Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved the hymn “It Is Well.” There was something about those lyrics that brought a sense of peace whenever I sang them: “When peace like a river, attendeth my way… It is well, it is well, with my soul.” Horatio G. Spafford, the man who penned that hymn, experienced profound tragedy with the death of his son [...] Keep Reading
death
Running for His glory: 4 ways a half marathon transformed my prayer life
This essay is part of our summer series called “Running for His glory,” focusing on the intersection between running and faith. Heather is a new friend I met through the Hopewriters online writing community. Heather shares how running has transformed her prayer life and gives some practical ideas on how we can incorporate prayer and scripture in [...] Keep Reading
Providing a sense of home for widows in Haiti
She would often tap-tap-tap on the back screen door of the Bell Mission House built by my husband’s grandparents, where our family typically stayed. The first thing most people notice about Comère is she’s blind. Comère walked more than 5 miles from her home in Bahoncy beyond Fontaine in the northern mountains of Haiti. She would bring one of her [...] Keep Reading
Redeeming Ruth: The Father’s Heart for the vulnerable
I was invited to share a message this Sunday at Action Community Church in Clovis for their summer series, "A Father's Heart: a series about things God cares about." I chose to share about God's heart for the vulnerable, specifically widows, orphans, immigrants/foreigners and the poor. In this message, I unpack the story of Ruth in the Bible [...] Keep Reading
How to celebrate Father’s Day when your daddy is gone
I still remember that first Father’s Day after my husband’s death. I didn’t know what to do. As the day grew closer, I felt more and more paralyzed about how to prepare for the day. I was invited to an out-of-state wedding. Despite my guilt in leaving my three daughters behind with grandparents, I knew I needed to go. It would be good for my [...] Keep Reading
Remembering Grandma Cora: Cooking Up a Legacy in the Kitchen
The second you walked into my Grandma Cora’s house you could smell the fragrance of onions, ginger, and garlic sautéing. She would swirl pancit noodles in her big pot and you could hear the music of the carrots and celery dancing as she added a splash of soy sauce.y No matter what time of day – morning, noon, or night – Grandma always had [...] Keep Reading
