God has called us into His great story. A beautiful story in which He is intimately involved. Yesterday, I had the honor to hear His calling over my small group. He has blessed each one with desires and plans that are far greater than anything they could imagine on their own. And in each one, He has placed a purpose. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 To give

I have had the honor of watching my son bring to fruition his very first vegetable garden. The garden began as 2x4’s laid out on my back deck. My son lovingly nailed them together to form a planter. He filled the planter with soil and fertilizer in preparation of the life to come. As I watched my son work, I began to think of the toil that our Father went through to prepare us. The foundation that He built so that we too could grow in stature. I would watch my son as he la

Over the course of the last month I have found myself in a state of depression. Yes, Christians struggle with depression too. It is; however, at this moment that I look up. That is the hope that we have, to look up and recognize where our strength comes from, our strength comes from the Lord – Isaiah 40:31. After looking up, I pray “Father, what is wrong with me? Why am I so tired, weary, depressed?” The Lord answers, “You have spread yourself too thin my child. You are

Once upon a time there was a treasure chest. It was a beautiful treasure chest, lovingly molded by the creator and placed in an inner room. It had graceful lines and a lock with a key uniquely made. In the beginning, the treasure chest was new with freshly oiled hinges. The owner of the chest would open it frequently understanding that everything they needed to live freely was inside. One day as the owner was excitedly preparing to open the treasure chest to enjoy its cont

A girl lies in her bed at night crying. Every night it’s the same thing, “God why doesn’t anyone love me?” “Why did you create me if I am so unlovable?” The Father, in His quiet way, places His loving arms around the girl so that His Hand is in perfect position to capture her tears as He shares how precious she is to Him (Jeremiah 31:3.) He places them in His bottle (Psalm 56:8) preparing for the day that He will wipe every tear from her eyes (Revelation 7:17). A man lies

Where are you struggling today? We all struggle with something: waking up late, losing our keys, running out of coffee, losing a job, losing a child . . . Yes I know, some of these are trivial while others can be game changers. So when the struggles hit, when the challenges roll in, where do we turn? I am struggling today. As shared previously in Finding Hope, my oldest son is in prison. In 2012, he and a friend paid a high price for a horrible decision. If hindsight is 2

Do you remember Summer Camp? The smell of fresh mud and dirty socks? Do you remember the friends you made and the memories forever imprinted in your mind? Do you remember the decisions made which forever changed the trajectory of your life? Last week I had an amazing opportunity to serve at NTS Camp with our High School and Middle School Students. Making the decision to go to Summer Camp vs a Summer Vacation is one which many leaders make every year. My heart is so full when

You do not know me but I often see you as you visit your husband. Yes my son and your husband are in the same prison. I have the honor of seeing the beauty in the smile of your 2 young girls. And I am thankful to see you continue to visit him regularly. Today you look checked out. You look tired. Are you like me? Is it hard to visit your loved one? Is it difficult to only have 4 hours with them? Does your heart find joy when you see him? Do you also fight tears when yo

Are you overwhelmed by bad news? Does it seem that tragedy is occurring all around you or that you are just more tuned in to it? I can relate. Last week brought news of another shooting. Another horrific moment that I am having difficulty processing. A nation is mourning this tragedy, yet a Light is shining through the pages of media outcry. A community is joining together in prayer. . . . A nation is joining together in prayer . . . . LOVE is real and ALIVE. . . . I watch

God has once again rocked me. I visit the National Institute of Health periodically to check status of my extra brain mass. I have 2 reportedly “rare” diseases Pituitary Adenoma and Paraganglioma. As time goes on, God blesses me with the opportunity to meet others who teach me so much about hope and miracles. Last week was no exception . . . So, it all started at the airport. To rent a car or not rent a car? My husband had approved of the purchase; and I certainly could u

​​ There are few things in life that one incarcerated can call their own. When they are arrested, they have rights, when they are convicted, they lose their right to freedom as they know it. For a citizen who follows the law this is an acceptable consequence for a crime. For the prisoner it can be a death sentence in itself. So where does one find hope in this environment? Today I would like to share a true short story of finding hope. My son is in prison, serving an 8 yea

Today my heart goes out to those who lost beloved family members on flight MH17. So many questions including why? who? How can this happen? In our society today, it is so easy to be met with chaos, tragedy or even an unknown which is unexpected and find ourselves paralyzed. This is the enemy's plan, distract us from the life to the full that our Father has for us so we lose our focus. So, we have to make a decision, do we allow the affairs of the world to define our rea