Category: Learning

Early in the morning after a big rain storm, we set out on a road trip. The clouds were still churning and trying to determine if they had anything to leave behind. As we started over the mountain passes, I could see the sun struggling to make an appearance, and soon I saw the most brilliant silver lining. For years …

A few months ago a Facebook friend shared how she celebrated her 30th birthday. I was impressed with her foresight to plan a special bucket list of 30 things to complete before her birthday. I’ve also seen others do random acts of service to equal the number of years they are celebrating. Being the contemplative person I am, I thought …

The BIG 5-0! Celebrating a half-century feels like such a monumental milestone, and yet I still feel the same. For the last six months, I have focused on embracing this new stage of life. With kids leaving home, new grandbabies to love, and milestones to prepare for, this birthday has been a time for reflecting. Yes, twenty-five years ago I …

We all face difficult times in our life. Sometimes it seems like it might just be easier to stop where we are, but life’s laws of gravity do not work that way. If we are not moving forward we start rolling backward.

Not many of us seek opportunities to be uncomfortable.  But maybe we should. I believe it is part of our self-preservation – put the blinders on to avoid taking a deep look at what might actually be holding us back. Have you ever considered how your reluctance might be a barrier to your growth?

I had a formula in my head that if I put in the work, I would get results. Sometimes it would take extra effort, but it always paid off in the end. This was until, after several years of marriage, we still couldn't conceive.

Infertility does not define you. It does not have anything to do with who you are as a person or who you aspire to be. I am speaking from experience here. I completely understand what you are going through and how you feel. It feels gut-wrenching, and it is heartbreaking. You have probably gone through many sleepless nights and shed …

When I was 17 years old, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (POS).  It didn’t take long before we also discovered that I also had a septated uterus, meaning that I have a piece of tissue separating my uterus into two pieces, like a door separating two rooms. My doctor told me I would probably never have biological children …

On an unusually warm February morning, I walked hand in hand with my husband, Chris, toward our 20-week ultrasound appointment for our third child. As we entered the doctor’s office, I had a startling impression everything would not be okay. I immediately wished we had prayed together before leaving the house, and offered a silent prayer for strength to handle …

In 1936 nine young men from Washington State went to the Olympics in Berlin. Their story is recorded in the New York Times bestseller “Boys in the Boat.” Daniel Brown carefully crafts their story from journal entries, newspaper clippings, historical documents, and stories told to their family about the unforgettable experience. The narrative reads like a novel rather than the non-fiction …

We’ve all got our stories. Those moments where we wonder how do I help my child process these emotions? Or maybe we wonder how do we get past this growing pain. How do we parent emotionally intelligent kids? It had become a common occurrence. Every. Morning. When it was time to leave for school, she would linger behind, searching for …

I stood on the balcony of the second-floor Colorado apartment I was staying in when I decided to have a real heart to heart with myself. I hoped that God was listening.  Thinking about my life and the obstacles I was facing, I realized at 25 I was in a rough spot. I was old enough to think things through …