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May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus.
Fighting Words
Wherever you go, in restaurants, stores, even gas stations, there are background tracks playing. Like elevator music that fades into the periphery of conversation and the din of customers, the songs go mostly unnoticed. Then, a favorite song comes on, and suddenly you...
Look Mom, It’s Christmas!
With a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face, my youngest son excitedly pleaded with me to come to his room. "It's decorated for Christmas!," he exclaimed. He had been busily working on something for the 10 minutes prior, but like the distracted and multi-tasking...
Peace Like a River
Recently my youngest son swapped out his favorite nightly song list. As I tuck him in each night, I sing him three songs of his choosing. The B-I-B-L-E and He's God the Whole World in His Hands used to be among his favorites, but I suppose recently he has grown tired...
Almost There
Advent brings with it the anticipation of a celebration. The word "advent" means: "the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event." I did not grow up in a church that celebrated Advent or lit candles, so I am later in coming around to the traditions surrounding it....
Burning Timber
For decades, a beautiful white pine has stood guard next to our home. It has withstood storms, snow, wind, and even a tornado. This summer however, we noticed a strange sound emerging from within its trunk and limbs. The distinct sounds of chewing could be heard from...
Hope: An Anchor for the Soul
Years ago, I felt the Lord whisper a promise in my soul. It was a sweet promise of a gift that would come. He did not tell me how. He did not tell me when. Somehow I just knew it was true though. I could feel it in my heart. I prayed off and on for years over the...
When Grief Wells Up
There I was, listening to two first graders give a family presentation in front of their classmates when out of the blue, grief smacked me hard in the belly. During their presentation, the girls shared that they had been born in 2013. Just like that, I was...
What’s In a Number?
There was a time that I was a slave to the number on the scale. That number dictated my mood, my motivation, and my self-worth. Numbers of calories took up way too much mental and emotional space. Those numbers related to how much food I could eat, how much food I...
Endurance and Hope
I hate to run. Running is hard on the body, but it's also hard on the mind. There was a phase in high school when I gave running a chance. As an uncompetitive freshman, track seemed like the best fit. I knew I could at least put one foot in front of the other, so I...
Raising a Generation of Bible-Loving Kids
Unlike my usual blog posts, that focus on 3 principles: Pause, Renew, and Next, this blog post centers on the Next part: practically putting faith into action. Specifically, this post is about how to put faith into action in our homes, and nurture a love of God's Word...
Unexpected Blessings
It was a Saturday morning, and I was being spontaneous. Rather than cooking breakfast, I had decided to surprise my family with donuts. So, I rolled out of bed, threw my probably unbrushed hair up, and drove to a local grocery store. Because it was early in the...
Why Start a Podcast?
I'll admit, starting a podcast is a unique and time-intensive hobby. Podcasting is not for the weak of heart. It requires time and commitment: time to line up interviews, time to sit down and record, time to edit content, time to write and publish show notes, and time...
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