It’s Christmas morning in the early 2000s. Rainbow lights tucked between evergreen branches twinkle above me. Shredded gift wrap litters the floor like candy wrappers. Steven Curtis Chapman sings softly from our CD player. Out of nowhere, it strikes. A painful ping in my chest accompanied by an unwelcome thought. This will be over soon. […]

I always love Christmas. My wonder for the season thrills at the thought of twinkle lights, evergreen wreaths, hot cocoa, and the beauty of the nativity story. But December 2013 was particularly special—I was expecting my second baby, a girl. Her due date? Christmas Eve. I imagined a Hallmark ending to a Christmas pregnancy. I […]

Every year, as store aisles overflow with glittering ornaments and fragrant pine garlands, I prayerfully ask God, “How can I give Jesus to my family this Christmas?” Last year, I felt challenged to be more intentional about celebrating each of my family members—regardless of where they were spiritually—just as intentionally as I share my faith.  […]

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14   As I walked into the room, I found my two-year-old daughter sitting on top of the washing machine. She was liberally applying a tube of lipstick, dug from out […]

Do you ever wish you could go deeper in your daily Bible reading? Do you wish you could see the things that your pastor or the woman Bible teacher you admire draws out? Even though I studied the Bible in college and spent two decades reading my Bible regularly, I felt like I was missing […]

You walk into the kitchen rubbing your eyes, realizing that 6:00 a.m. sounded a lot better last night when you planned your early morning. You make a cup of coffee and grab a cozy blanket. After all, that’s what you’ve seen those women on Instagram do. Monday seemed like a good day to begin your […]

A friend and I squeezed in one precious hour together the week after Christmas last year. They had gotten a bouncy house that fit perfectly in their garage—an ideal gift for all our energetic children. While the big ones bounced and the babies snacked, my friend and I dove deep. What have you been reflecting […]

I recently saw a smartphone hack for reducing the number of unnecessary photos stored on your phone. In just five minutes a day, you can search the day’s date in your photo app and delete all unwanted pictures taken on the same date in previous years. It’s a quick daily practice that frees up lots […]

The Bible is anything but boring. The first time I read through it chronologically, I found myself in awe of God’s work of redemption. It strengthened my faith, sparked my passion, and stirred in me a desire to share the hope of the gospel.  I’ll never forget the moment I finished reading the Old Testament […]

Nothing prepared me for the shock of that day in the exam room and the sting of the words, “No heartbeat detected.” In that moment, my husband and I went from overjoyed to utter anguish. We thought our prayers had been answered after years of infertility. But just as quickly as God gave, I was […]