Today’s post is a two-part series by my friend, Samantha Ferguson. She’s an amazing single mama and photographer in Birmingham, Alabama. If you are looking for someone to take some great family photos, make sure you check out His Hands Photography. I was researching a few months ago about encouraging things to say to…
Redemption: the act, process or instance of making a bad or unpleasant thing or person better or more acceptable It’s Easter Sunday as I write this blog post. I have no idea when it will be posted to my blog, but I know my heart is full. Overwhelmed. Filled with gratitude. All week, I’ve attempted…
“Resurrection is the central tenet of the Christian faith. And it isn’t something we just celebrate on Easter. Resurrection is something we celebrate every day in every way. Prayer has the power to resurrect dead dreams and give them new life—eternal life.” Mark Batterson (The Circle Maker, 41) Have you ever really thought about the…
Today, I have a special guest post by my friend and fellow BLAST participant Robin Patchen. Be sure to check out her blog! I have a confession to make: I have three teenagers, and all of them have rebelled to one degree or another. In fact, one rebelled so thoroughly, he spent what should…
“My [loved one] passed away last week. … Now that I’m older and have traversed this experience I just walk around wondering have the flood gates now opened? Who’s next? What sudden tragedy will happen around the corner?” Loss and fear seem to go hand-in-hand. We lose someone important and suddenly we fear losing those…
Have you ever wondered how God defines a super hero? As I was reading through Judges recently, I found a passage in which God refers to Gideon as a hero. The angel of the Lord appeared to [Gideon] and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” Judges 6:12 The story of Gideon has always…
Labels. We all wear labels. Some labels are good; some not so good. Some have a negative impact on the way we view ourselves, on the way we think others see us. Others give us the confidence to walk forward, believing we are worthy of the good things in life. Some tell us we have…
Jacob and Esau. The twins who fought, even in the womb. Animosity ran thick as they battled for their parents’ affection. Esau was loved by his father, and Jacob was his mother’s favorite. It started with the birthright, when Jacob convinced his starving brother to sell it for a bowl of soup. Then, with his…
Hearts. Pink and red. Cupid. Mushy cards. Flowers. Candy. Love and romance. Everything around us screams Valentine’s Day right now. I’m not sure what feelings this holiday evokes for you. Maybe you are relishing the excitement of a new relationship. Maybe you are in the silent days of waiting for someone special, waiting your…
I was born an organized, detail-oriented, planner. Literally. My mom was unconscious for five days after I was born. By the time my mom and I were stable enough to come home, the nurses had me on a strict schedule. I would take a bottle and go to bed at 10:00 pm, and I would…
Sometimes parenting is really hard. This week has been one of those difficult weeks with my kids. My kids are great, and I know I am incredibly blessed. But, with everything we’ve been through, it’s understandable that we have our struggles. Struggles with faith. Struggles with the past. Struggles with the future. Struggles with growing…
Life falls apart. Unfortunately, it’s simply part of this…life. For example, Job lost everything. He lost his wealth, his servants, his children. Wave after wave of loss hit him, without time to even breathe between crises. He was left mourning, devastated, in despair. When Job’s life first fell apart, however, he was blessed with some…