Going away on a retreat by myself was definitely not my idea.  In fact, had you offered it to me, I likely would have refused.  However, part of my seminary assignment for the semester was to take a seclusion retreat where I would be alone with the Lord.  Just Him and I.  No people.  No […]

Sitting inside the cramped and musty room, I was suddenly overcome with emotion. On the wall in front of me, a small plaque explained the significance of the space we were in. A single lamp seemed to hold the only promise of light in the darkened space. The smell of the confined and damp quarters […]

Yesterday while walking through Walmart, my oldest daughter pulled me aside to whisper something to me.  “Your dad is in the next aisle over.  He saw us but kept walking.” “Are you sure?” I asked her, hoping maybe she was wrong.   “It was him.  He has his COVID mask on, but I know it’s him.  He looked me […]

Being a mom of three girls, there are moments in my week that I recognize that I am having the same thoughts over and over. I think them, realize I am too busy in the moment to do anything about them, and then save them for the next week. Usually the thoughts come while I […]

Disney World. I couldn’t believe it. I was being asked to speak to and work with other Children’s Pastors at a conference in Disney World. For someone like me, this felt like the epitome of a “perk” at work. As a child, I had wanted to go my entire life. I remember watching the TV […]

I felt a chill in the air as I looked outside our picture window, into the cold, gray sky.  It was drizzling rain.  Such a disappointment, since the day before, had been close to 70 and sunny.  It was only February, but the unseasonably warm weather that week had spoiled us a bit.  Turning off […]

There were so many things I was struggling with that I fell into bed exhausted. One of my daughters had broken her foot. One of my other daughters was sick with the stomach flu. I myself had strep throat, an ear infection, and a conflict with a friend. It was a bad day. The chaos […]

      “but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”  Proverbs 1:33, ESV   Have you ever had a moment in your life where you were paralyzed by fear? I have.  I was sitting in front of the post office, trying to will myself to […]