encouragement

Is Heaven for Real?

I remember the day I felt heaven kiss earth. I stood next to my youngest daughter, desperately praying for faith to believe what I could not see. I stood welcoming person after person offering condolences, sharing tears as each passed by her tiny casket. My body stood, but my mind…

Free to Soar

“Higher!” I cried. “Hold tight!” Leaning in, my hands grasping his, my dad pushed me up as I balanced my little four-year-old body against his feet. I giggled, and he laughed as he stretched his legs as far as they would go. “I’m flying!” I looked down…

Choose to be Unshakeable

Nothing shakes the foundation of our lives like experiencing pain. I don’t mean the stub-your-toe-and-a-bad-word-might-slip-out kind. I’m talking about the gut-wrenching, life-altering, never-the-same-again, questioning-all-you-know variety. The visit to the doctor. The…

10 Things I’ve Learned Since my Daughter Died

There’s a ratty old hoodie I occasionally think about throwing away. The cuffs are stained with bleach. The sleeves no longer reach my wrist. More than once, a kind soul points out the small stain just right of the zipper. I’m quick to explain its origin…