Shhh! It’s a Secret!
I’ll confess something right up front.I’m not very good at keeping secrets. Oh, I try. But give me a delightful surprise — like a party, a gift, or some exciting news — and it practically bubbles right out of me. I’ve been known to accidentally spill the beans about a surprise party before the candles…
Along with the Sunshine — Comes a Little Rain
I heard it said that “Bad things happen — how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life.” Amen to that! Some days feel like heaven is pouring out blessings. The weather is perfect, the phone rings with good news, and every traffic light seems to turn green just as…
When Heaven Whispers
We’re back home in Austin after a few glorious days at Epiphany Ranch in Alto, Texas — 62 acres of lush East Texas beauty. Tall trees. Rolling fields. A sparkling lake. Tiny homes tucked like little jewels across the land. A place where people come for counseling, training, encouragement, and sometimes just to catch their…
Walk a Mile in These Shoes
Before we judge someone — let’s look again.These aren’t designer sandals.They’re cut-up plastic bottles tied together with twine.They’re not a fashion statement — they are necessity. And suddenly Luke 6:37 feels less like a suggestion and more like a command: “Judge not — condemn not — forgive”. It’s easy to form opinions from a distance.…
STOP! Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid
That phrase may sound a little dated, but the lesson behind it is timeless. It came from one of the most tragic examples of blind followership in history — people swallowing a lie that cost them everything. And while we shake our heads and say, How could they believe that lie? But, we aren’t always…
Get Ready for YOUR Comeback
At just 20 years old, Alysa Liu didn’t just skate beautifully — she staged a comeback for the history books. The first American woman in 24 years to stand atop the Olympic podium. Gold around her neck. Tears in her eyes. Her father, Arthur Liu, celebrating wildly in the stands. Twenty-four years is a long…
So Heavenly Minded, So Much Earthly Good
“So heavenly minded, she’s no earthly good.”Clever little cliché, isn’t it? I confess… I used to say it. Years ago, I knew a super-pious Bible college student who fasted, prayed, and studied Scripture all day long. Admirable — except for one little detail. She hadn’t paid her rent. Or her college fees. She didn’t work.…
The Love Test
Valentine’s Day fell on Saturday this year, and we were in Lubbock. I woke up to a sweet surprise — Carl had left me a beautiful card and a pair of sunflower earrings. Now, if you know our story, you know sunflowers are special to us. They were the flowers at our wedding. So those…
Dependence and Independence
Somewhere along the way, we were taught that independence is the goal:Be strong. Be courageous.Handle it yourself.Don’t ask for help. You can do it.Don’t cry. Don’t whine.Don’t need. Be independent. And if we’re honest, many of us wear independence like a badge of honor — even when it’s quietly breaking our backs. We say, “I’ve…
Take Joy, My King, in What You Hear
Ah… love songs. Love songs to our babies. Love songs to our spouses. Love songs that linger in the kitchen while we stir soup or fold laundry. Songs that carry memories like perfume — one note and suddenly we’re back in a moment we thought we’d forgotten. And then there are the love songs we…