A Contributor Piece written for the Redbud Hyphen. Read the full article HERE. Summer nights called for open windows and cool breezes, a welcome change. But the dawn chorus at 5:30 am? Not so much. Those feathered serenades often led to desperate window shutdowns in a bid for more sleep. But over time, the birds' persistent chirping transformed from annoyance to intrigue. Their early morning song, I learned, was a territorial defense tactic. This sparked a powerful realization: I too needed to defend my territory—my mind, heart, and soul. The link between my morning mindset and the rest of my ..read more

Contributor piece for Ministry Spark Blog. Read the full article HERE The Grand Canyon is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. If you haven’t visited yet, it’s worth a trip. My family and I visited there over a decade ago. The beauty of the place is so expansive and awe-inspiring. It draws you in, urging you to see as much as possible. I remember feeling curious as I stepped onto an overlook platform with my husband and four children. My youngest daughter was still strapped to my chest in a baby carrier, while my five-year-old twin girls and my three-year-old son were eager to ex ..read more

A contributor article written for Propel Women "Two steps forward, one step back"—a universally frustrating experience. We all face it, whether missing turns on familiar roads, repeating kid clean-ups, or wrestling with unforeseen expenses after budgeting. But what if this dance between progress and setback is mostly internal, marked by small emotional and spiritual progress followed by predictable defeats? What if we're not becoming the person we thought we’d be? As I've grown older, I've sensed a circular pattern in parenting, marriage, career, and my soul. It raises a vital question: does ..read more

An article written for the Ministry Spark Blog It was a Fall Saturday in October in the PNW, and I was driving my youngest daughter to her soccer game. We got stuck on the bridge spanning Oregon and Washington. Due to an accident, traffic had come to a complete stop. My daughter kept asking what time the GPS said we would arrive at her game and anxiously watched as the arrival time on the screen kept moving out while we were going nowhere fast. On all sides of us there was bumper-to-bumper traffic. First came the tears, next the shallow breathing, and then the panic. Through tears and shallow ..read more

This is a contributor piece written for the Joy Of It Blog Dan Pena famously said, “Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future.” As we start another year, thoughts of the future are center stage. WHAT LIES AHEAD, AND WHO ARE THE COMPANIONS THAT WILL JOURNEY WITH US? I am intrigued by possibilities and curiosities about what is to come. I've been this way for as long as I can remember. I once found a sweatshirt on Pinterest that read, “Think of all the people you haven't met yet." It resonated on a deep level. As I lean into the possibility of tomorrow, I need to stay grounded to the ..read more

A contributor piece written for the Joy Of It Blog A few years ago, around this time, I got my nose pierced. I knew I wanted to wear a small hoop instead of a stud, so I (unwisely) convinced the guy working to pierce my nose with a gold hoop instead of the recommended stainless steel stud. I was nervous about it getting infected, so I was obsessive about keeping it clean. Everything looked fine from the outside, but I knew something was wrong because, internally, I was experiencing pain. Things got worse instead of better, and I decided to see a medical professional to have them take a look ..read more

This a contributor piece written for the Joy Of It Blog Comparison is the thief of joy - Theodore Roosevelt. The Bible as a whole is an epic story. In the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, we, as readers, will encounter compelling content that reads like a novel- war, love, betrayal, jealousy, comparison, and miracles, which are all true! THE BIBLE IS A THRILLING BOOK OF STORIES THAT ARE ANYTHING BUT BORING. Learning to read the Bible is fascinating, fun, and full of truth to apply to our lives.  1 Samuel 18:5-16 takes a zoomed-in look at the story of the relationship between King Saul and David ..read more

This is Contributor piece written for the Propel Women Blog My Psychology 101 course at Wheaton College was held during peak lunchtime hours. That particular day, I had slept in and missed breakfast, and as I walked into class, my stomach spoke loudly to get my attention. My "hangry" pains convinced me to change my routine. My friend and I chose seats in the back row, hoping to slip out unnoticed after the quiz and make it to lunch before closing. With quizzes complete, we exited the building during our mid-class break. It didn't go well. Pushing through the double doors moving in the oppos ..read more

Written for the Living Wholehearted Blog After I graduated from college and moved into my first house with friends, I didn’t own any furniture. Along with having no furniture, I also had no money. The upscale Chicago suburb I lived in had a once-a-year “trash day” where people put their used belongings on the side of the road for pick up. Those with smaller budgets and empty houses marked our calendars to go treasure hunting. I furnished a majority of my first house this way. I gathered coffee tables, chairs, and bookshelves from those hefty donations. Many of the items I found were made of w ..read more

Written for the LW Blog - 11/21 The years 2020 and 2021 have been marked by adversity and challenge. None of us escaped it, and many are still navigating seasons marked by unexpected transition, failure and disappointment. The global pandemic pulled the rug out from underneath us all, and it is now time to rise and find our footing once more. Though this season caught many of us by surprise, God knew it was coming, and He has been forming us through it all. He doesn’t waste anything. Paul’s words in Romans 5:3-4 come to mind; “…we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endu ..read more