When I was a young mom with four kids under the age of six, I felt guilty at my lack of a significant prayer life. My prayers didn’t measure up to what I thought they should look like. Looking back …
Quiet Sacred Moment
The baby had just been born, the sounds of the animals huddled in the stable are the backdrop to the quiet cooing of the child. Mary and Joseph in wonder. They feel both terrified and in awe. They live, for …
The Reality of Rest
Our fall break didn’t go as planned. I mean, when does any stretch of time off really go as planned? But this week capped any week I’ve ever had. From an unexpected health emergency landing my husband in ICU for …
The Three Elements to Transformation
If you know anything about building a fire, you know it takes three elements for a fire to burn: a fuel source (e.g. wood, gasoline, plastic, etc.), heat (like a spark from a lighter), and oxygen. All three elements must …
Keep Passion Alive in the Process
I am the queen of unfinished projects, and I have a tub full of unused yarn hiding in my basement to prove it. No, I’m not 80, I used to crochet baby blankets for my friends’ new additions. Creating something …
I Don’t Feel Like Going to Church Today
I woke up this morning feeling rather down. There were things on my mind, feelings to work through, and a tiredness that came from months of emotion pushed aside. And then there was change coming and I hadn’t even begun …
Prayer by Comparison
I know many people who are beautiful pray-ers. They’re the people who sound like professional public speakers, who never stumble over their words, and who invoke “Amens” and “Yes, Lords” from those around them during the prayer. It is beautiful; …
Conversation Four: The Four Most Important Conversations You’ll Have as Parents
This is a four-part blog series. Each consecutive day this week will feature Conversation one, Conversation two, Conversation three and Conversation four in both print and video. These excerpts were taken from a chapter written by Axis in Dennis and Barbara …
Bad Days, Not Bad Years
About three years ago, my husband and I decided to pack all of our belongings, sell everything that didn’t fit into our truck, and head to Nashville for a fresh start with our four-year-old daughter. We had been stuck in …