Ever have those days when you don’t feel like doing anything? Well today is one of those days for me. There are lots of to-do’s on my list but no motivation to-do any of them. I seriously consider a Netflix marathon in the comfort of my bed and then I try what millions of us…
It’s 1981 and I’m sitting on a church bus headed to an evangelism conference when a girl and her boyfriend sit down in front of me. I don’t know them very well but I notice the button on her sweater that says, “PBP GINF WMY”. My thoughts drift as I try to figure out what…
Of all the spiritual disciplines, prayer is the one I struggle with the most. Each year I resolve to improve my prayer life but never feel satisfied with my progress. Last year, I got honest with myself and most importantly with God, about my desire to deepen my prayer life. I confessed my frustration to…
I have lived all of my life in the southeastern United States. In the South, we’re known for slow talking—we drag and drawl words into more consonants than their spelling dictates. And I’m old enough to remember a time when we lived slowly, too. Life was more leisurely and less frantic. But times have changed…
Life is cyclical. We make progress and then we find ourselves “back where we started”.
Happiness is a choice. I believe happiness is a choice. Nothing will make me happy unless I choose to be happy. Another person can’t make me happy. A certain weight or dress size can’t make me happy. Money, popularity, education, and experiences can’t make me happy. Happy people are happy because they decide to be.…
“I can do it myself.” When my kids were little, I heard those five little words a lot. Sometimes they were frustrating words because I was in a hurry and I could do it for them faster. Tie a shoe, button a shirt, zip a backpack. Sometimes these words made me feel sad because I…
If your life is anything like mine, you need to pray throughout the day but you might feel like you don’t have the time, the place, or the words. This post offers 6 simple ways you CAN pray throughout your day! In my experience, Christians often feel guilty about their prayer life. We don’t think…
After 14 years of marriage and three young children, I left the work I loved to be a stay-at-home-mom and full-time homemaker. I’d earned 3 degrees and had years of experience in my field but I was unprepared for a life at home. A Woman Plans Her Way I was a committed Christ follower focused…
When my son was still in diapers he would often reach up and pat my thighs with his soft, chubby little hands and say, “Hold you, Mommy.” He didn’t hesitate to ask for the love and undivided attention he needed. Now that my children are adults, I realize they need to feel loved, seen, and…
Last month Eric and I were driving around in search of the next great yard sale. On a back road I saw a beautiful wheat field lit by the early morning sun. I felt compelled to stop and take a picture but it seemed silly and I told myself that there wasn’t a good place…
I’m troubled by the trend among Christians of critiquing the church service—the form of corporate worship— as if we’re all judges on America’s Got Talent. But here’s the thing: Corporate worship isn’t a spectator sport and we’re not there to be entertained. I’m not saying the form of worship is irrelevant or should never be…
We’ve been together 33 years this month and married for 31 years in March. I asked him out on our first date and we’ve been dating ever since; but, that doesn’t mean it’s always been easy. Even after all these years together, staying happily married takes work and requires us both to be intentional and…
Last weekend we cleaned out the garage AGAIN and repainted the walls. First, lest you think that all of the rooms in my house are “done” and therefore I’m forced to start painting the garage, allow me to set the record straight. None of the rooms in my house are “done”. In the twenty years,…
Parenting is hard work. It takes every ounce of physical and emotional energy I can muster and most days I come up short. I’m twenty-one years into this bittersweet parenting journey and once again I’m reminded that coming up short is the very place where His grace and mercy meet my deepest need. The day…
I remember that time my mother was dying and some people were being selfish and petty and I slipped outside unnoticed to the back porch to cry. A few minutes passed and Daddy found me. “What’s the matter with you?” I felt like a snotty second-grader hurt by a playground bully retelling my story and…
I love the sentiment expressed by William Martin in “The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents”. As I read it I couldn’t help think of the best advice I’ve ever received. Ancient Advice for Modern Parents “Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but…
What are you giving up for Lent? As a Southern Baptist girl from small-town Alabama, I’d never been asked that question until we moved to New Orleans. Other than what I’d learned as a religion major at Samford University I knew very little about Lent but I was interested in learning from those who practiced…
Lose weight and get in shape. Does that sound familiar? I’ve set that goal every year for over a decade and I’m not apologizing for it even if I never fully reach the goal I’ve set. I never want to give in and give up on taking better care of myself. But that’s not the…
Hey friends! Please tell me you’re still in the process of settling into a new month and new year. I’m over here trying to get my bearings, get used to writing “2019”, and get the Christmas decorations back into the attic! But even in this time of transition, I’ve discovered it’s possible to experience the…
“I’ll Never Get Over It”. You’ve heard someone say it. Maybe you’ve even said it. To “Get Over it” usually means: to move beyond a past event in such a way that it does not define or control the present. Get Over It Missed opportunity? I’ve gotten over it. Loss of a relationship? Gotten over…
Life is cyclical. We make progress and then we find ourselves “back where we started”.
I’ve considered getting a tattoo for years. They’re an intriguing kind of art and story penned in flesh. As my 50th birthday approached, getting inked was rolling around in my mind as a way to communicate my story. I did my research and I want to share with you what I learned in the process.…
Life can be hard on a woman’s tender heart. Regardless of our job-by-day, at heart, we’re the nurturers, creators, home-makers; painfully aware of the bossy, hustle-culture demanding we do more, do it faster, and do it perfectly. I have a tenacious work ethic. I’m very task oriented so being productive and checking things off my…
Sometimes God plants a seed in our heart that takes years to grow. He is the Master Gardener sowing, fertilizing, watering, and harvesting when and where he chooses. The results of His work are always extraordinary. I’ve been vividly reminded of this truth lately and I want to share with you what I’ve learned about…
“Read and read again, and do not despair of help to understand the will and mind of God though you think they are fast locked up from you. Neither trouble your heads though you have not commentaries and exposition. Pray and read; read and pray. For a little from God is better than a great…
I am learning to be with what is. That sounds like an incomplete sentence, doesn’t it? But I am learning to be—to be content—with what feels like an incomplete day and an incomplete life. Life in this season is not exactly how I had it pictured but if you were to ask me how I…
I often feel like I should be doing more. The season you're in and the hats you wear may look completely different from mine but I've yet to meet a woman who didn't struggle at some point to feel like she was doing enough.
Shame is defined as a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety. Have you ever experienced shame? Most of us have but I find it is one of, if not the, most difficult emotion to talk about. Today I had a complete stranger attempt to shame me. To be clear, there was…
I ended my weekend feeling sure I had single-handedly exhausted all His mercy. And then on this very Monday morning He whispered this to my heart, “My mercy is new every morning!” So I’m passing it on to you dear one. His mercy is brand spankin’ new for you today! #passiton #Monday #mercy #mercywins
Today is D-Day. I wouldn’t have remembered were it not for a reminder on my screen this morning. I clicked the news link and read the summary unaware of the ambush about to take place in my own life. D-Day On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of…
Yes, you read that right. You need to unfriend the mean girl. Have you ever unfriended anyone? I have and I don’t regret it. Unfriending someone on social media or in real life isn’t a decision I take lightly or make hastily. Boundaries and hard lines have been crossed repeatedly and with malice before I…
A year from now what will you wish you had done today? A few years back I found myself in a bit of a funk. (I always cringe a little when I say or write that “f” word. I’m pretty sure my grandmother would’ve considered it a cuss word.) But I can’t think…
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus…
What does God want from you and me? Have you ever asked yourself that question? Do you know the answer? Is your answer biblical? I grew up in a Christian home, became a Christ follower at an early age, have been consistently active in a local church, and even earned two seminary degrees. But I confess…
What are you passionate about? What do you love to do even if no one paid you to do it? What is it that you can’t help doing no matter how tired or busy you might be? Why even answer the question, “What is the desire of my heart?” Does it even matter? Psalm 37…
When hard times come, trust God. Lean into Him. Call out to Him. Cry out to Him. I know for sure you can do this without saying a word out loud. He hears the groanings of your heart. We sing lyrics that say “lean on me when you’re not strong” but . . . Flesh and blood are…
It’s Vintage Pickin’ time! Eric and I have been to the Vintage Pickin Barn Sale twice (Spring and Fall) and had a blast both times! The spring sale is May 3-4 and we already have our tickets! This post is a recap of our experience in case you’re thinking about going. I take lots of…
