I'm not always sure what to blog about that would be beneficial, but when my husband did this course on Making Disciples, I thought it was worth sharing. As Christians, we can do a lot of things with our time, but making disciples should be our primary ministry focus! Making disciples who, in turn, make disciples! Whether you're a Christian who wants to focus more on discipleship, or a nonbeliever who wants to see what the mission of every Christian is, you would benefit from listening to this Read More
A No-Good, Very Bad, Good Friday
I decided to repost this blog from a few years ago since I've talked recently about rebuke/correction on here. As you can see, it's been quite the theme for a few years! Thankfully, God has not given up on me and I know He has done a work to soften my heart. I am a work in progress, and He is not finished with any of us! *** Last Friday, there were some words exchanged in our home that led me to lock myself in the bathroom and get on my knees. (Deep breath for those of you who thought being a Read More
Being IN the Psalms
I was asked to write a blog post this summer about a Psalm that I felt I was living in. I thought I'd post it on here too. Here's what I came up with: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I KNOW my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.”- Psalm 51:1-3 This summer has been rough in some ways. Not in every way of course. I have spent the Read More
Meet Gelisa
Those of you who know me know that I love a good story. I love reading stories, telling stories...but most of all, discovering God stories...you know...stories that make you stand in awe of God's personal involvement and power. Recently I asked Jesus to send me some God stories that I could document and share on this blog. I'm so thankful that God brought Gelisa to our church three years ago. It's really quite the story, and I'm thankful that she's willing to share it. So, make sure you're Read More
The Mother’s Day Gift I Didn’t Ask For
Today is Mother’s Day and I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. After using all my energy to sit up, I asked Darcy if she’d be willing to bring me cereal in bed because it was--after all--Mother’s Day. “Mother’s DAY?!” She had apparently forgotten. I reminded her that she had made me a card earlier in the week that was waiting—unopened—on my dresser. Her panicking subsided, and she brought me Rice Chex and a card. We made it to church and I settled into the Kindergarten-2nd grade Read More
Guest Post: “A Letter to My 20-Year-Old Self” by Clint Clifton
I asked my good friend, Clint Clifton, to share his thoughts on the blog today. He is busy planting churches all around DC, military bases, and his community. I was curious what he would say if he could talk to his 20-year-old self, so I asked him to write this blog post. My family has been doing ministry with the Garmans for more than a decade. We’ve been through the best of times and the worst of times both corporately and personally. Our friendship and partnership in the Gospel has been an Read More
I Am a Heart Mom
I wrote this poem a few years ago and thought I'd repost it for American Heart Month. I was brought to tears today thinking about how well our heart baby is doing. I'm just so thankful for all that God has taught us. To read the whole story of my journey as a heart mom, check out my new book HERE. I am a heart mom. I have felt, at a twenty-week ultrasound, floorboards cracking and giving way under my jumping, celebrating feet as the words Congratulations, it's a girl were chased away all Read More
Conflicted
Tonight I decide to sit and just watch Penelope. She’s digging through her Color Wonder tub mumbling, “Ellow…” and I decide instead of cooking or organizing or cleaning, I would just watch her. After all, she won’t be 21 months and 27 days ever again. She starts to dump the entire tub over, but I become aware enough to screech a sound that brings her to a halt. We make eye contact. She continues digging for a marker until she eventually just dumps everything out. This time I’m not quick Read More
Thoughts from the Week
My insights from Lesson Three of Self-Confrontation Bible Study: God has not left us alone in this battle to change. He empowers us through His Holy Spirit, His Word, and prayer. It's so simple...but do we really take advantage of these resources or depend mostly on ourselves? PRAYER IS HARD. Before EVEN TRYING to pray, ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray! The Bible is really useful. I look to a lot of different things for help, when (in the category of right living), it is Read More
Specks and Logs
This is not fun. The Bible Study, Self-Confrontation, that we're going through at small group is a lot of HARD work right now. This past week as I meditated on our memory verse, Matt. 7:1,5, it was as though THE VERY THING I WAS TRYING TO AVOID--being critical--was the very thing I couldn't stop doing. I guess that revelation prepared me to go to class humbled and utterly thirsty to understand this week's lesson....How in the world, then, do I change? Matthew 7:1-5 was a great memory verse Read More