Snapshots of Love
On Sunday, Carl and I stepped into a busy, active and fun-filled place — High Five — that was filled with laughter, little feet running, bowling balls rolling, and the sweet chaos of a five-year-old’s birthday party. Gifts were opened with delight, hugs were given freely, and joy filled every corner. And there they were…
Soul Rest
A dear friend — a loving wife, sister, mother, and grandmother — was recently diagnosed with cancer. Just weeks before, she was in full mom-mode, helping her daughter prepare for the wedding of her dreams. The photos were pure joy: decorating the venue, fixing every detail, and beaming with love. Then came the diagnosis. Life…
Freedom — at Last
It started with a sky dive. Kristina Vinberg — fearless, full of fire, and determined to conquer whatever came her way — leapt from a plane for her 26th birthday. Giddy. Grinning. Free. That video said everything about her: she faced fear, clung to her tandem partner’s strength, and flew through the air with joy.…
Hair and a Prayer
Oh, the lifelong journey I have had with my hair! It’s been a roller coaster of triumphs and mishaps! I’ve been friends AND foes with my hair since an early age. What about those perms??? I can still smell the chemical concoction from a home perm my mom gave me. She read the instructions like…
I Will Praise You in the Storm
It’s been some time since I’ve been to a great Christian contemporary music concert, especially since attending those events was a routine for my husband and I back in the day. So, I was enthused that we were going to see “We the Kingdom” and “Casting Crowns” on Monday night. We were a group of…
What Difference Does a Hamburger Make?
My oncology nurse friend is all about bringing sunshine into the world. What a joy it must be for her patients who face a riveting cancer diagnosis. Her bright light intersects their darkness with hope. In addition to her nursing job, she is also a volunteer at a charitable organization that is truly a “back-up…
Do You Recognize a Holy Moment?
It’s the first Sunday of the month and I am a Greeter at my church. This particular Sunday I can’t stay for my full shift because I need to leave about ten minutes early for a meeting. I ask my fellow greeter who is posted at a less-traffic door if she’d switch with me today…
Whole Lotta’ Infusion Going On
Whole Lotta’ Infusion Going On Infusion — To fill or cause to be filled with something. That word resonated within me when I heard about a friend’s husband’s recent cancer surgery. Infusion is a word that my Sweetheart and I became all too familiar with during the course of his battle against cancer. He had…
LOVE is Sharing the Journey
Many times in life, we find ourselves, hand-in-hand and side-by-side with others on similar faith journeys. This is a story about Shannon Brill Rziha, a precious friend, wife and mother of three young children who passed from this life to heaven five years ago February 11th. I am compelled to share about her because she…
Him I Will Keep in Perfect Peace Whose Mind is Stayed on Me
That’s my sweetheart in the photo – so at peace during one of our Belize missions. I posted this message, 25 days after we received the Stage 4 Kidney Cancer diagnosis. I have friends encountering some major life storms, as we did, and I want to share how we made it through the rough waters.…