What are my favorite things about mothering a large family? Well, let me tell you! I’m the mother of 8 children. And, yes, I love it. This often surprises people when they learn that I have all these kids. They'll say things like, “But you don’t look like a mother of 8 children!” And then, occasionally,“Do you actually like having a large family?” I’m never sure how to answer that first one (Thank you...I think?). The answer to the second question is easier, Yes, I do. I love ... continue reading...
The Lost Art of Letter Writing
I’ve always considered letter writing to be such a romantic (in the sentimental sense, not necessarily the lovey-dovey sense, though often that as well…) way to communicate with people you care about. Sure, it seems old-fashioned when you can zip an email or a text message off to anyone with a phone in this day and age. However, despite my (dubious) status as a millennial, I’m actually pretty terrible at communicating with this 21st-century technology. I’m a pen and paper girl through and ... continue reading...
The Best Advice from 60 Years of Marriage
She was only seventeen. Young. Strong. Determined. And he was not much older at nineteen. But he was convinced that she was the woman for him. All he was waiting for was a soft moonlight night and the chance to ask her to be his wife. The one hitch in his plans? That particular night turned out to be cloudy and dark. So with a romantic gesture, Dad tied a flashlight to the fence post to shine down on them as he parked his car underneath the beam of light. Then his proposal ... continue reading...
Invite God into Your Prayer Circle
Daniel did it. Moses did it. Even Jesus did it. All of these Bible people - and plenty more - asked their friends to join the prayer circle. And I was reminded of the power of multiplied prayer a few weeks ago when I got together with my best college pals. ... continue reading...
Easter Stories That Will Quickly Become Family Favorites
Sharing Easter stories with your family is a sweet tradition and here is a list of some excellent titles. We excitedly awaited Grandma’s gray carton of colorful eggs every Easter. The tiny items inside, from the thorn to the rope, were visible reminders of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. I don’t quite remember if Grandma told the Easter story or if we all participated in the telling, but I know that to us cousins those eggs and their treasures were a huge part of our Easter ... continue reading...
25 Tips I Want to Share With Younger Wives
I'm sharing some tips for younger wives to help you build a wonderful marriage! She asked if we could meet for coffee. Clearly, something was on her mind. She's a wonderful young lady and full of the hopes and dreams that come with youth. She wants a beautiful marriage. Yet she’d also been around long enough to know that a strong, loving marriage isn’t a guarantee. So we sat down in a quiet cafe and she asked me outright: What does it take to build a lovely marriage? What ... continue reading...
How To Declutter Your Heart
Do you need to declutter your heart? Are there some things in there that are "off-limits"? My organizing client had a room where the "door remained closed at all times." Do you have one of those? This room was full of things she was holding on to for memories sake, things she "might need one day," things she wanted to give to so-and-so because they might be able to use it, plus, all the things she wanted to keep but didn't know what to do with. She would get anxious when people came ... continue reading...
How to Enjoy a First Corinthians 13 Love in Your Marriage
Do you see your marriage possessing that 1 Corinthians 13 love? How can you live this out practically? Honestly, I never saw it coming. There we were enjoying a simple Sunday evening watching a family movie with our special-needs daughter. Big bowls of hot, buttery popcorn and bottles of bright sparkling water. Her idea of a perfect night. But in the middle of the movie, I received a call letting me know I'd messed up on an important detail with one of our other sons. I missed ... continue reading...
How to Find the Rainbow in the Rain
When your dreams get rained on and you're not sure you'll ever make progress, pause and look for the rainbow through the rain. For as long as we’ve been married (over twenty-five years now), my husband, Terrell, has had a dream to own a rental property. He’s read real estate articles and books, listened to podcasts and audiobooks, and dreamed. He is incredibly handy, the kind of guy who can fix anything or build whatever I see on Pinterest—a true renovator at heart. Somewhere along the ... continue reading...
10 Sane Steps for When He Makes You Crazy
Maybe it's common that your husband makes you crazy. What if you turned that crazy around into something more productive? Just like you and dad. That's the kind of marriage she said she'd always wanted. She wanted to love, to laugh, and to hold on the way he and I did. She was only a little girl. Now here she stands a young woman. And suddenly it feels more urgent to pack in everything I've ever wanted her to know. But I found myself a bit hesitant to say what was on my heart ... continue reading...
5 Simple Ways to Call Out Fear and Calm Anxiety
Faith is not always my reflex. I wish it was. I wish you could tap on my fears with a soft hammer and faith would pop up involuntarily like a child’s leg does for the doctor. Just a little stimuli and boom - there’s my faith. Sometimes it works that way. In carefully practiced situations, when a friend is struggling with something a little more familiar, kids or marriage or work issues - I’m first in line to pray with and for them, believing in God’s ability to intervene and sustain. But ... continue reading...
Here Are the Most Beautiful Books to Help Your Family Celebrate Easter
What a great way to celebrate Easter with your children--and ultimately your whole family--then with reading great stories full of His truth!? Easter is one of my favorite holidays. The natural world is so full of resurrection and rebirth that it seems impossible to miss the real story despite the commercialization. Easter is a jubilant day for believers, a day of triumph over the absolute worst of everything that is in the world: sin, darkness, abandonment, and death. It's even the reason ... continue reading...