When I was a young girl, my parents enrolled me in swim lessons. I did fairly well when it came to swimming inside the pool, but not so much when it came to diving. All the other kids would somewhat s...  Read More

The Message is the MethodIn today’s world, someone is always trying to sell you something. Maybe it’s the new miracle exercise routine that will shave off those stubborn pounds. Or a shiny car that pr...  Read More

In the summer of 2009, I went on my first international missions trip to the Dominican Republic (DR). The trip centered around supporting a local missionary team stationed in a major city in the Domin...  Read More

When I was in seminary, there were many classes I had that I was excited about, but there was one class that made me pretty nervous: evangelism and discipleship. I liked the discipleship part of this ...  Read More

The coach for the Eagles (GO Birds!), Nick Sirianni, in a fiery speech recently, talked about the importance of playing as a team. He said you can do a lot of great things on your own, but you can onl...  Read More

Last week I walked into the dollar store to purchase some birthday/Valentine’s Day balloons for my oldest daughter. I found helium balloons shaped like pizza slices with the words “you’ve got a pizza ...  Read More

Last Sunday, we learned that economists have a term for vanilla’s dominance in the ice cream world: The Vanilla Factor. Every year, without fail, vanilla is the top-selling flavor, accounting for 30% ...  Read More

Over the years I have found myself becoming more sensitive to the shortcomings of others. Instead of allowing things to roll off, I've been bitter or resentful. The season where I struggled the most w...  Read More

Miranda and I have been close friends with Luke and Jensine Ahrens for nearly 15 years. They are among our dearest friends, and together, we share a deep history filled with countless stories. We’ve t...  Read More

My husband likes to joke that when the clock strikes 9 p.m. I turn into a pumpkin. It’s not a total exaggeration. I much prefer early mornings than late nights, and my energy levels deplete quickly in...  Read More

The WallsThe theologian G. K. Chesterton has a wonderful analogy about walls. He posits the question of whether the walls that hem in children on a playground restricts or expands their freedom to pla...  Read More

What often looks simple is actually the result of years of practice and discipline. What seems effortless is often the fruit of countless hours of hard work. Let me illustrate.The other night, as our ...  Read More