in the middle of my series addressing the baggage we can carry as we walk along in this journey following Christ. In week one, I introduced the idea of baggage. Last week we talked about the Trinity of Self as our first bag. This week we're addressing doubt. Have you ever watched a child wait in line for a ride at an amusement park? He starts out patient, a sweet smile in anticipation of ... View Post