Then this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree? Can its wood be used for making things, like pegs to hang up pots and pans? No, it can only be used for…
“Mom,” she began, tears running down her cheeks, “I just don’t understand. Why? Why did God have to take my daddy so soon?” My heart broke as I took her in my arms. The tears streamed down my own cheeks. Few things are worse than seeing your children hurt. And, when you don’t have answers…
There we were, gathered around the table. Jesus, the twelve disciples, and myself. I watched Jesus closely, mesmerized by His every move, His every word. And that’s when He stood, grabbed a towel and a basin. One by one He knelt at our feet, taking the form of a servant. Peter. James. John. Love emanating…
“We have heard that you had multiple affairs and destroyed multiple families,” the email from my employer read. Stunned. Shocked. Mortified. Hurt. Angry. The emotions rocked me to my very core. My hands shook as I attempted to respond. Where could such a venomous attack come from? Hadn’t I suffered enough already? Yes, in the…
About two years ago, my kids and I were facing a very difficult situation…one over which we had absolutely no control. I worried and fretted. I begged and pleaded. But most importantly, I prayed. I had spent the spring reading The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. I was so convicted about the importance of prayer…
Have you ever seen history rewritten? History is often about perspective. We each have our own experiences through which we interpret events. Sometimes an event will change the way we see our past. I’ve seen this over the last years concerning marriage. Often, we rewrite our marriages in light of our circumstances. For example, I’ve…
Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families… Psalm 68:5-6a I have been working on a blog post with plans to update yesterday, just like always. And then life happened. I really am not ready to share details here, but I am…
It’s Saturday. The day between the crucifixion and the resurrection. I woke up with the disciples on my mind, wondering what they must have been thinking, feeling, experiencing. They had watched their friend, their teacher—the one they believed to be their Savior—hang on a cross and breathe His last breath. Dying with that last breath…
“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press…
Sometimes as a single mom you find yourself doing things you never dreamed you would do. And, when you are a single mom of boys, you really get into some smelly situations. Take my sweet Cole. Cole is my outdoorsman. If it involves being outside, he’s all in. Hunting. Fishing. Camping. Shooting guns. Hanging at…
As I sit down to write, the sun is shining brightly, warming the Oklahoma air. We’ve had an unseasonably warm winter, without a single snowflake. Millions of you, however, have been buried by a heavy blanket of snow. And, I have to admit: I’m jealous! There are few things more beautiful than looking out the…
I have very fond memories of my childhood. Many people say I was raised in a Leave it to Beaver home. My dad worked for the government, and my mom taught Home Economics at the local high school. Dad was raised as a farmer, and we always had a huge garden filled with fresh fruits…