Our house sits in the middle of some fairly dense woods. We call it “The Homestead” and with five children, it’s offered up a haven for every kind of fort building activities you can imagine over the years. One afternoon, our son called to me, “Mom, we can’t find Emma. She was just here.” She’s my baby, our fifth child, so I didn’t bat an eye. ...
I wonder how many times we miss out on something special because we don’t listen to that nudge in our spirits urging us to do something that seems crazy or awkward. Do you know what I'm talking about? An inner prompting that feels like the Holy Spirit is calling you to action in a way that may make you uncomfortable but could bless ...
One of my favorite things is connecting women. The other day I was having coffee with a friend and as she told me about a ministry dream, I immediately thought of two other friends who share a like-hearted passion and whose paths are going in a similar direction. I wanted my coffee shop friend to meet my other friends, stat! The same thing happens ...
I go to a convent once a month, if you can call it that. In reality, the ‘House of Prayer’ is a little Spanish style home tucked into a residential area near my kids’ school. Sister Mary and Sister Margaret, both in their late eighties, minister by letting non-Catholic strangers like me rent a room from them for $15 a day. The first time I went, ...
There’s a game I like to play, and it never fails to catch people by surprise. Here’s how it works: I invite someone to grab coffee and once we’ve found a comfortable seat, our hands wrapped around a cup of something delicious, I look into their eyes and say these words: “So, what’s your story?” Almost every time, they hesitantly respond, “My ...
In college, I was one of those people that was always doing something with friends. I was in volunteer organizations. I was an RA and planned events for my residents. I would study at the library in small groups. In short, as a young adult, I thrived being in community with other people. I didn’t realize then that this lifestyle of working well ...
Today we're celebrating with (in)courage co-founder and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Holley Gerth as she releases a new devotional, Hope Your Heart Needs: 52 Encouraging Reminders of How God Cares for You. It's a little book that's big on encouragement. Enjoy the excerpt below — it will make you laugh, maybe cry, and want to find some ...
My husband and I had good relationships with our son and three daughters before they were teens. So as our children entered their teen years, my husband and I had one simple goal: We wanted to have good relationships with them after the teen years, too. I’d heard other parents of teens say, “I can’t wait until my kid turns 18 and is out of my ...
My dad’s high school yearbook told the story of a popular teen with the world at his fingertips — track star, editor of the school paper, class council president. Countless black and white photos of a handsome young man surrounded by smiling peers in matching horn-rimmed glasses. An athlete and academic full of promise and potential. But that’s ...
I was in my early thirties, established in my career and comfortable in my skin, but I was still nervous when the time came to meet my future mother-in-law. Would she like me as a person, approve of me as a daughter-in-law, accept me into the family, even with my bad-girl past? Our first meeting was cordial, and she always made me welcome in her ...
