encouragement

Beloved, You are Loved

Dear Beloved, Do you have a moment? Lean in close, there’s something very important, very special, you need to hear. Slow down the scrolling. Take a deep breath. Are you ready? You. Are. Loved. Yes, you. The one scanning these words, searching for something to fill this moment, coffee…

Loving with a Limp

It was the limp that caught my eye. In a bit of a rush, a common state of being for me as of late, I grabbed a shopping cart, quickly tallying my purchases against the quickest route through the store. Eyes on my phone, I almost ran into him. The…

At the Feet of Jesus

Sitting in my office, tears streamed down my face. I was a mess. My daughter had died a few months earlier, and the sorrow threatened to drown me. I felt broken, numb, and overwhelmed. I sat there desperately in need, with no idea what to do about it. Fortunately, I…

How I Celebrate My Daughter’s Birthday, the One Who Died

Today is Emma’s birthday. It’s her day, my youngest daughter. Fifteen on the 15th. Her golden birthday. Driver’s permit. Freshman year of high school. A full-fledged teen. My thoughts slip back to her birth, two weeks early but full of life. Beautiful. Dark…