My inspiring and courageous AdvoCare coach and good friend, Melanie Churchwell, signs her emails with the phrase, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” I find it just another way of defining insanity—the expectation that if you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you’ll get a different result. Something has to give. Wishing or … Continue reading If Nothing Changes… [Mth 7-Day 8-Post 50]

This afternoon while our girls were napping, my husband, Alex, cuddled up next to me on the couch. Our whole family has been a bit under the weather lately, him included, so he worked from home today to rest a little. I was working on my laptop when he nestled his head into my lap, … Continue reading My Husband, My Leader [Mth 7-Day 7-Post 49]

This past August I was challenged to write out on a set of index cards twenty-five belief statements of things I know to be true but are difficult for me to truly believe, receive and live out. I was instructed to read them out loud every morning when I wake up and every night before … Continue reading Answer the Prayer [Mth 7-Day 6-Post 48]

I shouldn’t be this surprised. When you have a day like I’ve had and have a friend like Jesus and suddenly you’re being blessed beyond belief left and right—we shouldn’t be so surprised! If scripture shows anything about God, it tells of a good, loving God who forgives His people, welcomes them home and shines … Continue reading “Overcomer” [Mth 7-Day 5-Post 47]

“Sometimes the very things that we fight against, the very things that we think are trying to pull us down are actually the hand of God trying to push us into a new season.” – Joel OsteenI have always struggled with selfishness. I freely admit it because it is a struggle that has caused me … Continue reading The Right Time for Giving Up [Mth 7-Day 4-Post 46]

"Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles." - Helen KellerIt’s been a long time since I’ve allowed myself to really dream. … Continue reading Remembering How to Dream [Mth 7-Day 3-Post 45]

On March 11, 2010, my husband’s boss called Alex into his office and asked, “So is your wife going to stay home after the baby’s born?” Alex replied that I had to go back to work because we couldn’t afford the health insurance otherwise. His boss then ever so casually offered him a raise that … Continue reading Answering the Phone [Mth 7-Day 2-Post 44]

In Eugene Peterson’s The Message Bible, under the heading “Place Your Life Before God,” Romans 12:1-2 says:So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing … Continue reading The Transformation Story [Mth 7-Day 1-Post 43]

I interrupt the regularly scheduled program (my "Do What, Now?" multi-part series on Missions) to share an update on the "70 in 7" Project. As I began this post, I was closing a crazy month of travel (in August!) on a flight home from Providence, Rhode Island, where I participated in a dear college friend's … Continue reading The Five-Month Low-Down [Mth 6-Day 4-Post 42]

One day Alex came home from the local San Juan market with a surprise--He had bought me an elliptical trainer! I could hardly believe it! We had never owned any kind of exercise machine ourselves in the U.S., let alone Peru. But we certainly had need for it. Well, at least I did.As I started … Continue reading “Do What, Now?” Part 5: Settled, Unsettled [Mth 5-Day 11-Post 41]