For When You’re A Tired Caregiver
I remember a balmy night this past summer, a quiet conversation that murmured under the soft light of a setting sun concluding a fun, but long, day. “OK, buddy. Let’s get going. Mom needs a little bit of time to fill the cup before we get up and do it all...
For Those Of Us Who Are Prodigal Daughters
(Isn’t this print beautiful? I keep a copy of it in my Bible. The artist is Charlie Mackesy – postcards can be purchased here.) Recently, I’ve been asked to speak quite a bit on the stuff that’s made me who I am. It’s hard stuff....
Doing Small Things With Great Love
A few Sundays ago, our pastor reminded me of a part in one of my favorite stories, The Velveteen Rabbit, where the beloved stuffed bunny just wants to be real. He’s tired of not having the freedom that real bunnies have and he doesn’t think he’s anything special. He...
Leaving a Church With Grace and How to Heal After
On Tuesday, we talked about being hurt by the church. The bottom line is this: Jesus was the only person who was ever without sin. The people who make up the church body are not Jesus. Therefore, we can conclude that those in the church body are going to sin. People...
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When We Think It’s Impressive to Be Busy* Friends, I’m in Book Launch Land. I’m feverishly working to prepare for the release of Heart Sisters: Be the Friend You Want to Have. I’ll be re-posting some oldies (but hopefully you’ll think they’re goodies!) now and then so I can focus more on the upcoming release. Thanks for understanding . . . Oh – and I so appreciate you taking the time share on social media. This is the way of the writer these days and will help get the word out about Heart Sisters! A few years ago, I was talking to a woman who was in ..
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For When You Wash Your Phone in the Washing MachineLast week, I found myself with an unplanned hour and a house of beckoning chores demanding immediate attention. So like any woman with a house full o’ kids and a husband that works long hours, I thought I would just cram as much as I possibly could into those precious 60 minutes. I arrived home, put on my running shoes and started to RUN throughout the house, checking this and that off my list. A few minutes into my Wonder Woman mission, I grabbed a load of dirty towels and, clutching my phone in my right hand, loaded them in ..
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Five Ways To Raise An Anxious ChildI know, I know . . . Who wants to raise an anxious child? Who would ever read such a post? Of course, none of us intentionally tries to raise a child prone to anxiety and stress. But many of us are. Myself included. I’m not preaching to you from the pulpit – I’m talking to you as a friend sitting with you in the same boat. And at times it feels like we’re wearing life preservers and praying for rescue, doesn’t it? The more I think about this though, the more I realize that perhaps parenting is really not ..
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Church Shopping: On Finding a New ChurchIf you’ve been hurt by the church, then it’s likely the thought of ever going back to church again is right up there with oh, say getting your teeth pulled (sorry, Honey.) (My husband’s a dentist. I have to watch dental jokes and comparisons.). I need to confess I once felt the same. Honestly, when those wounds were still raw, the thought of ever stepping foot inside another church again was enough to make me physically ill. We (Jason and I) talked it over incessantly. “Maybe we could just follow Jesus and just not go to church?” we asked each ..
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Why Christians Don’t Always Have to AgreeWe sat contemplatively around the table, speaking softly about the struggles of marriage. I complimented her on her courage because for some reason, we feel shame when we admit our marriage is in trouble. I know because I’ve been there and felt it, too. I begin to share some of my own heart and experiences with my ten year old marriage, wisdom attained through the really hard places. Unfinished wisdom that still percolates and wisdom I know but don’t always allow my actions and choices to show it. I then share some heart changes I had to make in order ..
