Picking up the small green notecard, my friend read her assigned question on the subject of hospitality. "Do you have an intentional banner for your table? For example, do you want it to be a place of laughter? Of compassion? Of rest?" The women around the table paused a bit to digest the question, then …
Category: Family and Friends
Choosing joy
At the beginning of October, I wrote that my goal for the next month was to practice blessing--to be thankful for the goodness God has given me and to spread the happiness to others. Exhaustion and heartbreak ran thickly through the month, and I am still struggling to emerge from a season that has tried …
A month of blessing
October used to be one of my favorite months of the year. Crisp, fall air pushing away the heat of summer. Chrysanthemums. Pumpkin and apple pies steaming from their flaky crusts, smelling of cinnamon and spice. Fall décor. Will and my wedding anniversary. Leaves falling into crackling piles, and children romping through them, rosy-cheeked. But …
When Parents are Failing
What do you do when you think your friends are failing at parenting? Of course, it's easy to have all the answers about parenting before you've tried it out yourself. But suppose you have parented several children already, and what you see in other people makes you shake your head in despair? Let me tell …
The Woman at the Beach
“We are done with people for the week!” I grinned at Will as our family drove out our lane, pulling a rented camper behind for five days of rest and family fun. Our goal was to see the total eclipse in Nebraska, with the side-benefit of a much-needed vacation. The last few months had been …
Blue Sky Music Introduction and Giveaway
Not many people can keep me awake until 2 am talking, but my brother-in-law Lyle Stutzman and his wife Maria are an exception. Maria is my husband's sister, and I'm so pleased to call these people my family, and even more than that, some of my best friends. After all, that middle-of-the-night talk was deeply …
Ten Simple Ways Your Church Can Serve Foster Families (by Jason Johnson)
Foster care is a Church problem, not a state child welfare problem. It is a Gospel issue first, not a government issue. The Church has both the duty and privilege to speak on behalf of and stand for the sake of those who cannot speak and stand for themselves because that is exactly what God …
Continue reading Ten Simple Ways Your Church Can Serve Foster Families (by Jason Johnson)
Little girl
Little girl, I'll never forget the first morning you stepped inside my front door. I noticed your hesitation, and I didn't blame you, for you had been in too many homes to count. You later told me that you didn't like any of them except for one. How could you know if I would be …
My upside-down Sunday
My ideal Sunday goes something like this: Go to church. Eat a simple lunch with the family. Take a nap. Write (with no distractions) for an hour or two. Eat popcorn, talk with Will, and play with the kids. Clean up the house and go to bed at a decent hour. I like a day …
My Love Story
“I don't like squishy food,” I said, over my first meal in the dining room at Calvary Bible School. “When I was a little girl, I once sat at the table for over two hours refusing to eat my soup. The soup had horrible slimy lumps in it that made me feel like choking.” Will, …
arabah rejoice 