By

Christina

4 Reasons Your Teen Needs Camp

A month ago, our daughter Catie left for her summer at Camp Lone Star. She’s serving as a counselor. We’re happy for her to have this unique, wonderful experience. And we’re sad for us because we miss her so much. Last week, I got to serve as the V(ery) I(nspirational) P(erson) at CLS. Besides the...
Continue Reading

Welcome to Our Family’s Favorite Place

Please excuse the over-the-top passion in this love letter. I’m a local, a writer, and in-love with this island. This little sandbar has given so much to our family—and gushy praise is one way to celebrate it. Many years ago, my parents were Texas transplants (young teachers who were called to teach at St. John’s...
Continue Reading

Five Reasons You Should Plan a Women’s Retreat

This year, I’ve traveled over thousands of miles, all over the United States, to lead women’s retreats. Every place I go, I see the same need. Women are starving for real, face-to-face connection. Over and over, they share stories about feeling lonely and stuck–and they’re looking for answers.   A women’s retreat is the answer. Here’s where women...
Continue Reading

Indeed: 40 Days of Noticing

Maybe it’s just me. But lately? My first reaction is to be cynical. Or bitter. Or weary. This is a change and I don’t quite know what’s caused it. The more I talk about this–the more people seem to feel the same way. What’s going on? Maybe this dark cloud is leftover from the confusion...
Continue Reading

HoCo X2

Truths I learned from our freshmen twins & their first Homecoming…  Some things change. After Catie’s four Homecomings, I kind of felt like a Homecoming veteran. I am not that. Because HoCo is really different as a mom of one independent girl than it is for two freshmen—especially when one of those freshmen is a...
Continue Reading

A Prayer for my Daughter, as She Starts College…

Dear God, First, Lord, thanks for letting us get this far.  Thanks for keeping her safe—through the years of croup, and riding her bike to the park alone, and driving alone on rainy Houston highways. Truly. I was terrified. I should have known You were in control.  And thanks for college, God. Thanks for helping...
Continue Reading

Dear Nate… (On Your First Day of Seventh Grade)

Dear Nate… (on your first day of Seventh Grade) This year is already different. You are different. You’re growing up, exploring everything, and very much transforming into your own person. I’m honored and exhilarated to watch you become your own, unique person. In a family of runners, you’re trying football instead. All your siblings hated...
Continue Reading

Dear Sam… (On Your First Day of High School)

Dear Sam (on your first day of high school), Here we are—fifteen years old, freshman in high school, and learning to drive. It feels exactly right for you to be tackling these milestones, and also a bit startling. To see you in the halls of high school, with boys who are 6’2 and girls who...
Continue Reading

Dear Elisabeth… (On Your First Day of High School)

Has there ever been a weirder start to a school year? On your first day of high school, you went to bed at 2 a.m. This was after saying goodbye to your big sister—and then driving 900 miles from Nebraska, smashed in the backseat with your brothers. This is a metaphor for your place in...
Continue Reading

Lights of the World…

I traveled to Latin America to speak to missionaries. I taught three afternoons of Bible studies to the women and three mornings of Bible studies to teenaged kids of missionary families. This was for the annual conference for the region so over 100 of us gathered together to connect and learn. When I’m working with...
Continue Reading
1 2 3 4 5 108