I was the girl who hid in the trees with paper and pencil to write poetry. I was “that nerd” in Jr. High and early High School that Continue reading
Linda has been a pediatrician in St. Louis for almost 20 years and loves her job and the families and kids she cares for Continue reading
I’m a wife, mom, and teacher who is striving to worship my Lord and Savior with music and by sharing what I have learned with others. Continue reading 
Melanie Braun is a wife to Marc and mom of 3 boys in St Louis. If she’s not driving someone somewhere, you’ll find her Continue reading
Lisa Dobrich is a mom to three wonderful teenage daughters and retired homeschool veteran of fifteen years. Continue reading
What a brat. The kid was whiny, hyper, and disobedient. His mom seemed exhausted, shut-down, and used to it.
She and I were both waiting in a small, echoey lobby for play practice to end. Clearly, she was there to pick up her oldest child and I was there to do the same for my youngest.
I watched her ineffectively and un-creatively try to change her young child’s behavior. “Stop,” she would say weakly to his back as he laughed and ran out of her reach.
“You said I could play on your phone!” he whined, looking around the room to see who was watching his performance.
“I told you… it ran out of battery, you can play tomorrow.” Her words were part of one, long, robotic sigh. Continue reading
I love Girls’ Night Out! I almost never pass on an opportunity to spend an evening talking, laughing, and sometimes crying with friends.And I’ve always wanted to gather all of the wise women I know at once and sit them down in my living room, so we could Continue reading 
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I’ve taught my kids to “be ready” by having their teeth brushed, lunches packed, and shoes on. Continue reading
As of last month, it’s been twenty years since my first-born was placed into my arms. It seems like yesterday, and so long ago at the same time.
I look at his tiny body in the picture and can’t believe that he is now a man: strong, talented, intelligent, sensitive, and godly.
And I look into the face of the young version of myself and remember. She is clueless about being a mother, but Continue reading
| Each week, we write for five minutes, freely, on a one-word prompt. No time for much planning or revising. We write quickly, then post, a flash-mob linking together at Kate Motaung’s site. It’s fun! This week’s prompt: WHISPER.
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If I didn’t already have my shoes off, I would have removed them, for I felt I was on holy
ground. It was one of the last mornings of our vacation, and I was on a beach walk by
myself, but I was not alone.
With my very first step, I began thanking God for the opportunity to be there with my
family. Then as my mind wandered, I started talking to God about why He made the
beach the way He did and how our visits there impact us. And I started snapping pictures
to capture it all. Continue reading
Sadness blows slowly down our street this week because of the sudden and tragic death of a neighbor. He left behind a wife and two young-adult boys.
We’ve lived diagonally across the street from them for over sixteen years. And now, in their moment of greatest sorrow and need, I’m struck by how little I know them. Continue reading
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| Each week, we write for five minutes, freely, on a one-word prompt. No time for much planning or revising. We write quickly, then post, linking together at LisaJo’s site This week’s prompt: BLOOM.
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The bloom gets the attention.
It has the color, the shape, and the smell.
It gets the camera’s focus and the lover’s touch.
But the bloom isn’t worthy… Continue reading
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It’s just not there. I’ve looked so many times.
What do you say to your son when he gets cut from the team?
How should you respond when the full trash-can keeps getting forgotten?
Is it a sin to eat Oreos?
So many times, I’ve wished the Bible would speak more to the specifics of my life. I’ve often thought, “If God would just tell me what to say/do right now, I would obey.”
But He doesn’t. He doesn’t give us a script, action plan, or a menu.
I know, I hear you, reader. You’re saying if I’m “walking in the Spirit” and “abiding in Him” …I’ll just Continue reading
This post is part of a Five Minute Friday linkup. A one-word prompt is given and we write, freely, for five minutes, then post. This week’s prompt: Belong.
A quick question.
140 characters.
Just shoot me a text.
Just a short visit.
I won’t keep you.
I’ll make it quick.
We have been trained to take no time. Continue reading
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The coach chose him to swim an I.M., or Individual Medley, which is a 100-meter race where the swimmer does one lap of each stroke: butterfly, backstroke, breasttroke, and freestyle. A race that intimidates him and makes him doubt.
My third born, a boy, who has reached thirteen years in the blink of an eye, who gracefully straddles the beam of adolescence, who still says “Yes Mam” and hugs me everyday, who just started gelling his hair and caring about muscles, stood on the blocks. There were anxious fidgets, exaggerated exhales, and popping of knuckles. And the swimmers seemed nervous, too. Continue reading
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Linking up with (in)couragers
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A young athlete redefines himself as a son of the King after his health is lost.
A new mother learns to trust in Him when her ability to control is lost.
A workaholic engages with his family after his job is lost.
We clamor, grip, and strive to win, but usually, it’s in the losing that we find what we’re looking for. Continue reading
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Recently, my pre-teen daughter went to a birthday party. When I picked her up, she got in the car and slumped on the seat, frowning. No “Hi Mom”, no “Thanks for picking me up”, no nothing.
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Dear Daughters,
As you get ready to enter new schools in the fall, it’s normal for you to be anxious for things to go well.
We’ve thoughtfully planned your core classes, electives, and extra curricular activities.
We made a list of supplies and will scour the stores for just the right binders, backpacks, and notebooks.
We’ve budgeted and will shop carefully for outfits that are practical, appropriate, and expressive.
You are pretty much ready, except for one thing.
We haven’t done anything to prepare you to sift though a big, new group of people in the hope of making godly friends. Often, the friendships that you have in middle school and high school can influence you so much more than your classes, supplies, and clothes. Therefore, I’d like to offer some advice and encouragement, to be just as intentional about getting ready for this part of your new school year. You can begin now to prepare to make friendships. You can do this…on purpose. Continue reading
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Every morning it comes streaming in with the sun.
The list of tasks, the demands, the deadlines, the expectations.
My enemy pumps it in. Filling up my space, invading my mind, pushing on my soul, taking away my breath.
The pressure.
I try to manage it with Continue reading
Pheidippides was a hero in Ancient Greece. It has been told that he ran from Marathon to Athens in under 36 hours to deliver the news of a military victory over the Persians to the magistrates who were anxious about the results of the battle. He delivered the news, then collapsed to his death.
Whether this story is true, or merely a myth, is debatable. But you can’t argue with the fact that it touches us all. Continue reading
I close my gym locker with a satisfying slam. The metal-on-metal sound matches the way I feel. I hate this, I think.
The long and lean beauty in front of me steps off the scale, then leaves the sliding weights in place for me to covet.
I roll my eyes and curse under my breath.
Stooping For Manna 
