Tag: encouragement

“I always believed in God. I didn’t always know He believed in me.” -Matt Maher from Christmas with The Chosen: The Messengers

I heard those words as I sat in the dark movie theater. It was a record-screeching, everything comes to a halt, moment.

I grabbed my phone and the friend next to me simply said, “Yup.” She had heard it too, ... Read More


I’m not above bribery.

This morning I woke up to find a note next to my computer:

“MOM

When I wake up ask me about Psalm 23. I know it but I will forget to do it for you if you don’t remind me.”

I have three children, but the one who left this note didn’t need to sign it. He knows ... Read More


Left or right, Dad? Left. Up or down? Down.

The ornaments were laid out on the tray table in front of my father. As I picked each one up, I’d ask him where we should put it.

This is the first tree my dad and I have decorated together in at least 25 years. I was 21 and he was 58. Both ... Read More


Have you ever had a MONDAY that lasted all day?

I had one a few weeks ago and it wasn’t pretty.

I woke up crabby. I took my son to school crabby. I went to Pickleball crabby. Then the crabby turned to sad. I ate cookies sad. I read a book sad. I took a nap sad.

Eventually, I wandered into my office ... Read More


Being lost is such a scary feeling.

I remember being lost in the hilly one-way streets of Athens, Ohio a few days after we had moved to town. The panic started to rise in my throat until it reached my eyes and flowed out as tears. I pulled over and called my husband at work. Repeatedly. Until he finally answered.

His voice ... Read More


I need a Year of Jubilee. How about you?

What is a Year of Jubilee, you ask?

Think of a Mardi Gras celebration that covers the entire nation for an entire year.

Now take away the sex, booze, and parades. Add in a whole lot of forgiveness.

That’s the Year of Jubilee.

In the Old Testament, we learn the Year of Jubilee happened every 50 ... Read More


Someone out there today needs an important reminder. Maybe it’s you. Here it is:

God is still in the business of miracles.

God is still providing a way.

God is so big and yet concerned about the tiniest details in your life.

I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes because of a miracle He has produced in our lives. Someday I’ll get to ... Read More


There’s a pretty big celebrity living in my neighborhood. I hate to brag, but the president lives just a few doors down from me. If you weren’t aware, you might drive past his house without knowing it.

His name is Dawson, and he is president of the student body at Lincoln Elementary School in Aberdeen, S.D.

Back in October, Dawson ran for ... Read More


I don’t love social media.

If anyone from my kindness team is reading this, they are rolling their eyes right now, because that statement is a massive understatement.

I love having real conversations with real people, but anything over a computer feels a little forced to me. (Can you tell I was born before home computers were a thing?)

I used ... Read More


Our minds can go in a lot of directions in a short period of time. Would you agree?

Just yesterday I was thinking about Christmas presents, the Packers’ game and tomatoes all at the same time. Has that ever happened to you?

A few weeks ago, I met a magician named Taylor Hughes. I didn’t know it at the ... Read More