Books have always been companions to me. When I was a little girl, I used to find a corner near the lamp in our living room on the red shag carpet and read for hours. My mom knew where to find me. I discovered myself in the pages of books. Books took me on grand adventures to imaginary places I couldn’t go in real life. As I went off to college [...] Keep Reading
identity
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
5 myths about grief and 1 important truth
After my husband’s death, I quickly discovered people had a lot to say about grief. Sometimes they would share their opinions in hopes of offering comfort. I realized oftentimes these comments were driven by myths about grief that get passed around, rather than a deeper understanding. Through my grief journey, I have learned how vital it is to [...] Keep Reading
{Summer Blog Swap} Facing uncertainty: stepping out of the boat
Welcome to my Summer Blog Swap! This month I am inviting four of my blogger friends over to this space to share some of their posts and perspectives. It's a fun way to introduce some of my favorite people to all of you. This week I'd like you to meet my friend Carol Graft. We met through a writing group called Hope*writers. Carol loves to encourage [...] Keep Reading
Book review: Whispers of Rest
When my husband Shawn and I started dating, I asked him what he did on weekends. His response: long runs and long naps. I laughed out loud. Naps?! Did adults really take naps? As an endurance athlete, rest was an important part of his weekly schedule. I had long ago given up on naps. With three active daughters who from the time they were [...] Keep Reading
The “speed of seed”: A spoken word on bearing fruit
The following is a spoken word piece I wrote for The Bridge Church Fresno to share as part of the "I am, You are, We are" series. You can watch the piece here. The transcript of the piece is below. https://youtu.be/VTwVerY7RJA They told me He was a Master, the most skilled Gardener in all the land. I had to trust His gentle, yet mighty [...] Keep Reading
