Words every kid needs to hear
My son, my youngest child, turned 18 yesterday. By some definitions, an adult. A letter from the Selective Service showed up in today’s mail. (Gulp). I will always be his mother, and he will continue [...]
Four questions to facilitate spiritual formation in small groups
Life change happens in small groups. If we ask ourselves and our groups the right questions, we can create environments for transformation. If you lead a small group, one of your goals might be to [...]
The Gift of Christmas Present (Part 1)
The Christmas season is one of joy, and angst. We long to have a meaningful, simple Christmas season, but we get sucked into consumerism and a Black Friday frenzy that spilled, this year, into Thursday. [...]
All the time you need
“You have all the time you need to do the things that God has called you to do.” The words of a wise friend, they snagged on my busy soul—all the time I need? Really? [...]
Join us at Moms Together
Parenting isn't easy--but it's even harder if you try to go it alone. The good news is, you don't have to! That's why I'm a huge fan of Moms Together, an online community that draws [...]
Free study guide and bookplates for your book club
Are you doing a summer book club or study group? I'd love to hear about it--and send you bookplates. Courtney emailed this week to tell me she's leading a summer study of my book Breathe [...]
Four alternatives to family devotions: family spiritual practices
Family devotions have often felt like an epic fail for us. When my children were small, my husband and I wanted to be what we thought were good Christian parents, so we read Bible stories [...]
The Repercussions of Neglect
The timing of a recent trip was perfect, and imperfect. I left feeling weary, overwhelmed by nasty weather and too much work, my Midwestern world persistently clinging to winter. Everything was brown and soggy, buds [...]
Gleaning from the edges
Our friend and faithful reader Tim Fall is posting at Rachel Marie Stone's wonderful blog today, and has written about a concept I explore in Deeper into the Word: gleaning. If you don't read her [...]
You’re loved when you’re lamenting
The Bible is full of uplifting, encouraging words. But it also has some pretty clear examples of sadness, despair, the blues. The Psalms of lament are just as true as the Psalms of ascent. Because [...]