good girl … rebellious teen … restored … painful marriage … redeemed by Him Listening to “More Than Small Talk,” one of my favorite podcasts I’ve mentioned before, the hosts were talking about the stories of our lives. They challenged their listeners to write their own story in 10 words or less. You see mine above. In the podcast, they shared how sometimes we may have pages or chapters of our stories we wish we could tear out and re-write. And while we cannot re-write them, we can certainly re-frame them. This was a great exercise to stop for a

I don’t know about you, but this year, our nation’s Independence holiday had more of an impact on me than ever before. If I had to guess, I would say it is because of the current state of our country and the direction we appear to be heading. This will not be a political post, simply my thoughts on how we as individuals, living our day to day lives, can make a difference. We must make a difference to ensure that America stays a land of the free and home of the brave for our children and grandchildren. The most

Home … What feeling or emotion does that word conjure up in you? Maybe the home you grew up in was chaotic and full of all kinds of messiness. But what about the home you are in right now? Whether it is a studio apartment where you live by yourself or a 3000 square foot house with many bodies filling the space … what do you feel when you think of your home? And what do you want to feel? “The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and

Close your eyes. Now I want you to imagine God. Does that sound silly? Or strange? Or scary?? Just try it. You might be surprised like I was! In my new favorite journal, The Next Right Thing Guided Journal (everyone needs one!), Emily P. Freeman includes what she calls a monthly practice. This month she suggests what I did above: Close your eyes … and imagine God. Why? Because as she says, “What we believe about God informs every aspect of our lives, including our decisions.”   Before I share my experience with you, stop now, close your eyes and

This week I had the joy of spending several hours with a small group of women over dinner and gelato. Our friendship with each other dates back to the early ‘80s. We all met at the same church during our college or young married years. As I went to bed that night, I reflected on the life-giving evening and thanked God for the gift of these long-term friendships. Between the four of us, we represent almost 140 years of marriage, 11 children, and 12 grandchildren to date. We have lived a little bit of life. In our 20s we spent

We have all heard the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” But when life recently dealt me some unexpected changes, I found I might be ready to make a totally new flavor instead of sticking with more of the same. I have been in the same line of work for over 25 years, retailing high fashion jewelry through a wonderful, Biblically-based direct sales company. This business changed and challenged me in so many ways from personal development skills to leadership to finding my extroverted side when called upon. It also incredibly blessed my family financially over the years.

I have always loved the power of the written word. As an avid reader, the words on a page can transport me to another place or teach me ideas in a whole new way. As a writer, they are a way for me to pass my experiences on to my reader in hope they find encouragement for their life. As a mom and wife, they are a way for me to bless, encourage and share a little wisdom with my family through the legacy of my words to them. Three years ago, I began the practice of writing each of

Four years ago this past summer, I was going through a personal crisis with fear. I had input coming in from several sources that were pushing my mind to unhealthy thoughts causing crippling fear and anxiety. Plus, it was an election year … need I say more?? As someone who had never dealt with these feelings in my 50+ years, I was totally taken off-guard. I wrote about that a bit in Fear … Living in an Uncertain World and the tools I used to get my mind back to thoughts that were healthy and pure. Since then, I have learned to

We have all experienced times of great pain, disappointment, or confusion – and maybe you’re in one of those valley’s right now? I know when I have been in those seasons, there are times I cannot even form a sentence to pray to God. What I find myself saying over and over again is simply His name, “Jesus!” The value of that one-word prayer has sustained me many, many times. As I say His name over and over again, my mind will regularly tune into a song I sung throughout my childhood and thankfully, the words are still ingrained. “Jesus,

For the past few years, in early December I begin praying and thinking about what I want my “word” for the next year to be. Something that inspires me to more—a word that can be a filter for the way I live my life and the decisions I make. A couple years ago, God kept showing me, “Be Present.” But what does that really mean? As a Queen of multi-tasking, there were always things I could be “doing” when I was having a conversation with someone, both on the phone or in person. Because there was always more “to do” than

We just got home from a wonderful, refreshing vacation. Two weeks in the Pacific Northwest was a balm to the soul with the giant, green trees and vast ocean waves—soul-giving to these desert dwellers. But the plane ride home is what is staying with me this week as well. I have always loved how white, billowy and cotton-like the clouds look once you break through them with magnificent rays of sunshine coming from above. As we flew out of Denver on our layover, the skies were dark, and the underside of the clouds were gray and ominous looking. It appeared

If you’ve read many of my previous posts, you know I’m an avid reader. If adulting wasn’t so time consuming, I would probably read for hours each day! I love to learn! And I love a good story! So I thought I would begin a regular series of what I’m currently reading during each season to encourage you to pick up a book instead of turning on the television. Before I lose those of you who do not consider yourself to be readers or simply believe you don’t have the time, here’s an interesting statistic for you. Did you know

When I began re-vamping my health a few years ago, I quickly realized that it needed to go beyond just the products I was putting into my mouth. As I became more aware of chemicals and the excess ingredients in most personal and cleaning products I used, I began the hunt for ones I could easily replace. These 7 that I’ve listed are the ones I’ve used the most consistently and for the longest. Other products I have switched to purchasing cleaner versions instead, but these have been great because they not only are better for me but save a