Where Passion & Purpose Collide
I first met her at a hand-lettering class I taught in the small village we both now call home. She’s quiet, tenderhearted, smart and creative – and she has a story that she’s learning to tell with more courage and confidence as she steps out of the shadows and into the light. Meet Brenda… What’s your story, morning glory? While… Read More
I met this brave young lady for coffee a few years ago to talk about life and love, and was heartbroken to see her – standing alongside her parents – on the news as they shared their story during the Larry Nassar case. Her long road to healing has brought her through depression and anxiety, to a place of freedom… Read More
I met Lisa and her delightful family for the first time on Mackinaw Island. I instantly liked her. She’s effervescent, wise, funny and so beautifully raw. And she has raised 5 incredible human beings (and home-schooled them) to boot. We’ve shared multiple deep conversations over the past few years, and I’m incredibly honored that she’s kicking off this new season of… Read More
I met this gorgeous gal a few years ago, when our husbands worked together briefly, and have watched from a distance as she’s walked through uncertainty and loss with a fierce and unrelenting faith. Her story of hope amidst heartbreak so powerfully tells of a God who “takes the broken pieces and makes them beautiful” [Ecclesiastes 3:11]. Meet Jenn… What’s your story, morning glory? In January… Read More
Something stirred deep in my belly as I stared at those notes… Authenticity. Vulnerability. Community. 3 simple words that carry so much life and freedom. And fear. We fear exposure and rejection so fiercely, we’re willing to avoid it altogether. What does it actually mean to be authentic? Why do we struggle so desperately with allowing ourselves to be seen? To be vulnerable? And how… Read More
Tears sprang to my eyes without warning. I stood at the door wringing my hands like “those other” nervous moms do. My not yet 6 year old was leaving with her Daddy and our dear “Uncle” to give blankets to the cold, shoes to the shoeless and umbrellas to the roofless. Our oldest daughter is our little one… Read More
I stumbled upon a post from 4 years ago that stopped me in my tracks. The days are indeed long, but the year are short. God continues to refine, mold and reshape my heart through this crazy motherhood thing, and through the life and love of this little Bean right here, now eight years old… Maybe it’s because I’ve got Jim… Read More
I talk about sex a lot. In public, none the less. And I love it. As the demand for this particular talk has grown, and as I’ve bravely shared my own messy story, the regularity with which I get asked awkward questions has grown too. I love that part too. It has afforded me the opportunity to wrap my arms… Read More
It happens every time I tell the story. I’m right there. In the muck, in the shame. In the hopelessness. I can feel the grip of self-loathing tighten around my throat. My heartbeat quickens as the fear of exposure whispers; You are such a mess. You are worthless. You’re finished. It’s just for a second. But it’s there. So much… Read More
I had become an expert secret keeper. I’d been swept up so fast, and so young, in a whirlwind of self-destructive behavior that the only way to keep breathing was to keep pretending everything was alright. And so I built walls of deception and lies in a desperate effort to keep the world from seeing the real me. The sad,… Read More
I’ve been processing a lot over the summer – a lot of good, deep, heart stuff – and it’s been an incredibly liberating journey to say the least. Not always easy, but always good. As God has slowly been chipping away at the unsightly parts of my heart, dealing with misplaced priorities and my maternally-inspired anger issue, He’s tenderly brought… Read More
In the same way we don’t tend to take dieting advice from someone who’s clearly overweight, or business pointers from a company that’s just filed for bankruptcy, we don’t tend to put much stock into marital advice from someone who’s no longer married. It makes sense, right? Well, not always. My mom forwarded this to me last week and it… Read More
