My husband recently reserved a campsite in a nearby state park to take our daughters, ages three and five, on their inaugural camping adventure. As we headed out in his truck that weekend, loaded with all our gear and food for a cookout, I knew a lot of rain was in the forecast. Even so,…
“If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.” I have loved this lyric from John Mark McMillan’s song “How He Loves” since the moment I first heard it. Perhaps it’s because of my love of the ocean, which so easily brings the word picture to life. Or maybe it’s because the word picture meets my…
“I have long wondered if home is the place from which we come or the place we are headed.” ~Christie Purifoy Ten years ago, my husband and I packed our belongings into a moving truck and headed home. With my two small children peeking at me through the rearview mirror, I had a settledness in my…
The conversation around our outdoor table continued late into the evening, well past the time someone had quietly cleared the dinner dishes. As I watched the lightning bugs blinking in the trees surrounding our patio, I remembered long-ago summers when my dinner companions were smaller versions of the lovely young women they’ve become. As I…
A day spent fishing. Homemade whipped cream. A new notebook. I have great respect for gratitude. Its power can transform moods and strengthen relationships. Nothing can brighten someone’s life like a genuine thank you. This past year, though, I told God on numerous occasions that adding comfy socks, delicious coffee, or my son’s laughter to…
Earlier this year, I experienced a period of great loneliness, grief, and anxiety. In the wake of profound loss and an ongoing battle to juggle caregiving, childrearing, and mental illness, I found myself with a thousand acquaintances but what seemed like no close friends. At first, I focused on my own insecurities and tried to…