Does your schedule in December look more like a battle plan than a family calendar? Does the thought of all the expectations of the holiday season fill you with dread rather than delight? With concerts, parties, family events, church activities, decorating, shopping, baking, wrapping, the season of Advent might seem more like a marathon to-do…
I, for one, adore Christmas. I love the music–the jazzy, the cheezy, the carols–the twinkling lights, the togetherness of family, the gifts, and the food. Oh, the food … but, before I start drooling and daydreaming of that most wonderful time, I want to awaken my heart to what truly matters. Who truly matters. You…
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Col. 4:2 ESV). February 2020 found me anxious and depleted. In addition to the usual Midwestern winter doldrums, our family was in a difficult season. Our homeschooling year wasn’t going well. We were contemplating a change in my husband’s job and possible relocation. We began the final…
I did it again. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t, but there I was, compulsively scrolling through the news feed on my phone. As I read each article, I alternated between anxiety and outrage. This year, we’ve had no shortage of outrageous, anxiety-producing events. A pandemic. Violence. Hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. I haven’t personally…
“The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” (Josh. 3:17 NIV) Have you ever watched God bring you through your own personal Red…
During college, I changed my major seven times. I floated all over the place, from health sciences to education to human development. I didn’t recognize the trend then, but I never strayed from beneath the “helping humans” umbrella. Somewhere, deep in my design, I guess I’m wired to help people. As you might imagine, every…