What I'm going to share today is going to seem crazy to some of you. It will seem like just too much. And I get it. I really do. Your life is busy. I know it is. But if you want a vibrant prayer life, I have to tell you. Nothing has helped me as much as this little book. I love it because it truly is praying scripture back to God. In it are three months of scripture divided into categories: Adoration - praising God for who he is Confession - acknowledging your sin before God and thanking … [Read more...] about For a Vibrant Prayer Life
Keeping Your Child from Having a Story Like Mine
We lived in New England when I was pregnant with our first. Bill was youth pastor at our church and I led the high school girls' Bible study. On a snowy evening after Bible study I drove one of the girls home. As we discussed the study, she turned to me and said, "Cindy, I wish I had a story like yours. Jesus is so real to you. He's just kind of boring to me." I honestly have no idea what I said to her at that point. What I remember is dropping her off and then driving through the swirling … [Read more...] about Keeping Your Child from Having a Story Like Mine
Our Greatest Impact
My mother-in-law fell several weeks back. She and my father-in-law were leaving one of their favorite restaurants, and she tripped over a car stop in the parking lot. She landed face first on the pavement. It hurts me even to write it. What was a lovely evening between a beautiful husband and wife ended in an ambulance ride, a week of hospitalization, and then another couple of weeks of rehab. She is home recovering now. And we feel grateful. It could have been so much worse. Our bodies … [Read more...] about Our Greatest Impact
Is it Time to Welcome the Shrapnel?
Have you had a time in your life when your world tilted? When what you thought to be steady just wasn't anymore? When everything is being sifted? Years ago, when I was surrounded by littles, we hit crisis. My husband was pastoring a young church and the stress was intense. One thing piled up top of another. Bad decisions were made. Miscommunication happened. And there was ... dare I say it ... sin. Nobody had the right to thrown stones. But we all did. All of us. And as the dust … [Read more...] about Is it Time to Welcome the Shrapnel?
Out of the Shadows
Christian Nicolai Mustad died in 1970 at the age of 92. For his family, settling the estate truly was ... settling the estate. They inventoried the furnishings, the rugs, the art, and eventually made their way to the attic of his Norwegian estate. In the dim light of the fading day, one family member stumbled upon a heavy rectangular form, measuring little more than 2' x 3'. As he unwrapped the canvas, he called the others over to see his discovery. Mustad had been an art collector. … [Read more...] about Out of the Shadows
Welcome to our Family Room
Come on in! Let me get you a cup of something cozy while you warm up by the fire. We're still getting a few pictures on the wall, but the furniture is pretty much in place. Are you comfortable? Warm? I'm so glad you're here. And I hope you'll stay for awhile. Here in our family room we'll wrestle, and dig, and encourage each other. We'll grow alongside each other and become more of who we were made to be. We'll get freedom. And we'll get more of Jesus. Welcome! Welcome to a … [Read more...] about Welcome to our Family Room