bena

Tomorrow is my kids’ last day of school. This academic year has flown by. This CALENDAR year is flying by. As we were talking about all the things that they’re going to “miss” about school (which was a very short list), I started remembering my own anxiety that I had about their school year. That […]

An open letter to all of those returning to church now… Hi there!! It’s so nice to see you! Here are a few things that you should know before you sit next to me. It’s so good to see your face! In case you can’t tell, I am smiling at you under my mask. Our […]

Have you ever looked around at your life and thought “How did I get here”? My Bible reading this week has taken me to the escapades of David. He has gone from shepherd boy to giant killer to anointed king, and currently, in my reading, he is a fugitive. What a crazy series of events. […]

During the Texas blizzard last week, several of the pipes at my work cracked. These pipes were outside, and they control the water flow and temperature of the small therapy pool at my clinic. The water level of the pool was understandably dropping and there was more cold weather ahead, so the general manager and […]

I am waiting on a miracle. I have been waiting for a long time- more than a decade. I won’t go into the details; ultimately, it’s not my story to tell. When this story started, my faith was strong that this struggle would be brief. I was hopeful, praying and fasting fervently. I asked God […]

My Bible reading this past week took me on the exodus out of Egypt with the Israelites. They wandered in the desert, whining for meat, and God provided them with manna. Moses gives them very specific instructions about how much to take and to not keep any overnight. In Exodus 16:20, it says “…some of […]

This week, as I was driving to the grocery store, the national anthem began playing on the radio. As I heard it’s familiar tune, I felt my eyes sting with tears and a lump form in my throat. I don’t usually react this way. In fact, the last time I reacted like that was when […]

I’m not gonna lie. As I sit here on this cold, rainy final day of 2020, I am relieved that this year is done. We came into this year with all kinds of 2020 vision statements. Optimism flowed freely. We knew THIS was our year. A few months in, our realities were shaken. Our family […]

Ever since my kids were babies, every night when I tuck them in, I repeat the same phrase. “Mama loves you, dada loves you, and Jesus loves you.  He has a plan and purpose for your life.” I know it seems juvenile, but I wanted them to hear that they were loved and that their […]

Last week, I took my kids to get their flu shot. Here’s a peek into my household: My daughter has been dreading this since her flu shot LAST year.  Almost every month over the past year, she would bring up how she didn’t want to get a shot. “Why do I have to get it?” […]