A friend described to me how she had prayed not to do something, knew God was telling her not to do it, even asked for the Holy Spirit to help her not to do it—and then did it anyway. As she shared her story, memories flooded my mind. Times when I told myself I would…
A few months ago, my five-year-old came home with a scrap of paper. I mean that quite literally: a scrap of paper. She had rolled it into a miniature scroll and presented it to me with great enthusiasm. “Here Mommy,” she said. “I made this for you today!” As I unrolled the scroll, I saw…
No more is the 30-foot-long table of homemade dishes from turkey and dressing to casseroles to deviled eggs. Gone will be waiting to eat because of that one cousin, one of the oldest, who would roll in consistently thirty minutes late. Also missing this year will be the catching up, the reaching for the name…
“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.” (Psalm 127:3) A few weeks ago, my family headed out for a mini-vacation at a resort town a few hours from home. It had been almost a year since we’d had any kind of a getaway, thanks to COVID-19. Our hotel had a…
I feel like the year 2020 has given new dimensions to the term “desert season.” We use this phrase when we’re describing a time of transition or waiting or “the land between” progress and blessings. I’ve had these seasons throughout my life, as has pretty much everyone on the planet. Most of us just haven’t…
In August, summer begins to give way to back-to-school as we trade in swimsuits and popsicles for school clothes and lunches. Even if we’re sad to see summer fade away, we often anticipate the routine and order the school year offers. This August, though, the routine and order looks and feels different from most of…