Christmas is less than a week away. Based on the Facebook status updates racing through my feed, the theme of these last few days is RUSH. Rush to buy. Rush to wrap. Rush to bake. Rush to give. Rush to clean. Rush to pack. Rush to go. Rush. It's hard to find meaningful when you are rushing. {Honestly, it's hard to find the car keys in the midst of the rush!} Somehow Advent - the season of anticipation - has become Accelerate - the season of too many irons in the fire. Perhaps, Dr. ... [Read More]
Giving {Living} Beyond: Samaritan’s Purse
Samaritan's Purse. Operation Christmas Child. Shoeboxes. Franklin Graham. Goats. Wait? Goats? What do goats have to do with Samaritan's Purse? Maybe you, like me apparently, have been living under a rock and had no idea that Samaritan's Purse has a gift catalog ... filled with amazing ways to bless others around the world, some for under $10! How does giving a goat {$70} make a difference? Watch this: $70 to change a community ... maybe instead of that new game for the Wii or Xbox, ... [Read More]
Giving {Living} Beyond
For most of us, this week will be filled with food and family, traditions and even some shopping. But for millions around the world - and even many in our communities - this Thursday will not be a festive family occasion. In fact, for many, Thanksgiving is the beginning of the most depressing time of the year, not the most wonderful. As many as 3.5 million people are homeless in the United States during any given week ... and up to 40% of that number are families with children. ... [Read More]
Beat Holiday Chaos: 4 Ideas for Staying Focused
Less than a week until Thanksgiving ... just over a month until Christmas. Perhaps your calendar looks a little bit like mine ... c.r.a.z.y. But, before the mayhem begins, I'd like to share with you four ideas for staying focused on what really matters during this holiday season. Read the Gospel of Luke during December. There are 24 chapters so reading a chapter a day takes you through the life of Christ before we celebrate His birth. Involve your family in the decisions. Ask each ... [Read More]
A Prayer for the Orphans
Orphan Sunday. That the need for such a day even exists leaves my heart aching. But it does ... and we know this, God Himself is passionate about orphans! In fact, a measure of our own depth of love for Him and relationship with Him is our concern and involvement in orphan and widow care (James 1:27). The need is great, the opportunities are many. Across the globe and for most of us, across the street as well. A Prayer for the Orphans Lord, we are overwhelmed by the numbers and ... [Read More]
Easily Distracted
I first read Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World by Vicki Courtney in June 2004. I knew then that I would buy anything she wrote! Since that time I've devoured Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter, The Virtuous Woman: Shattering the Superwoman Myth, and Logged On and Tuned Out: A Non-Techie's Guide to Parenting a Tech-Savvy Generation. She has challenged me and mentored me in my role as a mother but also as a women seeking the face of God. When I had the ... [Read More]
