The Blog
of grace & gumption
It really doesn't matter how old or young you are. You still want to look fabulous. You want to drop or gain a few (or a lot of) pounds. You wish your hair was straighter or curlier or darker or lighter. If your eyes were a different color, that would be great. And...
Sometimes, we just need to SHOUT about what the Lord is doing in our lives! Why? Because other people need to hear it! When others see God's hand upon your life, it encourages them in their own lives. So, don't keep it a secret! Share it with us! What is God...
Over the years, I’ve had a part in about a dozen weddings, not including my own. I’ve been cast as a flower girl, a guest book attendant, a cake server, a bridesmaid, a maid of honor and a matron of honor. I may have even lit candles one time; I’ve lost track. There...
About once a month, I get together with my Bunco group. Only, the truth is, we haven't actually played Bunco in about five years. But we still call it Bunco night because I guess it sounds less selfish and needy than what it really is - MOMS' NIGHT OUT! So last week,...
Something happened while I was busy having babies. The Internet changed. When I published my first book in 2006, I thought that websites were for companies and that blogs were for mommies to post pictures of their kiddos for out-of-town relatives to see. So I steered...
Last week, my husband and I had the opportunity to go on a one-day retreat in Brookshire, Texas. The event was mainly for those who serve as communications leaders and directors in churches (like my husband does), but I attended as well because 1) As a staff wife, I’m...
Your schedule is chaotic. Your to-do list is futile. Your brain feels like it’s on a hamster wheel with only one speed – high. And all you want to do is crash. You want to stop. You want to rest. You want to take a break from crazy even if it’s just long enough to...
There is a significant difference between guilt and conviction. One is the first step to a path of holiness. The other is the first step to a path of despair. They're both very different, but unfortunately, they both often feel very much the same. Guilt and conviction...
For the first time ever, I privately observed Lent this year. But I didn't give up coffee or soda or TV or anything like that. Instead, I gave up yelling. I may not have made this decision had not two separate and unrelated events happened on the same day. The first...
A few years ago, I set out to make "Resurrection Rolls" with my three oldest children. It's an Easter tradition for many families, but we had never tried them in our house before. If you've never heard of Resurrection Rolls, the basic gist is that you use a...
"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord." Isaiah 31:1 NIV The Lord gave the...
Can we have a heart to heart? I have two questions that I really want to ask you, and I want you to consider them both very carefully. They’re bold questions, the kind that you never really feel comfortable asking, but because God has put them on my heart, I’m asking...