faith
/fāTH/
Belief in a personal and faithful God who loves us unconditionally; a source of hope and confidence when you feel there is none; the assurance that there is someone greater than you who not only cares but wants to be part of your life
I have some sweet friends who have family living in their office closet. It started a few years ago and has grown from one to two, and finally three. They often tease that there is no more room for another urn or sealed box.
It happened again. I sat down at the Thanksgiving table. A table ringed with these gifts: a husband, our children, their wives, and their children. They are my motives. They are why I schemed and shopped and cooked and baked (a chocolate-iced zebra birthday
I stepped back on the front porch, pushing away my husband’s hug. “Just go!” I said, tears clouding my eyes. I wrapped my arms around my body, yet there was no comfort to be found in them. Dejected, my husband slowly turned and tossed
Ever heard the phrase, “It takes a village,” about raising kids? Well, with three young ones who are only getting older and more complicated, I need a whole village to myself! Shoot, each kid needs their own village. Each child is so different; this
As much as I look forward to the autumn season after a laid-back summer, I often find myself totally overwhelmed and burned out by October. This year, I really felt God preparing my heart for a different approach. Specifically, He was emphasizing that the
This was it, exactly what my heart had secretly desired. I was pregnant! We had just received the results of our genetic testing to find out the gender. I had been quietly praying and wishing for a baby girl. One that I could put
When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him, and the word got around. Soon, a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he
Gratitude sits with you differently in November. Makes you feel toasty, like the hygge of fire-side reading. Slows your steps, your heart, your soul. You welcome her to your table with a carefully laid-out china and your best chair. In November, gratitude is the
When we first start dating someone, we pay more attention to how we are perceived and how we carry ourselves. Our makeup is done, our hair is brushed and our legs are shaved. We use proper manners at dinner and try to hide the
Each year as I celebrate my “Cancerversary” of a Stage 2 Triple Negative Breast Cancer diagnosis, I reflect upon the eight months of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to battle my disease. As a survivor, I can say that the healing process is arduous. Physical
I’m always surprised at how much our past can follow us around. It shows up when we are weak or vulnerable and often pokes at us when our guard is down. For me, my past resulted in a heart filled with shame. It came
(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) It was after my three-year-old daughter’s unsolicited observation that I realized how much God loves all of me—even the messier bits. “What’s under your armpit, mom?” she asked me from the back seat of our
As I sat in that stuffy, little room listening to the woman on stage, I looked around at the other women—some nodding along, some with eyes glistening with unshed tears—all with rapt attention. I listened to her testimony, heard her words, walked through her
A few years ago I was cleaning out my car and happened upon a still-wrapped straw from a fast-food place. I debated throwing it away, but I ultimately decided to keep it “just in case.” I put the straw in the side pocket of
The day I turned 40 didn’t hit me the way I thought it would. I felt young, so I thought, “Why let a number bother me?” Busyness defined me, but I had energy to sustain it all. I didn’t feel like I was “over the
Dear Teachers, We are praying for you… For energy to keep up with your students, lesson planning, grading, covering other teachers’ classes, and the many additional things that go on behind the scenes. We pray for encouragement when you’ve already spent all of your
It’s that time of year when our graduating high school seniors are preparing for college or the next giant step in their young lives. And although there is excitement about those next steps, some mamas are struggling. Their worlds are about to shift in
