finding God in the wasteland (Isaiah 35:1)
Laughter regularly splashes over my life, such as when my three-year-old mischievously puts his clean clothes in the fridge, and when my six-year-old exclaims, "Mama look in the mirror! Your eyebrows are bushy." I find joy in new friendships and new opportunities. I am forever grateful for a good family and a cozy nest to …
Continue reading Let us run with patience
On a rare evening out together a few weeks ago, Will and I took the chance to discuss some of the challenges we are facing and how to adjust our lives to better fit our calling. We made some goals for the new year, and talked about how we might go about accomplishing them. As …
This story has no point, other than to say, watch out for the cat! And perhaps it will give you a chuckle on a dreary December day. Last week our family received the unsettling news that Will's dad was in the hospital with a pulmonary embolism. On a whim, we decided to pack up the …
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 …
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 …
Few things hurt my heart as much as hearing these statements from sad housewives: "I feel like a widow." "I'm practically raising my children myself, and I am so lonely." "My husband works long hours. When he is home, he is busy with his hobbies and things and doesn't have time for the family." The …
Continue reading For Christian Women Whose Husbands Work Too Much
When I was small, I often woke up in the middle of the night with joint pain, especially in my knees. If I could get warm enough by piling on extra blankets, the pain sometimes diminished so that I could fall asleep again. Many times my best efforts failed; the pain increased until I couldn't …
God, I cannot sleep, Even though I'm exhausted, I cannot sleep because the pain strikes so deep. So deep it pins me to my bed. I want to get up to pray, to touch his suffering skin, but it hurts too much. The sob lies stillborn in my throat as I think about my son …
Ending one year and beginning another always stirs some self-reflection in my heart. What have I done this past year, and what will I be doing in the next? Have I loved Jesus well, and how can I grow with Him in the coming months? This morning as I was listening to a sermon at …
My Sunday afternoon siesta was rudely interrupted by a persistent, buzzing fly. Keane was sleeping peacefully, his warm, soft skin pressed against me when the fly landed one too many times. Keane's jerk woke me up, and I laid there for a bit, wishing I could zap that evil fly with a stare. Summer is here with its …
