why i became a journalist

I studied journalism because everyone is living a story worth telling. Because there are amazing, beautiful things happening every day in the midst of the shards of brokenness. I studied journalism because our words wield power. Our letters nestled in words nestled in paragraphs can spur people to care, to take action, to hold […]

just the way you are

I’ve been a frustrated mom lately. I’ve lost my patience, bubbled over, and felt guilty about it…only to have it happen all over again when the juice cup spills for the fourth time. Joseph likes to watch Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood — a new, animated spin on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. The show is aimed at preschoolers, and touches […]

valentine's day gift guide: what to buy her

Valentine’s Day is almost here, and guys, I’m here to help you avoid a disaster. While you should be making the ladies in your life feel appreciated and adored every day, I think we all know Valentine’s Day is a day that you do not want to mess up. So, I’ve found some sweet gift […]

if god is real, then what?

If I really believe God is who he says he is, then what does that mean? How does that affect the way I schedule my day, the way I interact with others, the way I raise my children, the way I prioritize, the way I dream, the way I live? Almost a year ago, I […]

in sickness and in health

Joseph was sick this week. Like, really sick. (If you’re new here, Joseph has Sickle Cell — you can read more about what that chronic disease means for him here.) Usually, he’s pretty healthy, but his week meant: Stays in two different hospitals, his first blood transfusion, lots of pricks and pokes, IVs, shots, antibiotics […]

the bond of peace

I get frustrated easily. I get frustrated with others. I get frustrated with myself. My heart starts pounding and peace flies out the window and frustration swiftly takes its place. I want to walk with humility and gentleness. To be patient and to take up love before all else. But have you ever noticed that these things […]

i am restless

I get the feeling that I’m meant for more. The pull in my soul that I’m living in a swirling tension of now and not yet. I am a woman wrestling with God. Who feels the Spirit pushing and pulling and leading in the vapor that is this life. I breathe it and it fills my […]

fast + easy homemade baby food (so easy, even I can make it!)

I have to admit something: I buy baby food. Like, ready-to-go jars off the grocery store shelf. I know there are super-pioneer-mamas out there who till the garden and can organic vegetables and add fresh herbs to their 9-month-old’s breakfast, but I am not that person. (Not judging — if I had the time and […]

if you're waiting for God to act

Waiting disguises itself as nothing. We all experience it. Baited breath. Wringing hands. Hours and days and months of,”Why, God? When, God?” A few months ago, I picked up a copy of When The Heart Waits for 5o cents at a thrift store. I grabbed it because it was written by Sue Monk Kidd, the author of Secret Life […]

choosing joy in the new year

I used to equate joy with happiness. I believed joy was a feeling I could master — a tangible something that I could just reach out and grasp if everything would just go my way. I thought that being joyful was laughing with arms stretched wide, running free and singing about the hills being alive. […]