God is the Creator – not just of the physical world around us but of each individual, unique person. It’s no secret that there’s an assault on the sacredness of life today, and no stage of life is exempt. Unborn babies have few, if any, rights. Children, at younger and younger ages, are dissatisfied with […]
Helping Children Wonder at God, the Creator
This week we found tulips pushing up in our yard, had wind blow our gas grill across the deck, and went puddle jumping (more like mud slogging) with friends! Spring is on its way here, and I couldn’t be more excited! In spite of pollen, tornadoes, and poison ivy, spring is my favorite season. I […]
Non-Traditional Bible Versions + My Story (Part 2)
(This the second post in a series on Bible versions. You can read the first post about how I Corinthians 13 came alive to me in a new way, here.) I never intended to regularly use The Message paraphrase. Just like I never intended to live where I’m living now. And like I never intended […]
Valentine’s Day + Non-Traditional Bible Versions (Part 1)
One morning last week I decided to read a biblical passage about love. It seemed fitting, after all, since Valentine’s Day was at hand. I chose I Corinthians 13. The obvious choice! I wanted my heart and mind oriented towards loving others during this season. I expected to come away thinking about love, or perhaps […]
My Word for 2019
You know that phrase, “The best laid plans”? That’s my story for my One Word for One Year this year. Some of you may have read at the end of 2018 that I planned to continue my word from 2018 (grace) into this new year. I knew there was still much to dig into related […]
Tips to Enjoy Life + Still Serve Others
Which is easier for you? To serve others? Or enjoy life? If I had to guess, I would guess you’re pretty good at serving. At home. At church. During the week. Into the evenings. On the weekend. The requests pour in. From your family, from friends, from your child’s school, from church. And, if you […]
Internalize Psalm 119 in 10 Minutes a Day
2019 is finally here! Well, almost, anyway. I’ve anticipated 2019’s arrival for two years now, which probably sounds a bit odd. Let me explain. From the time I was a young girl, I have loved Psalm 119. It occupies the center of the biblical text and its sheer length makes it a novelty. Every section […]
Children’s Devotional – God is My King!
4-Week Children’s Devotional As I’ve sung and listened to Christmas carols this month, I’ve been struck with the number of times the title of King is used. It’s probably on my radar a bit more since I just wrote this devotional! But it’s caused me to realize this point is one of the wondrous truths […]
Christmas Longing: Made for Something More
Christmas! The season brings to mind words like celebration, joy and delight. And yet, celebrations can fall flat, joys can be short-lived and delight can be overshadowed. Nostalgia floods us with wonderful memories. It can also leave us longing for the way things used to be. We miss family, home, traditions. We feel deeply the […]
“How Are You Enjoying God?”
This was a question posed to us at a recent ladies’ retreat. It was a good reminder that gave me pause. You see, I am not naturally oriented towards people. I am oriented towards tasks, achievement, organization and lists. I have to intentionally make time and space for people. I have to intentionally prioritize relationships […]