Browsing Category

Encouragement

Encouragement, Life Is Beautiful

Family Christian: Bringing the Holiday Home

(With the generous support of Family Christian, I’ve been able to find some beautiful items to adorn my home this Christmas season, expressing the true sense of CHRISTmas. All the items featured in this post were provided by Family Christian and my selection of these items and my opinion of them are pure, honest, and unbiased). 

Who’s in the holiday spirit? Show of hands…anyone? I sure am. I have about 75% of my shopping yet to do but I’m unthwarted.

I refuse to panic.

I’m excited. I’m determined to embrace the season, it’s true Reason, and just enjoy every little bit of it.

Deciding not to allow the season to be stressful, I’ve decided instead to delight in it and savor all its elements. Continue Reading

Encouragement, Health, Life Is Beautiful

Christmas: An Extra Place at the Table

This is the season of light.  Thanksgiving is past. We’ve already done our Black Friday binge-shopping for the year.

I see more trees being put up this weekend than I ever remember being put up so soon in the season in previous years. The decorations, trees, and lights inspire me to start decorating our own home.

But in this season of sparkling tinsel and twinkling lights, there’s a darker side we don’t always think about, or want to. For many people, this season of togetherness, generosity, and family presents a viciously painful battle. Continue Reading

Book Reviews, Encouragement, Giveaways, Life Is Beautiful

Stumbling Along: Win This Funny and Fantastic Book!

That’s where I would die. O Lord, what about my family? What about the T-shirts I promised to order for the church? What about…”

Sixteen years ago I was a young mom to a 2-year-old little girl and I joined the Moms Group at our church. Once a week this gave us moms a chance to get together at church with free childcare for that precious hour, snacks, and good company.  Each week we sat in a circle and discussed life, mom topics, finances, friendship, and prayer. Now my 2-year-old is an adult and I have another “little one”, a 13-year-old son.

I met some wonderful people during those meaningful Moms Group meetings and one of my favorite was Laurie. Back then, she was wife to our youth pastor, Brian. They were such blessings to our church. Laurie was mom, wife, pastor’s wife, leader, songstress, and speaker. Laurie and Brian eventually moved on from our church and entered the mission field that carried them to minister in Mexico.  Now back in the states, this mom of three (two adults and one at home) and her husband are still following God’s plan as they lead a church here in Michigan. Continue Reading

Encouragement, Life Is Beautiful

When She Wakes Up…

 

Back in high school and college I penned a lot of poetry. I loved my Creative Writing classes and excelled in the poetry portions, much to my delight. I loved reading poetry and writing it, and it was a coping device for when things weren’t going so well and I was hurting. There were breakup poems and poems about the love I’d once have. I went out on a creative limb and tried my hand at poetry once again but you’ll notice the theme is more fitting for my life in recent years… Continue Reading