Have you ever said, “I hate men”? You’re not alone. A lot of women say it. I’ve said it. For every woman who says it, there is a unique reason why. And there’s a personal invitation from her Creator to be healed, strengthened, and empowered with love. I used to say, “I hate men,” but I don’t anymore. Here’s why. … Read More
You know he’s a keeper when…
Here’s a story from our early days – before wedding rings and babies – that set a precedent for all the days to come. In fact, our kids laughed aloud because not much has changed between the two of us over the years. I still have big, beautiful, romantic ideas and Ryan still grounds them in reality and brings them … Read More
Five Things I’d Tell My Newly-Wed Self
With almost 20 years of personal experience, Ryan and I wholeheartedly believe that God is for marriage and He wants us to make it. That’s why He faithfully helps one frail human being love another frail human being, day after day. For us, this has been a miracle of epic proportions. Our marriage has known some very dark days and … Read More
The Proactive Pursuit of Humility
My husband thought that I was sitting down to write “the first chapter in a book about humility.”
“No way!” I said. “I’d have to be crazy to write a book about humility.” I was joking-not-joking…
Marriage: A Dose of Hope
Ten years ago, my husband and I shared a highly personal story with a congregation of Chinese-speaking people. It was about our marriage – how we broke it and how God repaired it miraculously, graciously. Because there were few English-speakers in the audience, we spoke with an interpreter, volleying one sentence to her at a time. I remember feeling surprisingly … Read More
You Really Just Had to Be There.
The summer after my sophomore year in college, I ate my lunch on an iceberg in Iceland. I was studying Arctic Biology and had boarded an amphibious boat to tour the glaciers. We docked on a particularly hospitable glacier and I munched a sandwich while – hundreds of feet below us – the ancient ice melted and headed out to … Read More
Getting Your Hands on the Good Life: with Instructions for a Hilarious Party Game and the Most Important Daily Discipline of Your Life.
Have you ever played the Cooking Mitt Game at a party? The gist is that each person takes a turn unwrapping a gift that is hidden under layers and layers of wrapping paper. To make things interesting, when it is your turn, you don cooking mitts. Each contestant clumsily gropes at the wrapping paper through the thick mitts – sometimes … Read More
A Study in Letting Your Guard Down
Saturday morning I thought I’d drop Viv off at ballet, go grocery shopping, and take a few of the younger kiddos to the local Insect Fair where you can eat chocolate-covered crickets and see the model of a giant ant. Somehow, the day veered in a different direction and, instead of the Insect Fair, we welcomed two goats into the … Read More
Don’t Miss May: How to Savor Your Life When It Feels Like a Blur
I asked my friend to pray for me and my scattered thoughts. I told her that everything – from food to end-of-the-year award ceremonies, from finances to flower gardens – seems out of control. I’m eating my meals like a highly competitive garbage compactor. I’m driving down the highway like a 3-year-old boy on a skateboard heading straight down a … Read More
Are you Content to Be Small?
“Then the prophecies of the old songs have turned out to be true, after a fashion!” said Bilbo. “Of course!” said Gandalf. “And why should not they prove true? Surely you don’t disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don’t really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by … Read More
