Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 NLT Missions trips will change your life. They will wreck you. You will never be able to look at poverty the same again. You will be compelled to do something about it. Your days of sitting by thinking there’s nothing that I can do to help will quickly be erased from your thought process…you will be determined to make a difference. One day. One child. One step at a time. That’s what has happened …
I Should (Not) Do That
I suffer from a common condition. It’s called “shoulditis”—otherwise known as I should do that disease. Symptoms flare up under the most ordinary circumstances. When my friend calls to say she’s taking a Zumba class, I think of how long it’s been since my Nikes hit the gym, and my own voice whispers in my head, I should do that. When I scroll through Facebook and see a dozen photos of cutesy craft projects other moms created with their children, I’m deflated. I should do that. When my parenting magazine plugs a recipe for brownies using hidden carrot puree, I …
The Making of a Man Starts with a Samurai Sword
It was a stare down between me and my 13 year old son. I was right and he knew it, but he wanted to be right so badly he was willing to stand eye to eye with me(because he is as tall as I am), giving me his “I think I am smarter than you” glare. Have you been there? I am no stranger to this. I have been there 3 times before with his older brothers. The early teen years for a boy can be brutal on parents and for the boy. So much is going on in the …
Why You Should Get Involved In Your Kids Ministry
When we, as parents, partner with our local churches we can make an even bigger impact in the spiritual lives of our kids. No, I’m not just saying that because I work in Kids Ministry but because I have stood on the front lines every Sunday for the last ten years watching families come in and out of the church and miss the connecting piece between church and home. Can I speak the truth in love for a minute? Families want us, as the church, to teach their kids about God, His love, His grace, His mercy and His …
Loss of a Baby
For the waves of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me; the cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, yes, I cried to my God; and from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help came into His ears. 2 Samuel 22:2-7 Decaying oak leaves permeated the air as I sat alone hugging my knees close to my chest. A crisp, fall breeze combed through my hair as if trying to untangle my raveled thoughts. A year of bitter trials left its …
Moms Grow Up, Too
This time of year, my husband treks to the Wisconsin northwoods—to hunt. I can measure motherhood in hunting seasons. Six years ago, on opening bow weekend, I stood at the living room window and waved to my hubby’s truck with tears welling in my eyes. While he climbed trees and relished pink sunrises, I scrubbed bottles and rocked a fussy baby. Hours crept. Conversations were one-sided. I was lonely, frazzled, and desperate for a nap. When little sister blessed our world, I juggled baby food jars and preschool crafts. My then three-year-old missed her dad almost as much as I …
Understanding for unfinished plans
It was my great plan that fizzled out. With one summer left to spend before my sweet girl left home, I chose a book about prayer for the two of us to read together. I would make a deposit in her heart that would bring a return long after she carried her crates to the dorm. But then we went on vacation, she got a job, and I got busy, and somehow, before I knew it, we had to take those crates for college. My good intentions failed, and I was left with a barely read book on prayer. Maybe …
Heavenly Apple Butter
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. -Ephesians 5:2 NLT Stress is stacked higher than pancakes around our kitchen table. Algebra, latin, world history books, blended alongside crayons and nursery rhymes, all hovered by anxious faces. The first few weeks of school are oftentimes the most daunting for the entire family. We hope this recipe will overflow your home with the delightful aroma of fall, comfort all the anxious school tummies, and help mom…relax! How …
Lunchbox Love Notes For Your Kids
It’s that time again. The kids are back in school and with that our mommy calendars immediately start to fill up. New routines. New bed times. New nightly stress about homework and even after school activities. Oh how I love the smell of a freshly sharpened number two pencil (no really, I do) and also dislike all the anxiousness that surrounds the back to school season. Did we get all the supplies on the class lists? Are we going to miss the bus? What about classes, did they get the classes they needed or the teachers we wanted? Breathe in …
When You Want What They Have
“Mom, I wish we lived in that house.” Perched inside her playset lookout tower, my daughter cast wistful glances toward the neighbor’s yard a few houses north. “Why? I thought you liked our house.” “Well, they have a pool and a picnic table.” Ah. I see. “But they don’t have a sandbox. Or swings. Or all of your favorite toys inside,” I reasoned. “Just because they have a pool doesn’t mean that house is better. We belong here, in our house.” Wise counsel, O Super Mom. Maybe you should take it yourself. How many times have I wished for someone …