The power of Kris Kringle
I met a man several weeks ago. His name is... well... let's call him Kris Kringle, you know, to protect the innocent. When he told me his name, I was immediately taken aback. I thought it was a joke- thank goodness I didn't start laughing. He looked every bit his name. He had a round face with rosy red cheeks. His stark white beard matched his white hair that had a slight curl at the tip. He wore little round glasses that were pushed down toward the edge of his nose. His round belly told me that he'd probably eaten
Stay Connected
When things get difficult, the easiest thing for me to do is to isolate myself. In fact, my go to reaction is to retreat and be alone with thoughts. Why? It’s usually because I feel one of the following: My problem is unique and no one can help me I don’t want to “bother” anyone with my problems. Everyone else’s life is perfect and mine is not. I know these reasons are not true and irrational, but this is where my mind has gone for a long time. And as a result, for many years I felt isolated, ashamed, and
Get Back Up Again
During our lunch hour, my children are excited to blast the music of their choice. There is one soundtrack that is played pretty frequently because of how much they enjoy those tunes. Though I’ve heard the lyrics countless times, the following stood out to me today: “I will get back up again.” When reading the Bible, we come across many people who faced challenges with faithfulness. Among those are the prophets. Their job was to tell God’s people what He was instructing. I can only imagine the boldness and courage required for such a calling. From what I have been
Are You Willing?
Date night for my husband and me is a special evening which we treasure. Whether we go out for dinner or watch a movie, it allows us to connect as we meaningfully share this carved out time together. To be candid, I enjoy dressing up for these occasions. But I found myself sporting a t-shirt and gym pants with a ponytail on our most recent dates. I had a lot on my mind. I felt bad for looking and sounding like such a mess. But the outcome was the same. We had a great conversation as I poured out what
Girl Time
She had 2.5 years of time alone with Daddy and Mommy. Toys, bed, kitchen, living room...it all belonged to my daughter. Until one day, her brother came along, and in what seemed like moments, the spotlight was gone. A few years later, another brother entered the picture and took over her space, monopolizing everything, and now with two people to compete with, she was hungry just to get a word in. Any firstborn child can relate. "Where do I fit in?" As the years went by, I started to see the signs of hunger for attention, so I developed a
Girl, Do The Thing!
My friend’s fifteen year old daughter greeted us at the door. Her warm smile took me back. Wow! Talk about a mirror image of her mom. When did this happen? As I walked into her house, it only took a second for me to notice my friend’s eclectic style was still everywhere. The wall color, the decor, the artwork. It was as if nothing had changed… but oh, so much had changed. My friend passed away three years ago. And being back in her home triggered a flood of memories to resurface and fill my mind. Weekly play dates with
LiveBigBoldBrave
Yesterday I attended the memorial service of a young man who passed away unexpectedly last week. The service was a beautiful celebration of his life and the legacy he left behind in his 17 years on this earth. There was so much love in that room, and I was so moved to see the collective Church and community come together to celebrate his beautiful life and to love on his sweet family. There are no words that take away the pain for loved ones who grieve. But when words fall short, there is a peace that comes that truly passes
Never Alone
“Father, when I feel alone, let me hear your voice calming me, help me feel your presence enveloping me, open my eyes to see your arms holding me, give my heart a peace that calms me, and remind me I am never alone.” God is with you through the fire as spoken through the eloquent lyrics of the song by Hillsong United. May His heavenly peace wash over you as you are reminded that you never walk alone. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zmNc0L7Ac5c
Jesus Wept
There are times when there are no words. The situation is so heartbreaking that you feel it deep down in your soul. Yesterday was one of those days. And the feeling lingers today. It was a day when I knew all of the Christian things to say but it was still hard to even wrap my mind around the incredible loss. This particular tragedy happened to not just good people … but godly people. As followers of Christ, we know we have hope. We know that God uses all things for our good and His glory. We know He
The Power of God’s Word
A few days ago, I went to bed preoccupied. My mind was focused on an issue that I thought had been resolved. Yet, there it was rearing its head … again. My insides began churning as I felt overwhelmed with frustration and anxiety. I found myself having great difficulty falling asleep. After just a few hours of lying there, I arose with the same thoughts heavily weighing on my mind. My head hurt and I was just plain ol’ tired. As I sat down to read the Bible that morning, I was in Isaiah chapter 26 when suddenly coming across
