It’s Winter Olympics season, and watching fearless skiers do what they do makes me wonder, “What kind of human are you?” They clearly think differently about snow, speed, and risk than I do. You will never hear these comments leave the lips of Olympic skiers: “Do these ski pants make my butt look big?” “Who’s bringing donuts to warm-ups tomorrow?” “Gonna’ have me a big ol’ bowl of Haagen-Dazs tonight to celebrate the prelims!” Can you even imagine those thoughts being seriously considered by an Olympian? No. These athletes are Continue Reading
Bulky Pillow, Broken Suitcase, and Stuff
So I had a dream a few nights ago … My friend Lori and I were competing on The Amazing Race. (Good grief. Any show that combines the words race and you will need to read maps in any country of the world should automatically disqualify me. Yet … there I was.) Anyway. Lori and I had just finished our first leg and were running into a building where we’d need to complete a difficult task. I was almost to the competition area when I turned around and noticed Lori was still coming through the door. (Please imagine me sharing this Continue Reading
✨ Feeling Invisible but Not Forgotten
Have you ever felt like you suddenly became the Invisible Woman, minus the cool cape and superpowers? One minute you’re right there in the mix—talking, contributing, showing up—and the next you’re standing by the potted plant, holding someone’s purse and silently mouthing, “I’m actually very interesting!” If you’ve ever had that “am I even here?” sensation, you are in good company. We’ve all whispered the same thing. It’s just that most of us say it quietly … because we don’t want to make a fuss. (Right?) And you know, sometimes the Continue Reading
Chasing Clues and Catching Grace
If I could pick a dream job? Private Eye. Yup. Think Nancy Drew. I’ve always admired her curiosity, determination, and her bravery. (Yes, I know. She’s a fictional character. But she’s still one of my heroes!) In my daydreams, I imagine opening my own detective agency: “It’s Sweeter When They Sweat.” (Clever name, right?) I can picture it now… Stiletto heels (not just any high heels). Skinny jeans. A form-fitting v-neck tee. And of course—a leather jacket. Waist-length. Zipped up. Ready for action. Flashlight Continue Reading
What if you Choose…
An Instagram post by Pastor Derwin Gray, addressed to pastors, stopped me in my tracks. Here’s the quote: “Pastor, Lead like Jesus rose from the dead, preach like the Gospel is true, and pray like God still parts seas.” Oh my. There is power in those words, right? Even if we aren’t pastors, that prayer can be our invocation as we move into our day. Consider how our daily choices, words and responses would shift! We’d face every conversation, messy moment, and disappointment with hope, knowing that we are loved by a Continue Reading
Change Tracks and Start Again
Good grief. Ugh. Ooftah. Yeah, all the words. Hang in there … encouragement is coming! Sometimes life just feels hard, doesn’t it? There’s a local cargo train that runs past our house twice a day. When it goes by, it shakes everything up a bit. We’ve gotten used to its rumblings, so although we sure know it’s traveling past, it’s not a big deal. But a few days ago, that train went by, and it didn’t sound or feel like an in-town train with a few flatbeds carrying lumber, comfortably rolling through the neighborhood, tooting its Continue Reading
An Invitation For you
I’ll share a note of encouragement in just a moment, but first, I’ve got an invitation. I’m working on a project for you that will accompany my book release in September. As I’m working on it behind the scenes during the next few weeks, you are invited to join a waitlist to be the first to know all the details when it launches! AND … I’d love your opinion on a couple things as I develop it! Want in on sharing your feedback and getting first peeks? Just REPLY to this email with YES! Oh, I hope you reply YES! I’m excited to share a Continue Reading
Wearing My Yellow Boots
Today I choose life. Have you ever had a phrase – words of encouragement from a friend, words from a book, or words that God places on your heart – and you just know that you need to pay attention to them? You can almost feel the message behind the words? That’s how those words felt this morning. Today I choose life. Along with the words came the nudge: live like it then. Live like you’re choosing life. It’s a rainy day here, so when you look out the window you see a lot of gray. And clouds. Nothing too bright. And yet … With Continue Reading
He Knows Where You’re Going
Hey, hi! It’s been an exciting week here. I finished writing my new book and now it’s in the talented hands of the designers! Yippee! I’m excited about this book—the stories, the Bible messages, the encouragement—and am looking forward to telling you more about it. And … writing can be hard! You’ve probably experienced something like this: You’ve stayed focused on a project for a while. Maybe it’s writing, or lots of time cooking, balancing a frustrating checkbook, riding in a car, too many meetings scheduled, or even visiting Continue Reading
Let’s Mute the Bullies
I don’t care much for bullies. They make us feel stupid. Wrong. Less-than. Right? We hear and read so much about the bullying that children and young people are experiencing these days, aren’t we? My heart hurts for their tender hearts when simply growing up is hard enough. The bullies that have tried to face me down didn’t show up in my childhood by trying to control the Maypole or the twirly-bird on the school playground. Nor did they show up in high school. I don’t remember one bully in my hometown. I’ve seen bullies in the Continue Reading
Add the Ink 🎆 Splash the Color
I’ve been looking at the cursor on a blank page, wondering how to put into words what’s tossing like a salad in my brain. Let me give it a try… Sometimes I wonder if my notes here - my invitations to re-think or ponder God-things or laugh at life moments – are deep enough. I wonder if my own faith and lack of faith have the credibility to talk about such important things like God and Grace and Forgiveness. At the same time, my heart wants to encourage and bring Hope by sharing what I’m learning, where I’m falling short, where I’m Continue Reading
Life is good and God is faithful
Life is good and God is faithful. And … ooftah. Sometimes I whisper, Really? Is life good and is God faithful? Then I say out loud, Yes. Really. It is and He is. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. (Psalm 117:2) One of the really cool things about this amazing God is that how we feel doesn’t change who He is. Because He is God, He is faithful. And because He is faithful, life is good. But I bet you’ll agree with me here … some days it’s just tough to stay in synch, right? It’s Continue Reading
A New Chapter
Oooooh! Encouraging words for you here! When your life starts to look unrecognizable, When you press your hands against your closed eyes and whisper, “How did we even get here?” When you feel like you’re the only one who can’t get her ducks in a row, Remember this … Nobody has their act together all the time. Everybody’s got somethin’. We all have chapters in our story that we don’t share or post or read aloud. Most of us are still trying to find our ducks—getting them in a row is for another day. And … We are loved by a Continue Reading
Time to Let Them Go
During the last few weeks, memories from two specific seasons have rented rooms in my brain. It’s been one year since my pancreas got really angry and I spent a few days in the hospital trying to figure out what ticked it off. This memory has decorated its rented room with posters that say, “If only I had …” When I walk through that room, I get frustrated with myself. The other rented room in my brain looks different. The room is smaller, and handwritten notes are placed around it. The renter is the memory bank of the 7-year season Continue Reading
Same God, New Season
These truths are swirling through my brain today … God is a God of love. He hangs the stars. Instructs the sun to rise. Always keeps His promises. God is faithful. When I allow these reminders to frame my day, life feels better. Hope returns. Worries can’t compete and they move out. Do you know what I mean? Perhaps your feelings about life and this new spring/summer season are similar to mine? My heart and my muscles and my brain are ready for a pause. They need time to breathe. Rest. They are starved for Continue Reading
Find Your People and Chase Your Dreams
This is so fun to share! Creativity doesn’t have to be lonely. And the good news is – there is the perfect community if you are a creative like me! If you have dreams of writing a book, booking speaking engagements, launching a podcast, starting a business, AND doing it all in a God-honoring way – Called Creatives is the place for you! I joined Called Creatives a few months ago and found a fun community of women who support one another, but they also know how to get some serious work done. The leaders, Lisa Whittle and Alli Worthington, Continue Reading
The Ball’s in Your Court
I am not an athlete. As much as I would love to have the long legs, expansive arm reach, or muscle endurance that describes many who are proficient in a form of physical exercise, I am short with jiggly thighs and limited upper body strength. But I’ve always loved sports. Watching them. From the benches. Or from the cheerleading sideline. Especially from the cheerleading sideline. (Of course, I’m going back to the days when cheerleaders did not need to do the splits or stand on one leg in the palm of someone’s hand six feet up in the Continue Reading
Life Updates
This week’s note is a little different. I’m sharing some quick thoughts from my Morning Time, a few life updates, and letting you know I’m writing a new book! Thank you for being here. Have you had the type of morning when you just can’t seem to get settled? I absolutely love sitting in my blue chair looking out my window just after the sun comes up, opening up my study books and Bible with great anticipation of talking with God. But this morning? Everything felt ... off. Distractions came waaayy too easily. I felt like crying but Continue Reading
My Mom
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). This verse was mom’s favorite, and we have repeated it over and over and over again during the last month. Last Friday, my mom died. It was a peaceful home-going without any pain. Mom’s heart has been getting weaker over the last few months, and three weeks ago we brought hospice care into her home. That care was so helpful and loving, and my sisters Julie and Lori and Continue Reading