Our friends Jenny and Peter recently posted a collection of the sweetest photos announcing their pregnancy. Baby onesies and ultrasound pictures were pinned to a clothesline they held between them. What joy to see their smiling faces and to wish them congratulations on this good news! We make a big deal about baby announcements in our culture. It ... [Keep Reading...]
General
Discovering the dignity of work
I traveled to Haiti in the summer of 2011 with my family to begin directing a non-profit in the growing town of Pignon. During a bumpy truck ride from the Port-Au-Prince airport to the northern mountains, our Haitian director Peter shared with me his vision to provide jobs for women who were part of his church. He had a burden for these families ... [Keep Reading...]
When God transplants you to a new garden
I grew up in Chicago in a neighborhood where the houses were like little boxes made of brick sitting in neat rows along the city streets. Even though we had a small backyard, my mama always made space for a garden. Every spring we would head down to the local nursery and pick out packets of seeds and plants. We dreamed of making Italian pesto ... [Keep Reading...]
#Blessed: How my view of blessing shifted after my husband’s death
A few years ago, I received a gift. It was a canvas that artfully displayed this phrase: “Thankful, Grateful and Blessed.” I hesitated to display it in my home. You see, I struggled with the word “blessed.” About the time my husband Ericlee was diagnosed with melanoma cancer in 2014, a hashtag became popular on social media. On Twitter, Facebook ... [Keep Reading...]
Back to School: Choosing Love over Fear
The following is a post I wrote five years ago. It's hard to believe my little girl just started 7th grade last week. We are still choosing love over fear and having our ears open to those who need us to hear their stories. Read on. I’ve always loved the start of the school year. I love pointy pencils, folders with clean edges, fresh bottles of ... [Keep Reading...]
Unexpected friendship in a cup of cold water
The sun blazed and dust swirled. Sweat dripped in every crevice of my body. My belly swelled announcing my third baby, expected to appear sometime that winter. My unexpected assignment that summer: to help start a jewelry business employing women in the mountains of Haiti. I arrived in Haiti, excited and nervous. I knew I had to start by ... [Keep Reading...]
