Recently I found the most hilarious thing — a diary I kept when I was in 8th grade! It’s the only year I ever remember keeping a diary. Re-reading it made me laugh uproariously. Particularly because I have 2 granddaughters who are in 8th grade, and this helped me see that we’re so very much … Read More about Help for Parents of Middle School Kids: Insights From My 8th Grade Diary
Family Can Be Hard: How to Handle Painful Family Relationships
Last year, my friend’s family was heading to their mountain house to ski and she was really dreading the trip. “It’s just that with my family, it’s always a week of giving for me, without getting much back,” she said. She has tough relationships with her siblings and there’s been a recent divorce in the … Read More about Family Can Be Hard: How to Handle Painful Family Relationships
Our Best Advice for Your Marriage: What We’ve Learned in 53+ Years
We’ve been married over 53 years and we are still learning! I have a very good man, but he’s not perfect. And neither is his wife. We are both still self-centered sinners in need of God’s grace. The good news is that being married this long we recognize this need, and we see God step … Read More about Our Best Advice for Your Marriage: What We’ve Learned in 53+ Years
Good News: Growing as a Christian is Not About Trying Harder
This week I’m sharing a devotional over at Club31Women about spiritual growth. Here’s an excerpt. Growing as a believer is not about trying harder. It’s about letting go of control and allowing God to do the work in you. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) … Read More about Good News: Growing as a Christian is Not About Trying Harder
Why Thank-You Notes Matter
It’s that time of the year… Do you struggle to get your kids to write thank-you notes? The late legendary advice columnist, Ann Landers, once said that the majority of the letters she received fell into two categories—agony from a writer whose spouse was having an affair or sadness from a grandparent who never received … Read More about Why Thank-You Notes Matter
He’s More Than a Baby in a Manger: Jesus, Our Living God
“Behold I bring you GOOD news of GREAT joy…” These familiar words from the angels to the shepherds are pronounced and sung all over the world in many languages every year at Christmas. They are familiar, wonderful, and hopeful. But perhaps we need to dig a little deeper. Recently John and I led a group … Read More about He’s More Than a Baby in a Manger: Jesus, Our Living God
You Don’t Need to “Play God”: Reminders from the Christmas Story
Do you ever feel like you know the Christmas story backwards and forwards, and while it’s wonderful, it’s so incredibly familiar? Want a fresh perspective? If you’re one who enjoys being in control (let me just raise my hand here), this one’s for you. Recently, God used the age-old story of the nativity to give me … Read More about You Don’t Need to “Play God”: Reminders from the Christmas Story
How to Transform Your Thanksgiving This Year With Outrageous Gratitude
Has your Thanksgiving become stale? What? Stale? With all that good food? It’s not primarily the event or even the food I’m talking about but more the thought of being thankful. It sounds so ho-hum, so repetitive, and lacking in inspiration. We tend to think of Thanksgiving as a family reunion, a time to celebrate, … Read More about How to Transform Your Thanksgiving This Year With Outrageous Gratitude
