Hide-and-seek is one of my favorite games as a mom. Crouching down in my favorite hiding spot, keeping my breath as quiet and controlled as possible, I try to fade into the background and make myself invisible. I get such a thrill when I suck in my breath as my kids walk into the darkened […]
December comes rolling in with a vigor that can be full of childlike excitement or of the dread of “too much to do and too little time.” I’m not going to lie, I’m going to have to fight for the childlike wonder this year. In addition to all of the other added expectations the holidays […]
Gratitude breaks the seal to a deep soul healing. It heals our vision and is the key that unlocks the gateway to abundance. Healed eyes see beautiful wildflowers where weeds once grew. Healed eyes see bounty instead of lack and opportunity instead of opposition. Eyes healed by gratitude’s touch are eyes wide open – eyes awakened to grace.
One sentence in a Beth Moore Bible study years ago significantly changed my faith journey and relationship with Jesus. I was new to town, I didn’t know anyone, and I was in a room full of women, which can be…well, let’s face it, ladies, it can be terrifying. I contemplated leaving as I sat alone […]
Easter weekend is upon us, and many of us have taken communion, remembering our Lord’s last meal with his beloved friends. Several of us have watched an Easter movie or two or attended a Good Friday church service to remind us of the terrible suffering Christ went through on the cross for us. Often times, […]
Many of us don’t do anything for Lent or maybe we meant to but it crept up too quickly. Whether or not you have given it much thought, I really encourage you to check out the podcast today. I have come to love this season, and am excited to share with you the gift God […]
“For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” […]
Brokenhearted, I laid my head down on the table on our porch and pray-cried, feeling every mom-inadequacy rising up within me. My daughter had just left for a place I didn’t want her going, and now the last words we spoke were fighting words – another round of a battle that we are both exhausted […]
Rise Up Episode 2: Hope When You Face “A New Normal” Many of us have had to deal with the ridiculously difficult realities of facing, “a new normal.” Whether a diagnosis, relationship changes, life transitions, or other circumstances that have messed with our comfort and security, we know the emotional roller coaster that those uncertainties […]
This is An Abundant Life’s first official podcast episode of “Rise Up” where we will hear ordinary women who have had to Rise Up from extraordinary circumstances and deep valleys and have watched as God did a great work in their life. This absolutely could not come at a better time, because, I think we […]
I love hearing people’s stories. I have never been great at small talk. I don’t know if it is arrogant or loving, but I just don’t want to waste my time. If I have the opportunity to find out more about the REAL you – the encouraging stories of victories, as well as the bits […]
Lent begins today. I have never really participated in Lent, but as I started researching and praying through what these 40 days leading us up to Easter could look like, I became intrigued. Easter can too easily become just another holiday where we go to church with our extended family and come home to celebrate […]
It’s the time of year when my husband starts getting giddy with garden plans. He starts making plots on grid paper with the ingredients of our future menu plans. It’s equal parts impressive and insane. But I love how excited he gets as he checks the seed trays every day to look for signs of […]
I am so excited to have had the privilege of reviewing the new Fresh Start Bible for Gateway Publishing. I can’t wait to share it with you! AND…you can enter below to win your OWN copy! God’s Word often just rocks me to my core. The more I read, the more I long to know. […]
Christmas is such a funny time, really. For the span of a month, there are unique experiences that completely hijack schedules, radios, and household decor. This holiday is drawn out over five weeks and is the only holiday to have its own “season.” This particular holiday also seems to cause memories that generate a myriad […]
Hang on, friend. Or better yet, fasten your seatbelt. Life can be brutal sometimes. There are times it tosses you around, back and forth, waves crashing over your head, leaving you gasping for air. Maybe you are in peaceful waters right now – what a blessing! Enjoy it! Gain strength, celebrate, and be grateful to […]
She was so lonely. And so, so desperate. She was tired of being rejected, isolated, embarrassed, and taken advantage of. Even as she sat there, contemplating what to do, the familiar stench from 12 years of continual bleeding circled around her. She had tried to do things the “right way,” according to Jewish law. She […]
The best (and worst) discussions amongst our little tribe seem to happen at the lake. Maybe it’s because we’re all forced into close quarters in the cozy, peaceful little cabin or because the tranquility and stillness of the surroundings put our mind and heart at ease long enough to ask rich, deep questions and wrestle […]
This is the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, so in our house full of space geeks, it’s the hot topic. In all the lunar talk, I came across a treasure I had to share; something my husband and I had never known before and have been reveling in all week. We learned that the […]
Her wisdom has echoed in my ears every day since I walked away from that prison. It’s the simple truths that stick to your soul, sweet like honey. “Just make scrambled eggs,” she advised her friend, and all of us that were circled around her nodded in awe and agreement. We all knew just what […]
