{If you prefer to listen rather than read, check out the audio version of this post here on my Abundant Life podcast.} When I stepped in the door my jaw dropped. The buffed hardwood floors, the wrap-around staircase perfect for prom and wedding photos, the windows upon windows. As I walked through and saw the open floor plan, the granite counter [...] Keep Reading
gifts
The dance of grief and glory through the holidays
I still remember our first Thanksgiving after my husband Ericlee died. My family tried to hold it together. We tried to stay the course with certain traditions, but it was clear everything was off-kilter. He wasn’t there to run the Turkey Trot. He wasn’t wearing his silly apron in the kitchen, helping me chop the butternut squash for the soup. [...] Keep Reading
Pivoting Away from Jealousy Toward Abundance
When I was a newly-minted widow, I started to struggle with envy. In those early days of grief, it was excruciatingly hard for me to see all the summer vacation photos with daddies playing with their kids, the wedding anniversary celebrations, and the perfectly-crafted family Christmas pictures. Feelings rose up inside me that I never faced before. [...] Keep Reading
A podcast roundup: My story for His glory
Each one of us is called to be a storyteller. We tell the stories of our lives in different ways. We may use our creativity to write, paint, cook, and even do our jobs with excellence. In everyday conversations, we have many opportunities to share what God has done for us and His faithfulness. Our stories point others to His glory. Romans 9:17 [...] Keep Reading
Book review: The Road Back to You
For six Wednesdays, the doorbell rang just a little before 9 a.m. I poured steaming hot water in the French press and pulled goodies from the refrigerator. There were usually four or five us sipping coffee and cozying up under blankets before the fireplace. We gathered on these mornings for what you might call a “book club.” Of course, The Road [...] Keep Reading
You are not forgotten this Valentine’s Day
For some of us, this day brings a slow ache. The fragile edges of that lace doily your kid gave you can feel like shards of glass scraping across your tired heart. Every grocery store stocked with roses near the checkout, every card boutique with aisles upon aisles of cards and heart-shaped boxes of candy, every commercial for romantic dinner [...] Keep Reading
