The other day, my neighbor gave me a stack of magazines. She thought I’d enjoy the articles too. Little did she know, she handed me a magazine I’ve considered subscribing to all year. I’ve held off because of limited time, and I’ve not wanted to pay for something I wouldn’t use. But, deep down, I […]
Read MoreToday’s my 22-year cancerversary, which means it’s the anniversary of when I was first told, “You Have Cancer.” I was a junior in high school. I’d had a colonoscopy a few days prior, and we were waiting on test results. I knew my GI had found a mass, but I didn’t know more than that. […]
Read More“It was worth it – if I went through cancer so I could sit here today and encourage you in your faith – then I’d do it again.” I couldn’t believe it. The very words I swore I’d never utter were flowing out of my mouth. Sitting across from a hurting friend whose pain I […]
Read MoreI’ll never forget the day I was walking down the spice aisle in my local grocery store and noticed a jar of mustard seeds sitting on the shelf. I looked around to see if anyone else noticed, and I just stood there in amazement. “Woah,” I thought. “If one of these grains of mustard seeds […]
Read MoreMy circumstances were telling me to give up on hope. There I was, a 17 year old who should have been in algebra class and hanging with my friends after school. Instead, I was sitting in a chemo chair surrounded by gray-haired patients and being told I would likely lose my hair. It was so unfair. […]
Read MoreIt was a beautiful sight. Hidden underneath the brush of dried brown leaves and mulch, a little green tip was appearing. The little leaf sparked joy and awoke a new hope. “Finally,” I whispered under my breath. “The peonies are coming in.” Just months earlier, under fading red and orange leaves, I’d carefully planted a […]
Read MoreWhen I was six years old, I got my ears pierced for the first time. I remember the moment well—while sitting in the tall chair, feet dangling below, I felt both excitement as I picked out new studs and anxiety because of the ear gun. My momentary fear was worth it because after a painless […]
Read MoreAlmost two years ago, Mike and I made a commitment we didn’t think we’d ever make again. In our early 20s, we helped start a church. As the church grew, it was incredible, yet the highs and lows of ministry also wore us down. We were young and ambitious, and truth be told, we lacked […]
Read MoreAbout six weeks ago, our daughter Mae heard the words she never expected to hear. “We’re getting a puppy!” I know this because after the shock and excitement wore off she said, “I didn’t think this would ever happen.” She was quite surprised. You see, she’d lived with a dog her whole life—Joey (a dog […]
Read MoreI’ve felt destined for ministry for most of my life, but in my early years, I struggled to define exactly what that means. When I was younger, being “called to ministry” meant becoming a pastor. As a female growing up in very conservative churches that didn’t recognize or utilize female’s pastoral gifts, I assumed this […]
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