This quote has been on my mind since my friend sent it my way a couple of months ago. I keep coming back to it, and it is shaping the way I think about prayer.: "Regardless of what crisis or complexity may be threatening to engulf your life, God is at work. You may not see it, but you need to know it’s true. And He’s not just doing one or two or a few things in that situation. He is doing a thousand or more things." -Nancy Leigh DeMoss Especially over these last couple of weeks, I have felt as if someone clicked, dragged, and dropped me inside of these words. As our family has walked throug ..read more

Sometimes we think of prayer as a last resort. When we’ve exhausted all our own efforts, abilities, ideas, and brain power, we say, “I guess the only thing I really can do is pray.”   Boy, is that backwards.    Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20 that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”   This means that whatever idea I have for how God could work in a situation, He’s got something far better.    This means that anything I could possibly come up with for how God could answer or move is too ..read more

Big resolutions intimidate me. You know . . . grandiose, mind blowing, epic promises of transformation. As in, by the end of 2022 I will be a different woman! You won't even recognize me after I . . .   Lose 50 pounds. De-clutter my basement, organize my closets, and clean out my desks. Run my first marathon. Stop all unnecessary spending and increase my savings by 50%. Become a New York Times Bests Seller. Become a better Christian, wife, mother, sister, friend. Yep, it's going to be a great year. But first, I need to go take a nap . . .  You may have guessed it by now - I ..read more

 "It's the most wonderful time of the year . . ." "From now on our troubles will be miles away . . . " But what if it's not the most wonderful time of the year? What if your joy feels miles away, your troubles feel closer than ever, and your burdens only feel heavier as we approach Christmas and New Year's? The thing about the holidays is they have a way of magnifying both the good and the hard. If, for example, you are enjoying harmonious relationships, good health, or have celebrated a milestone over this last year: a marriage or birth in the family, a new job or move, then your joy ..read more

Our eldest daughter Kate recently married Steve at a very special, beautiful outdoor venue in northern Michigan - my sister's and brother-in-law's house! The day turned out pretty close to perfect, from the weather to all the carefully chosen details that made the ceremony and reception a truly meaningful and joyous event. If you had been there, you might have noticed that amidst the beautiful music, decorations, cocktails, yummy food, and heart-warming toasts, there was a healthy dose of "real marriage talk" sprinkled in. It wasn't ". . . And They Lived Happily Ever After . . ." becau ..read more

Why am I not afraid as we board this plane? It wasn’t that I wanted to feel my usual level of panic—it was just unexpected and, frankly, unexplainable. My fear of flying had started shortly after I became a mom, and over the last fifteen or so years, it seemed to get worse every time I traveled. I finally spoke to my doctor and he prescribed an anti-anxiety medicine for me to take right before I got on the plane; while it didn’t completely take away my fear, it definitely took the edge off.   Now, after more than a year of being grounded because of the pandemic, I was flying to Little R ..read more

GUEST POST: HE RESTORES MY SOUL JENNIFER PEREZ It is my joy to share this post from author and guest blogger Jennifer Perez, aka The Encouraging Mom :) ​ Take a few moments to read this peace-inducing devotional from her new book, She Laughs - A 40-Day Journey to a Heart Filled with Joy and Peace. ​ ​And if you could use more peace and joy in your life, order your copy of She Laughs today :) ​Feeling stressed? Anxious? Fearful? (Both my hands and a foot are raised. Anybody else?) I think it’s safe to say that most of us these days are struggling in some way or another. We n ..read more

​I had major surgery in December, so I am starting the new year the same way I ended the old one: SLOW. And while slow can be frustrating, it is also a gift. It has given me time with my family and rest like I’ve never had before. As my body heals and my mind clears, I’m looking ahead to the new year trying to catch some sort of vision. Resolutions? I’m really not good with those. One word for 2021? Nada. I’m looking into what seems like a clouded mirror.   When the pandemic first hit, I compared it to driving into a blizzard. It was disorienting and I couldn’t see very far up ahead. I ..read more

I haven't slept with a stuffed animal for at least forty years. But this past Tuesday, I did. My sweet friend got me this little lamb because in addition to having to have surgery, because of Covid restrictions at the hospital, I would not be allowed any visitors. The thought of me being alone in the hospital the night after surgery broke her heart, so she wanted to give me a tangible reminder of God's loving presence. She was thinking about Psalm 23, about the Lord being my shepherd, and the promise that he would give me everything I needed. And of course, if he is my shepherd, that means I ..read more

I am not a good gardener. Which is why, after months of ignoring the side yard of my house, it became overrun with weeds. So I put on long sleeves and gloves (in case there was still some poison oak hanging out from last year), and started uprooting the weeds that were towering over my hostas.  I almost jumped for joy when I noticed that the plants I was pulling out of the ground were tomatillos! I could not believe it. I stood back and looked around to see if any of my neighbors happened to be outside. I got close and inspected them again, and then stepped back in awe and wonder. How o ..read more