I have bigs and littles, which is a cute way of saying that I get the special blessing of trying to parent teens and toddlers at the same time. It’s the gift that never stops……giving. And by giving, I mean wearing me out. Someone always needs something from sunup (littles) to sundown (bigs). The only…

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 I consider myself to be a pretty strong and courageous woman. I like to think of myself as tough and firmly grounded. I usually…

The first time I got my nose pierced, I knew my family would freak out. And they did. Grandma quoted Old Testament Bible verses to me and asked me why I wanted to look “crazy”. Mom cried (not in front of me, but later) and asked if it was permanent. I was 22 years old.…

Her hands wrap around my calves as she pushes her head past my knees, peeking out in play as I pour my morning coffee. It’s 5:30am, and she surrounds me with obligations I feel I can’t uphold. The weight of motherhood is in my mouth, my eyes, my shoulders. How can I drink my coffee…

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Did people ask you this when you were little? Do you remember your answer? I had many answers, but for quite a long time I had a big dream of being a singer. Not only did I WANT to be a singer, but I PRACTICED…

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) “Royal Priesthood.” That sounds important. Glamorous, even. It’s easy to say yes to God’s calling on our lives when…

As an extrovert, I would never have considered myself a wallflower in junior high. But when attended my first junior high dance in town as “the country girl”, I found myself there — standing up against a wall. I liked to dance, but I liked boys even more! And now, there I was. The wallflower.…

In 2010, I made the bold and brave decision to “cross the divide” and move from Minneapolis to Saint Paul. I know. Who would do such a thing, right? What I didn’t know then (that I obviously know now) is that there are a LOT of people in Minnesota who would never do this (and…

I wanted to be a hairstylist, missionary, or personal trainer. Before you get a vision of a purple-haired, boot camp instructor trying to get you in a headlock for Jesus, think again. Either one of these things would have been fine in my book, but not all at once. Tension always exists between our reality…