My daughters gather at the stove giggling and chatting. The familiar fragrances of garlic, oregano, and basil permeate the air. The girls take turns swirling the ruby red tomato sauce and meatballs in the big pot with a wooden spoon. “Be careful with my meatballs,” Nana Maria chides playfully. “You don’t want to break any of them up.” My [...] Keep Reading
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Summer’s heating up: Check out our Family Summer Reading List 2021
One of our favorite ways to relax during the hot days of summer is to read. Our family of five likes to read in all different genres. Sometimes we read books out loud together and sometimes we read solo by the pool, in our bedrooms, on the airplane, or any place. The beauty of reading is that even if you can’t go on some exotic vacation or you [...] Keep Reading
Mentoring friends: The power of “going with” them
Yazmin lingered in the pews at the back of our church sanctuary, chatting with a friend as she bounced her baby boy, who was just a couple of months old at the time. I knew her from our mom’s group and as a leader in our church’s Spanish service and youth group. I had just finished emceeing a two-day conference on the theme of discipleship, and [...] Keep Reading
Good Friday: Running the ultimate ultramarathon
Some days do feel like a glorious sprint to the finish line, but I’m learning life is more often like an ultramarathon. Ultras are gaining popularity these days as more and more people look to push themselves to the next level. There are two types of ultramarathons: those that cover a specific distance (anywhere from 31–100+ miles), and those [...] Keep Reading
Run Like a Girl: How Jesus used women to carry His message
I used to coach a sweet girl named Hannah. When I first met Hannah at cross-country practice, I saw she had raw talent. She was also very unsure of herself and her abilities. Through that first season, Hannah got a taste of what it’s like to train and compete. She was a hard worker, but she was often hard on herself and ended up in tears after [...] Keep Reading
Flourishing together: When racism affects us all
When my late husband Ericlee and I were newlyweds, we invited my Grandpa Frank to come live with us. Several years earlier my Grandma Cora had soared to heaven, and our family knew it wasn’t good for Grandpa to be living alone anymore — far from most of our family. My generous husband offered up our guest room. He knew this was important to me. [...] Keep Reading
