Our Blog
Encouragement for every season of lifeLet there be Peace
"Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me," I sing as I sit at my piano, picking out and practicing songs for two upcoming Christmas performances. I have so many Christmas favorites, and it gets hard to narrow my set list down to my top twelve. But as I...
The Skill of Receiving
Last month, I stopped into the Hallmark Visitor Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on the way home from a road trip. As I was walking through the self-guided tour, I came across one exhibit displaying an array of resin crowns decorated by employees to celebrate the...
What I Learned Because of Missing Pants and Muffin Tops
About to drive to pick up my sister and head to the airport and our final destination, a beloved blogging and writing conference called Allume, I have everything planned. Getting up early, I plan to sneak quietly out of my house, so as not to wake anyone else up....
The Hidden Thought Life
Justification. Reasoning through our human nature. These are very real areas in which we humans struggle all too often. We don’t like to talk about it. We don’t like to admit it. Yet the struggle is real in our thought life, both sexual and non-sexual. Oftentimes, we...
DIY: Family Thankfulness Journal
I’ve always been amazed how the day is glossed over. Sandwiched between the picked-over shelves of leftover costumes and candy no one will ever eat and the jingle bells of Christmas trees, Thanksgiving receives absolutely no fanfare. If retail stores are the gauge for...
A Prayer 10 Years in the Making
When my dear friend Katrina died after a 5-year battle with breast cancer, I was beyond angry at God. After a couple of weeks of avoiding God altogether, I sat down one afternoon and told him how angry I was at him for taking Kate instead of healing her body. During...
The Truth About My Hot Mess Hair
"Why do you smell like dinner?" Tim asked me one night after I turned off the light and climbed into bed. "Hey, that's not nice!" I said, laughing. "I've been having a problem with my hair and I'm trying to fix it." "Mmm," he replied noncommittally, sniffing a bit....
10 Years Later: The Aftermath of Grief
I sit alone in my room. Kids are tucked into bed. Husband is downstairs watching a football game. The soft glow of light shines from my bedside lamp. Snuggled against the pillows, this place is my safe haven. A place I find rest and peace from the busyness of each...
Thanksgiving – Traditional or 21st Century?
I recently glanced at the cover of the November issue of Good Housekeeping and saw - in big letters - THANKSGIVING. It’s no surprise that the November issue would focus on the upcoming holiday, but then I saw a picture of a cake. A CAKE! “No, no, no!” I thought....
A Divine Appointment on a Desert Road
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27 It was hot, dry, and dusty. He was tired and may have wondered how he'd gotten to the lonely road. He'd been traveling and was weary. 'Why” he thought, “did the angel tell me to come here?”...
