In order to be found by mercy, we are usually already lost. And many times we get lost in the middle of a battle– every woman’s battle … a battle that starts in the thoughts of our mind. And then, wages war in our heart. And in the spring of 1996, my battle started. A battle within my […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 4} The Impasse
Long before mercy really found me, I didn’t realize I should be the one giving it—that I should be granting grace and undeserved favor, especially in my marriage. It never occurred to me that I’d need to, because honestly … I didn’t think marriage would be that hard. From a young age I watched my […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 3} A Mercy that Was All New
I was sure I understood the mercy of God years before I actually did. Life was simple growing up in a Christian home … on a walnut orchard down the end of a dirt lane. And the pace of life in my rural crop-filled San-Joaquin-Valley town was slow and steady. My mom made sure our life was […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 2} Time in the Mud
That Easter Sunday, 1999, I was deep in the mud and in need of mercy–covered with grit and grime and stained with the pain of my choices. Over two and a half years before, even while knowing I was wrong, I had chosen to jump right into the mud—mud that was thick and gooey, complicated […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 1} The Beginning
I don’t remember the exact moment mercy found me. It was more of a process over time, but I know when it all began. It was Easter Sunday, 1999. And I was a mess. As I crawled out of bed, my feet touched the cold wood floor, and I knew the next time I crawled back […]
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 […]
10 Things to Know When You Want to Connect with Your Teenager
Sometimes the wisdom of a teenager just might surprise you. And in order to know what they have to say, sometimes all you have to do is ask. Today I’m over at the MOB Society, a wonderful site for mothers of boys. I’m so privileged to get to write with them! If you have a son, you don’t want […]
Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. He. is. good. Do you believe He is? Even through the job loss The cancer fight The care of an aging parent Or the care of a special needs child? Do you believe He is good? Even through the loneliness and despair of isolation The tension […]
For You to Know His Mercy {A Brand New Place!}
My heart beats fast as I write, groping for just the right words to welcome you to this new place … this beautiful light-filled mercy-space … the one I’ve dreamed of for so long. The place where I have the chance to meet with you–the privilege to invite you in, with the hope that even amidst […]









