Steady and Wild

It takes time for your brain to realize that you’ve eaten. It’s in this time that I start this new year. I’m hobbled, dirty, and exhausted from previous years, but I’ve eaten the manna. He had to prepare it, place it, and make me stoop, but I’m no longer hungry. I’m digesting. What now? Actually, I’ve read somewhere that our best digestion happens when we rest. I’m resting. He’s with me.

I’m not mad about the hobbling. I’m sore, but it’s a “good sore” if you know what I mean.

Have you eaten?

I wrote those words during the sunrise of 2014 in my very first blog post “Sore from the Hobbling”. Continue reading

How Can We Know Hope?

He just asked a question.

Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were old and had struggled with infertility for many years. Despite all of their heartache, they remained faithful their God who seemed non-responsive and so far away.

I imagine Elizabeth’s cyclical shattering of dreams had long since crowded out any ideas that things could be different.

Cynicism is safe. Pessimism is protection. Continue reading

GNO with Karen: A Thank-You, Observations from the Back Seat, and A Peek in our Rear-View Mirror

 

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I’m Karen and this is my blog. I was the one asking the questions to these beautiful and wise women all month. Continue reading

GNO with Lisa Roth: Comparison, Determining Worth, and Broken Pieces

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I’ve been married to my favorite person, Andy, for 13 years. He’s always made me laugh. He’s my anchor in this life Continue reading

GNO with April Johnson: Supermodels, God’s Provision, and Saving the Day

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Originally from Zeeland, Michigan, I graduated from Hope College with a degree in Continue reading

GNO with Jamie Stowell: Honesty, Five Weeks, and Mom

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I came to St Louis From Chicago (GO BEARS!) to go to Covenant Seminary for her MDiv, which I completed in Continue reading

GNO with Linda Gurney: An Emblem of Faith, Jumping off the Throne, and Ginger Rogers


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I’ve been widowed for eight years and am blessed with three children Continue reading

GNO with Lynn D. Morrissey: Hot Flashes, Journaling, and Guilt

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What an honor and delight to be invited to participate in a vivacious, virtual Girls’ Night Out! Thank you, Karen! And what a thrill to Continue reading

GNO with Denise Dolan: Being the Neck, Doubting, and Music

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I was born in Perryville, MO and grew up in St. Louis.
 
I’ve been married for Continue reading

GNO with Amalia LaViolette: Sex, Double Chins, and Gossip

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I am a singer, Weight Watcher Leader, Bible Study Facilitator, Mother, and Wife (not necessarily in that order) Continue reading

GNO with Kara Butte: Moving, Weakness, and School-Choice

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Hello! I’m Kara–Married to an amazingly faithful and forgiving man, Doug, who is God’s gift to me. Momma to three crazy kiddos: Micah, Andrew and Abby, who keep me on my toes and on my knees. I’m learning daily how to lean on Jesus, live in light of the Gospel, and love the story God has written for my life.
I’m an idealistic Iowa gal married to a nutty Nebraska guy, Continue reading

GNO with Jane Ellen Mark: Reading, Counseling, and Jane Eyre

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I blew in from Kansas (Wichita) but count Saint Louis home–44 years.  I’m married to Bob (also 44 years), we have four married daughters, who are my favorite people, four wonderful sons-in-law (love those guys), and Continue reading

GNO with Jenn Whitmer: War horses, Babying Your Kids, and Travel

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This is Girls’ Night Out, and I love to talk. Grab some coffee or, even better, some wine, and let’s chat! I married best friend Michael at 21, moved to St. Louis to be a part of Continue reading

GNO with Cher Curtis: Clean Underwear, Hating to Housekeep, and Performance

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Cher with her two granddaughters, and her husband, Lee.
Wow! Where does one start to write a short bio? I’ve been married to Lee for 47 wonderful years, I’m mom to Continue reading

GNO with Lilian Werner: Boyfriends, Style, and Friendships

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I’m married to Brad, mom to Inna, Ivan and Anya, and grandma to Anastasia. I am also Continue reading

GNO with Emily Heman: Shoes, Joan Rivers, and Laughter

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My name is Emily Heman and I’m proud to be mom to Karen Brown and Kathy Morice. Jim is my husband of Continue reading

GNO with Suzanne Ebel: Autism, Speaking Up, and Donald Trump

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Veni vidi vici.

 

I came. I saw. I conquered.
Except for the vici part.  
It should actually say,  ‘effodisset’, or “I got smacked in the face.” Continue reading

GNO with Jane Ellis Griggs: Standing Tall, 3:00am Love, and Gone With the Wind

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I’m not sure what is more awkward to explain at parties – that I have a double first name or that I am an accountant at a cardboard box   factory in the Northeast of England.
 
But my favorite things to share are that I married my high school sweetheart, Robbie, and that we have three intense, outspoken and Continue reading

GNO with Sierra Brock: Eyebrows, The Bare Minimum, and Trusting God

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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

GNO with Linda Tackes: Dating, Brisket, and Beyond Identity

 

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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

GNO with Catherine Estes: Folding Towels, Crying in Public, and Reading the Bible

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Jesus revealed Himself to me in my thirties, entirely changing my life. Every time I see a Continue reading

GNO with Cathy Barnes: Spinning Plates, Urban Decay, and Loving Your Man

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I am a wife, mother, and a daughter of the King. God has blessed me with a rich and varied life. I have been a dancer, police officer and Continue reading

GNO with Jeanne Kuhlman: Angels, Sleep Deprivation, and Carolyn

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I have been married to Dexter for 45 years, have two married children, four grandchildren and am Continue reading

GNO with Stephanie Nelson: The "Rush", Sarcasm, and Identity

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Stephanie Nelson is a pop-culture nut, coffee snob, tree hugger, nail polish addict, Continue reading

GNO with Molly Snyder: Skinny Jeans, Nap Time, and Cutting to the Chase

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I’m married to my best friend and am a stay-at-home-mom to two great kids. I live in St. Louis, and spend my free-time Continue reading

GNO with Paula Robinson: Wreck-It Ralph, Living La Vida Loca, and Maya Angelou

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I was born and raised in the suburbs of St. Louis, MO to farmer-ish parents. I’m married for 15 years to my life partner, Shawn, and Continue reading

GNO with Joan Kouba: The Army, Dementia, and Concerts

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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

GNO with Melanie Braun: The 3:1 Ratio, Spinning Out of Control, and Magic Erasers

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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

GNO with Debbie Doriani: Proportion, Food, Friends, and Lost-and-Found Boxes

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Debbie Doriani is married to Dr. Dan Doriani for 38 years, has 3 grown daughters, 2 Continue reading

GNO with Christan Perona: The Control Idol, Being a Trendsetter, and Body Image

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Christan Perona is the Director of Admissions at Central Christian School, a racially and socio-economically diverse academy in St. Louis. 
 
She writes about practical theology at Continue reading

GNO with Lisa Dobrich: Nerds, Flylady, and Baby Steps

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Lisa Dobrich is a mom to three wonderful teenage daughters and retired homeschool veteran of fifteen years. Continue reading

GNO with Toodie Schaper: Birthday Suit, Writing a Book, and Big-Girl Panties

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My name is Toodie Schaper. Actually, my given name is Karen but I had a grandma from the South that at my birth exclaimed, “Oh, she looks like a little Continue reading

GNO with Julie Kraus: Fairytales, Fabuloso, and Friendship

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I love to cook…Love my family…I’m a new grandma and love serving the Lord as the cook at Continue reading

This Moment in Time

 
 
This moment in time, this passing sand,
Falling through narrow glass,
Is a chance for rebirth, for starting afresh.
For this sand is tomorrow’s past. Continue reading

Twenty Years

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

At The Edge

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

When Across the Street Seems Too Far

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

Finish

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: FINISH. 
 
 
Photo Source
The Finish Line’s stretched thin.
Tightly strung, with tension within.
The runners strain and push hard,
Reaching out, and hoping to win. Continue reading

The Promiser

 
“…And so it was with the Healer. He opened my mind up to the idea of a heart transplant with promises of His own.

He drew me in with whisperings of my deepest longings…
 
And He had me at Love
 
…but I hung on His every word:  Life… Peace… Joy… Forgiveness
 
And with every whisper, I inched closer to the operating table.
 
But still, the promises weren’t enough for me to surrender…”

 
To read the rest of my story, please visit Echoes of My Heart where I’m honored to be a guest writer today.  

And I’d love it if you would leave a comment there to let me know that you stopped by. Thanks!

Click HERE to get there…