We prayed for all the things people pray for when facing a situation like ours. We prayed for wisdom for the doctors, for God to guide their hands, for protection. We prayed my husband would make it through this complicated, long, and risky surgery. We prayed for a miracle. And we received it. Doctors found my husband had a giant brain aneurysm ...
We are completely surrounded by crop fields. North, south, east, and west. I grew up the same way, on a farm surrounded by corn and bean fields. Twice a year those fields get extra busy, putting that crop in and taking that crop out. When it is time to plant, you plant. When it is time to harvest, you harvest. Even if that means eating supper ...
I feel a bit like a broken record. I know I have talked a few times this year about being in “one of those seasons" — the difficult season that seems so messy and frustrating and long. The one that makes us doubt and worry and question. One issue after another. One struggle after another. It is hard to believe God has an almighty plan through ...
I was scrolling through my social media feed recently when, yet again, I came across some very hurtful comments. I am shocked at how mean people can be. There are stories so heartbreaking they bring tears to our eyes, but the name-calling and blaming and judging still abound. People have a sense of security as they type mean comments from behind ...
A little over two weeks ago, while gathered in a hospital waiting room, my family was witness to one of the greatest examples of compassion and love. My dad has had a long health journey over the last couple of years — one issue being his eyes. He has had endless care, instructions, procedures, surgeries, complications, and treatments for his ...
We all go through seasons we don’t expect. The ones we have no plan for. Unwanted seasons we must endure. Times when we are emotionally, physically, and spiritually down. They come whether we'd like them to or not because they're just a part of life's journey. I don’t know about you, but when I am in one of those seasons for a while, I feel out ...
We drive by the same group of trees each time we come into town, and for a few years now, they have been holding a reminder of an unbelievably scary day for many people. Caught in the mostly limbless trees is a huge chunk of twisted metal. It's nestled there, not moving a bit in the years that have gone by since the “twin twisters” hit. That ...
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33 NIV Engraved on Our Heart When I married my husband, I married into the military. One of the very first things we ...
I thought I was on the mend after lots of physical therapy. My back and the pain down my leg was finally getting better. And then it wasn’t. Suddenly it was way worse and the doctor said it was time for an MRI. I was not looking forward to this one bit. The loud, crazy noise that sounds like the machine is breaking. Squeezing into a big tube. ...
As we wait in line at the checkout, I look over all the magazine covers staring back at me. “Perfect makeover plan, best new hair looks, hottest beauty tips, best fat burners, flawless makeup.” All the tips and tricks you can imagine, displayed right there in front of me. I start thinking about my curly, sometimes frizzier than I would like, ...
