Write for that One Reader
Last night at a speaking event, a woman came up to introduce herself. She wanted to share with me that my book Guarded by Christ helped her endure one of the most difficult years of her life. She talked about crying through sleepless nights and reading the book all through the night as her comfort and […]
Back to School Sparkle
I talk to my daughters about having sparkling eyes and a sparkling smile as they go back to school. It’s so simple! Smile, girls! Greet everyone you see with sparkling eyes and a sparkling smile! Smile.
A Compliment from a Stranger
In the thrift store today, a stranger tells me that she was listening to me talk to my daughters and that I was the most positive mom she had ever met. She said, “I hear so many terrible mothers who treat their children so badly.” Then, a young woman beside her told me she heard […]
What We Need
Truth: God knows what we need. We think we know what we need, but we often misunderstand what we truly need. So we can pray and ask God to provide what we need, not what we think we need.
Some Grow Fast; Others Grow Slowly
I love watching things grow. I love learning how plants grow best, under which conditions, and why. Our avocado seed has grown so slowly. You barely notice what’s happening. Meanwhile, in the pumpkin patch after just a few days, we see incredible growth. I remember that everything in the world keeps its own pace. Everything–and […]
A Question for Students: What is Your Philosophy of Work?
I ask students this question as they build their professional portfolios: What is your philosophy of work? And I don’t mean how you work. I mean why you work. Imagine if someone asked you this in an interview setting. I’m interested in what motivates you in life. I’m interested in what sustains a persevering work […]
Never Not Writing
Today I realized how, when you’re a writer, you’re never not writing. Your mind puts words together all day long, as automatically as breathing. It’s just how you live. And when certain sentences linger, and you see how you might fill out an entire paragraph with that one thought, you text it to yourself or […]
A Dad Connecting with Pre-teen and Teen Daughters
This past month, my husband, Ash, and our two daughters (12 and 15 years old), found great ways to connect and spend joyful time with one another. I read somewhere that teen girls tend to spend less and less time with their fathers as they grow––despite longing for these times. I asked Ash if I […]
All Day Long
Today, I read this from Psalm 89: Blesses are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength. . . ” All day long, I want to […]
A New Family Motto: “He Knows You; He Chose You; He Grows You”
I explain to my daughters that, in the midst of any insecurity in social settings or in school, they can trust in God’s enduring presence and care for them. He knows you; He chose you; He grows you. He’s growing you into a worshiper first and then someone sent out to do good works in […]