the land in between…
Piling plates high with carbohydrates and yelling, “mangia bene” was the closest thing to implementing my short-lived dream of speaking Italian. The course and CD series I spent a fortune on taught me several phrases I’ll never use like, mi genitori sono divorzati per...
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required reading lists…
When I was home-schooled I got to read any book I wanted and my mom added it to my reading list as “required reading.” In college I had required reading that I didn’t get to pick. And in graduate school I had to read things I didn’t even...
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the small things…
Sometimes it’s the sprinkles on a cupcake. Sometimes it’s the perfect sunset on an empty beach. Sometimes it’s the moment right before the basketball hovers above the net as the buzzer beeps. The small things in life matter. The small things in life...
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what is it like to be married to me…
I heard the following question asked on the radio today and nearly died: Ask your spouse what it’s like to be married to you. Being married to me is like one big party. Minus the balloons, cake, streamers, and confetti. So basically it’s a table with me...
read morethat’s what families do…
Dear Parker and Ryen, Yesterday marked a turn in our relationship. The door opened, marking a new week spent at our house, and we both felt comfortable to be in each other’s presence. Life was seamless and effortless and—for a moment—flawless....
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seasons of everything…
There was a lull in the conversation and for a moment I didn’t know what to say. Sitting in my parked car, I held the phone near my ear and listened to her desire. The painfully honest admission of loneliness and singledom was all too raw and real and hard. Her...
read morethe cost of following…
Jesus was truthful about the fact that following Him would cost the disciples everything. But he was also honest about what they would gain [Mark 8:36-37]. Jesus’ desire is to meet people where they are, change them from being ordinary people to people to people...
read moresome thoughts on vulnerability…
Friends—er, maybe eFriends. No, how about CyberCompanions? Wait, let’s go with Online Homies. Nah, this is getting lame. I’ll just keep it real and say, Amigos! [You know, because I was just in Mexico and all.] It’s good to be back, but I have...
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church as a resort…
It’s Monday and the safety of the church walls and sanitized conversations are gone. The worship music has stopped and children aren’t in Sunday school. Our college group is back at college and our pastors aren’t within earshot. Oh no, what should we...
read morethe best dating advice…
A single person recently asked, How do you know if you’re suppose to marry a particular person? Like, what are the signs that you are making a good decision? The greatest advice I can give is this: The way a man loves God is the way he will love you. The way a...
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I’m a writer and teacher in love with two men: Jesus and my husband, Matt. [You might not find this funny, but I laugh at myself, so it all balances out.]
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