As I journey through life, I am surprised that pain takes me so off guard. Pain is inevitable in a fallen world, stemming from Adams decision so long ago, and still reeking havoc in our lives today. The question is not if pain will happen, but when. Then the choice lies, how will we respond […]

Here’s a little secret… marriage is hard! After a long day of wrangling kids, doing the ever mounting dishes, folding the Leaning Tower of Pisa laundry, you may collapse on the couch wondering, is there really time or energy for your spouse? I am here to let you know the answer is no. Just kidding. […]

Teaching your kids how to learn certain life skills takes energy, patience, determination, and flexibility as they learn and make mistakes on the way. Yet, the value of teaching how to do chores not only benefits you, but also your child for now and the years to come. Let’s be honest here. There is always […]

Jesus…the crux of the salvation story. The pillar of the Christian faith. Why Jesus? Why believe in a God you don’t feel you know, and a faith you don’t understand? Would you listen if He prodded your heart? If you fully believed He saw you right where you are at with all your brokenness and baggage and yet still loves you. There is a biblical account of a Samaritan woman, searching for love, filling her life with empty relationships. Her void in her heart was as deep as the well she sought water from. Yet, Jesus saw her, offering her wholeness, despite the emptiness she felt. Would you allow Him a second of your time to reveal to you, that He loves you despite all the wrongs that you have ever done?

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control, who wouldn’t want their kids to exhibit these attributes? It’s a beautiful thing to watch our kids show love to others, but sometimes life looks messier than how facebook portrays. It’s a daily, purposeful quest to live focused and free. So when I can make a craft that helps encourage attributes that I am aiming for, I am all in. I wanted to share a simple little craft about the fruits of the Spirit that I used to help encourage a spark in my kids to do the right things, and hopefully you will also find value in it too!

A sandy-haired boy with deep ocean blue eyes and a strong stature, coyly sits. He reminds me of a young David in the Bible; fearless, handsome, and loveable. His emotions dangle off his sleeves as he lives his life in extremes. Hate and love are often on his lips… as he either disdains something or can’t imagine life without it. This boy, a warrior at heart, filled with passion and emotion is my son, Jayden.

A Father’s hands tell his story. Dedication and sacrifice are how he spends his days as his life no longer becomes about himself. It has been broken for another. He tirelessly rises and grinds so as to make sure his family is fed and clothed. His hands and back hurt, his body aches, and yet […]

Give the gift of showing Christ to others this Christmas season, by showing kindness to those He loves. Join me on these 24 Intentional Acts of Kindness!

My feet are resting under our chipped Ethan Allen coffee table. It’s near midnight and there is a stillness in the air. All the kids are asleep, and the day is drawing closer to a new day. My thoughts don’t rest, although the time is telling me to, as I try to eke out a few more minutes of this gift called “today”. So many good, hard and beautiful moments etched onto today’s page… written in sacrificial love. It’s effortless to walk in creek beds, receive hand drawn cards, and enjoy my kids because they truly are a gift. That’s easy love. Yet, the love of a child, goes beyond the easy, and allows you to love when it’s hard. Disregarding selfishness, and transforming your life so that you think of someone else’s needs above your own.

Busyness is all around us; cluttering our life and thought process as though it belongs. Pressuring us to hurry instead of being still. Life can almost feel like a siren; repetitious, loud, and making it hard for us to think clearly. How much of this is warranted, and how much of this is unnecessary? God is so gracious. Sometimes we are the Martha’s of the world, striving to achieve our own “self-validation”, while God is saying, “Come sit next to me. Rest with me, because you are my beloved. I loved you when you were the vilest of sinners, and I love you now.”