I was in college when I first eyed my husband. He was sitting on the floor at a friend’s Bible study gathering with his back against the wall, dressed in scruffy jeans and a red flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his muscular forearms. His thick brown hair and chocolate-brown eyes left me weak in the knees.
And the best part was that this handsome hunk of a man had a tattered Bible in his lap. Read more…
The beach storm was fierce. Angry black clouds pelted watery swords toward the roaring waves that reached up with foamy fists. Sea oats and tall beach grass strained to keep the sand dunes in place. But within thirty minutes of the war of wind and waves, the sun came from the east, chased the irate clouds out to sea, and told the ocean to settle down. Read more…
When I was six years old, I skipped off to school with a new box of crayons, a Swiss-polka-dotted dress, and fresh hope that I would be smart. But first grade only confirmed my greatest fear. I was “not enough.”
As soon as my first-grade teacher held up that initial spelling flashcard, I knew I was in trouble. Read more…
I received an email from one of my subscribers, and I felt she was echoing what I’ve felt so many times. She’s given me permission to share her struggle with you.
Here’s the crux of my problem. After I gave my life to Christ, I joined a church and began reading the Bible daily. Yet, I never experienced that overwhelming feeling of change that so many others experience. Read more…
A new year with new challenges…and a few old ones that slid right on over into 2026 like grease on a slick countertop.
Tell me, have you ever wanted to throw up your hands because the same old struggles cling to your heart and wrap around your soul year after year?
“Why bother! I’ve prayed. I’ve tried. Read more…
Every Christmas, I pull out a piece that I wrote many years ago to help me keep the focus of Christmas where it needs to be.
And each year, I share it with you as well. Hope you enjoy!
I pray God’s riches blessing as you celebrate the birthday of our Lord and Savior, Read more…
Redheaded Sarah was my five-year-old Steven’s babysitter one chilly December night. It was our practice to read the Bible before bedtime, so Sarah opened the well-worn pages to pick up where we had left off in Nehemiah 7 –the long list of family names that returned from Exile to rebuild Jerusalem. Parosh. Shephatiah. Zaccai.
She stumbled through the names as both laughed and giggled at her attempts. Read more…
Last week I wrote over at Proverbs 31 Ministries. I thought you might enjoy it too! Here you go!
Sitting at the beach I watched my grandnieces, ride the waves like miniature mariners. Wade out. Ride in. Wade out. Ride in. I also noticed that the waves didn’t come straight into the shore, but at a wind-driven angle. Read more…
Have you ever felt stuck in discouragement? That’s a silly question. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t.
When I first started writing, I sent off sample chapters to various publishers. Shortly after, rejection letters came creeping into my mailbox.
“Thanks, but no thanks. “Nobody knows you.” “Your manuscript does not meet our needs at this time.” “Blah, Read more…
As we role into Thanksgiving week, I’m thinking how thankful for how God took the messiest parts of my story and turned them into the most miraculous.
I used to cringe at the thought of telling parts of my story. People in my small town thought that my family was a typical American family with two kids and a collie dog named Lassie. Read more…
