I remember as a little girl, hiding under the covers of my bed, trying to shut out my parents’ yelling and screaming in the next room. I heard bad words. I didn’t know what some of them meant, but I did know how they made me feel. Dirty. The next morning, I awoke to the aftermath of the night’s tirade—Mom’s black eye, Read more…
I sat on the floor playing a card game with my young son. It was shaping up to be one of the best summers ever. Steven was savoring every minute of the long hot days, our Golden Retriever, Ginger, had delivered seven adorable puppies, and after years of negative pregnancy tests and doctor visits, I had a new life growing in my womb. Read more…
Do you remember the first Rocky movie? (I just looked it up and there have been eight.) In the very first film about the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa falls madly in love with the very demure Adrian who works at a Tropical Fish pet store. Adrian is very intelligent, shy, and cautious. Rocky is, well, none of those things. In one scene, Read more…
It’s coming. We can’t stop it. The holidays are upon us. And while it is a joyous time of year, it can also try our patience and get on our last nerve. Actually, it’s not the season itself…but the people. Am I the only one who feels that way? I don’t think so…smile.
While pondering the happy and the harrowing feelings that come along with all this togetherness that is coming over the next six weeks, Read more…
Father’s Day is coming up in just a few days. For some, it is a lonely day because the dad they loved has passed away or is absent from their lives. For some it is a painful day because of past memories and disappointments. Wherever you are on the continuum of happy to heartbroken this Father’s Day, keep reading to be reminded that you have a Heavenly Father who is the best dad of all. Read more…
I was exhausted. I was drenched in sweat. I was filled with inexplicable joy–a joy I had never known. It was the day Steven Hugh Jaynes, Jr. emerged from the pocket of my womb and made his grand debut into the world. And it was through that miracle that I understood an important name for God: El Shaddai.
When my son was born, Read more…
2020 doesn’t mean what it used to. It seems like there’s nothing perfect about it. But this one thing I know. God is in control. Let me share a story about how I saw God’s hand intervene on a very imperfect night. (By the way, I have an exciting announcement for anyone who has ever dreamed of writing a book after the end of today’s post!)
It was a beautiful crisp February morning when Steve and I traveled from our college town of Chapel Hill, Read more…
There is so much toxic talk these days. Political ads, tweets, FB posts, and heated arguments among family and friends. It makes me tired. Does it you? It reminds me of an oil spill.
Remember when that 1,200 miles of Alaskan shoreline was covered with black slimy crude oil by the Exxon Valdez oil spill? Eleven million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Prince William Sound and disrupted the ecological balance of nature. Read more…
Let’s face it. People let us down. They disappoint us. And so does God. Often our experiences fall short of our expectations for God to meet all our needs the way we think He should, and like a lover who has been wronged, we tend to guard our hearts against future disappointment by lowering our expectations and trustHe is not aloof. Read more…
I’m writing over at Proverbs 31 Ministries today. I thought you might enjoy this too. Welcome fellow allien!
One spring, our family hosted a 10-year-old Russian foreign exchange student. He went to school with my son and got a taste of what the American Christian family is all about. Alex’s English was very limited, and we depended on hand signals and facial expressions to get by. Read more…