There was a time in my life when I honestly wondered if I could be forgiven … if I was worthy to be near God or near the cross at all. And in the most dark and isolating moments of it all, I feared God would stop loving me. For years I told others all about […]
For When You Know You Need More Rest
Rest has become a foreign stranger to me and I’m not quite sure how much longer I can survive without her. It’s been so long. Sleep evades me and a heightened sense of urgency is ever before me, as every single minute of each day is utilized with little to no margin at all. And […]
Mended :: The Root of Brokenness {Week 4}
I grow up on a farm … a farm with lots of weeds. I wish I could say I don’t have much experience with them, but that would be a lie. The truth is, I spend many afternoons in that central-San-Joaquin-valley sun pulling countless weeds, and I never, ever enjoy it. In fact, it seems […]
Mended :: Beginning the Journey in Community {Week 1}
I’ve been broken and shattered. And I’ve lived without hope … engulfed with regret and buried in shame. In fact I remember being so broken and stained by the sin of my choices that I seriously wondered if I had stepped just beyond God’s love. Because for me, I willingly made choices that destroyed my […]
How to Share Your Past Failure with Your Kids
This year is our second year in our homeschooling adventure. We’re studying the Old Testament as well as ancient world history, and are learning so much! We began the year in Genesis and Exodus, learned about the Egyptians and their ancient culture, and started memorizing the ten commandments one by one. In December, as I […]
You Are Loved … Deeply, Truly, ALWAYS
Motherhood wrestles me to the ground and pins me down more days than I care to admit. Insecurity mounts and the feelings of failure rise,like a wave ready to take me completely under and hold me there. Giving in to feelings is futile, and I do so more than I care to admit. But God […]
When Your Heart Longs for Healing {An Interview with Shannon Ethridge}
In the years following my affair, God began healing my heart from the self-inflicted wounds that had scarred me. He began to reveal Himself to me in ways I’d never known before, and as I surrendered to Him, He began to use me more than I ever imagined he could. The truth is, our brokenness […]
For When You Dream of a Community of Mercy and Grace
I’m still full of wonder at the mercy of our God—the fact that I don’t receive the punishment I do deserve, but instead am given grace—the gift of His unending and extravagant love I don’t deserve. I wonder what it would be like for every heart to be found by His mercy and transformed by […]
Hope For When You’re Empty {Unglued Finale}
We drove halfway up the mountain in an argument and it didn’t get much better once we arrived. I can’t even remember what it was about. But most likely it was precipitated by a lack of time together lately, the stresses of finances, and the myriad of responsibilities on both of our shoulders. When we […]
For When You Long for the Quiet
The corn stalks are quiet and salute the setting sun as I walk the powdery dirt path I knew as a child. There’s always something about returning home that calms me, and I’m quiet and take it all in. The birds fly overhead and the sunflowers stand tall. The bees work hard to gather water from the […]
