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?

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 …

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 …

It’s human to feel as if our circumstances are a part of our emotions —  something we often have no control over. Thinking along those lines can lead to all kinds of negative feelings like helplessness, anger, and guilt. The reality is you DO have control. You choose how you respond to your circumstances. Growing up, I attended girls camp …

Two years ago I had this sweet boy, and this photo was taken just a moment after his birth. I cherish this picture and have never felt like sharing it because it’s almost a sacred photo for me. I remember exactly what I was thinking and feeling when it was taken. Now as I look at it two years later, …

Some people call it grit, others might think of it as pluck – but the ability to persevere in the face of adversity is a valuable characteristic to possess. Hard things are happening in the world every day, and the cause keeps pointing back to the rising rates of loneliness and isolation. It seems another critically vital value to possess …

The good Samaritan did not stop to consider how the man got himself into his predicament, nor did he assume he was suffering because of his own foolish decisions. He was kind simply because it mattered.