Making Plans to Succeed

A few years ago on a Sunday, we decided to stay home and have home church. Everyone was feeling OVERWHELMED, and I felt a strong leading to do a family assessment, individually and as a whole, and with that came a couple of pieces of insight that I believe will help YOU, too. We all have a nature that, when put in a passive mode, slips back into places that are like quick sand or even thick, muddy clay. Sometimes, we wake up and realize we are stuck or even worse, sinking! So whether it is a new school year or …

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Praying Paint

Yes, you read that right!  Sometimes local language and geographical accents collide to create a wonderful and beautiful, albeit confusing, story. We had just moved to the beautiful Rocky Mountain foothills of Colorado from the Piney Woods of East Texas. And this is how our story unfolded… As school began that fall, our oldest daughter, Kylie, was beginning kindergarten.  On the second day of school, I had this discussion with her about some school supplies she was still lacking.. This is what I heard:   Kylie: Mom, I need some praying paint. Me: You do? Why? Kylie: For school…my teacher says I …

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Simply Messing

This is Enchanted Rock… The Rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome, that rises 425 feet above ground, 1825 feet above sea level, and covers 640 acres. It is one of the largest batholiths (underground rock formation uncovered by erosion) in the United States.   When Chris and I were in college at Texas A&M, we liked to travel and camp. This was one of our favorite spots. We’d grab our tent and gear and go. I have a wonderful memory here of “simply messing.” I’ll describe what simply messing is below. But here’s the memory: Chris has gone …

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When You Need God to Provide…

The past six months have been formative months for me. I can say it no other way. I have gone deeper with God, knowing that He alone can sustain the pressings of my heart. He is after all, the One who formed it.  He is forming it still. His Light has come and permeated the dark recesses of my heart. His power has amazed me. His ability, astounded. His love has come and become my foundation–firmly establishing me in Him. One afternoon in March, I had time for a shower. The sun was gently filling the room. My heart was heavy–burdened …

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A Peculiar People

There is something entirely intriguing about a show like Antiques Roadshow. People bring trinkets to very large items of furniture to have them evaluated by a professional, who will attribute a value to it. The best part is when someone comes in, unsuspecting–but you can tell they are hopeful–to find that the item they brought was very valuable indeed. Oh the joy of finding value in what we own! The biggest challenge with the value is its restorative qualities. Has it been refinished? Were the original craftsman’s techniques used? The type of glue or fabric will even contribute to value …

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Intentionally Building for Christ

It’s time to up the ante. Pour it all out, everything you are counting on and holding fast to, because complacency is rotting our families from the inside-out. We need to step into each situation, each interaction, each opportunity…pur-pose-ful-ly. Say it slowly in your mind. Make it your mantra. Just like a dear friend I have serving in a dangerous land. She must be alert for the safety of all those around her is at stake. She must live, pour it out fully and trust that God will show her how and when and where and why.  She is tied securely …

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A Cake Story: Too Much and Not Enough

Truer words were never spoken than when Stasi Eldredge penned in her book Captivating the feeling with which we women most struggle—we feel like we’re “too much” and “not enough.” We feel torn to bits among perfection, failure and just plain giving up.  We cannot decide if Martha Stewart is attainable, because every time we try to make the perfect meal and keep the perfect home with a perfect centerpiece on the table, it would seem, we fail.  There’s nothing to see here—no pictures of perfection. I’m just a woman, who wants to be more like Martha in the Bible, when she …

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Speaking a Good Word

Have you ever had someone speak a good word over you? I have, and it changed me. At least it led to changing me. I have pictured it to the left. When I was 20 years old, I married my Chris. I was a junior in college and transferred from University of Texas in Austin to Texas A&M. I found that at UT, Campus Crusade for Christ was a life-source to me and led me to know Jesus in a way I never had before known. He became my Friend there. I learned to pray there, too. It literally changed …

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She Laughs

The past few years I have been learning to work with yarn—both knitting and crocheting. Lately I have been learning to change colors mid-stream. Not being an expert, I often struggle with transitioning—ending and weaving in one color and beginning another. And it shows! So it is in life. The end of one journey is a sure sign of the beginning of another. No matter how hard or even wonderful the ending may be, the beginning holds out hope like a torch. In our races, we grasp the torch and press on, running ahead. However, the transition again can create potential for …

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Pointing Our Children to Jesus This Season

God gave us the best gift in Jesus Christ. Sometimes I think we miss it. We miss the Gift. We miss Him, forgetting to point our children to Jesus. Rather, we get caught up in the gifts we want to give and get this year–the best one ever to fill up perceived needs. Commercialism has sold us a bill of goods that tells us we must give our children what they want, what they ask for or they will be scarred for life. Well, I can tell you truly. We have gone several years NOT getting them what they asked for, …

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