Dear Nate (on your first day of your sophomore year)- Oh, Nate. You’re breaking my heart this year in just about every way. First of all, the good news—or at least the bit of buried joy. You have become the kid I always dreamed of having. So handsome and confident and smart. Here you are....Continue Reading
Dear Sam (on your last first day)… What can I say that I haven’t already?Sixteen last-day of school letters. I’ve celebrated with you for all the ways you’ve conquered hard times, commiserated with you about the really crappy years, told you how you inspire me (you do), predicted which school years would be remarkable, and...Continue Reading
Are You Okay?Someone asked me that the other day, and I almost said yes. Almost. But the truth was more complicated. Maybe it is for you too. This Lent, I need space to check in with myself—to ask, Am I okay?—and to sit with whatever answer comes. Some days, I might feel steady. Other days,...Continue Reading
Three Advent Calendars to Prepare Your Heart This Season Advent is one of those seasons that can feel both magical and overwhelming. Maybe you’re longing for deeper connections with loved ones, craving a moment of quiet reflection, or just trying to find Christ in the middle of the holiday chaos. Wherever you are right now,...Continue Reading
It’s been a bit of bad news lately, but here is something that makes me smile. I’m sharing it with you because it’s beautiful and a captivating illustration of the Bible study I shared with hundreds of wonderful friends in Kentucky sometimes a picture is worth one million words I would use to describe my...Continue Reading
If you haven’t checked out my YouTube channel yet, let’s hang out over there. Okay, honestly, how are you feeling lately? I don’t mean “fine.” I mean, how do you really feel? If your answer is any of these–worn out, scared, sad, stuck, or anxious–then this is your invitation to be inspired. If your spiritual...Continue Reading
Dear Catie- Wait. Hold on What is happening here? You—my oldest daughter, young woman, sixteen-year-old—are changing right now more than you ever have before. I did not see this coming. You, who has always been so exceptionally sweet and laid-back—and a certified black belt at relating to other people—are becoming something even more. Just when I thought I knew you completely,...Continue Reading
To run a 5K, or redecorate your living room, or crochet a scarf, or write a book, you have to start with tons of grace—like endless heaps of it.Continue Reading
Connection & Consequences–that’s what your teen needs from you in 2020. I’ve learned this first-hand these past few months as I’ve stepped back into the high school classroom. I’m teaching one class of seniors at a wonderful Christian school. Spending these past few months with these 17 students has reminded me what teens need. Our...Continue Reading
It’s Concordia Publishing House‘s 150th birthday this month and I’m celebrating their ministry the story of what they’ve meant in my life—as a reader, as a Jesus-lover, as a writer, as a mom, and as a teacher. Love in the Library My love for CPH books started where all good stories begin—in the library. My...Continue Reading
