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How My Aunt’s Unshakable Faith Changed My Life: A True Testimony of Trusting God Through Hardship
A Family Rooted in Love and Faith There’s something special about my dad and his siblings. As adults, they share a closeness that’s rare and beautiful. My dad is the oldest of six children, and I deeply love each of my four aunts and my uncle. But one aunt, in particular, has had a profound impact on my life—especially my faith. Faith That Doesn’t Waver My aunt was the kind of Jesus-follower you only read about—someone who walked through fire without ever letting go of God’s hand. Her personal story is hers to tell, but I can share how her faith shaped mine. She had two double lung transplants. Yes—TWO.…
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There’s Something Special About Farm Kids
I’ve said it time and time again—there’s something special about farm kids. They truly are a breed of their own. And if there’s one week that proves it, it’s fair week. Fair week is a time when farm kids come together and live in a world that feels entirely their own. At the county fair, you’ll see them up early, wearing boots and shorts, caring for their animals. They make sure the animals have food, water, and a clean place to rest. They walk them for exercise and prep them for their upcoming shows. Some kids are laser-focused—locked in, maybe a little frantic—as they get ready to enter the show…
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Keeping The Spark Alive
Keeping the Spark Alive with a Roadside Flower After eighteen years of marriage, it’s easy for the spark to fizzle a bit. Life gets busy—we’re wrapped up in parenting, work, farming, housekeeping, and, let’s be honest, just trying to survive until bedtime (or sneak in a nap). Somewhere in all of that, we can forget to pursue one another. Every now and then, my husband gently reminds me to reflect on whether I’m still pursuing him. He doesn’t do it with words. He does it with a daisy-looking weed. (Daisies are my favorite.) The other day, we were at our farm when he got back in the truck holding a…
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Why Coffee Dates with Friends Matter -Even if You Don’t Drink Coffee
One way I’ve been able to reconnect with friends is through coffee dates. I don’t even drink coffee! But we’ll head over to our favorite local coffee shop, grab a tea or smoothie, and sit there and chat—catching up on life. I do this with one friend as often as I can, which seems to be about once a year now. We sit and talk about anything and everything. One time, we even sat by the window watching people try to parallel park. It was just as fun as you’d think—especially with our commentary! It’s such a peaceful environment to connect. Today, I met up with four friends I used…
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Have the Playdate
In our Wednesday night women’s group at church, someone fairly new asked if we had mom cliques—like a group of working moms who were ignored by the stay-at-home moms, and vice versa. We were astonished by this little factoid. Back then, I would host playdates and invite everyone with kids around the same age. One year, we had twenty-five kids here, along with five to seven moms. It wasn’t anything fancy. We just let the kids run wild—splashing in little pools, digging in the sand, and swinging. They always had a blast. They ended up muddy, dirty, and needing to be hosed down from head to toe—probably dunked in a…
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A Heart To Serve: Where My Journey Began
I didn’t always have a heart to serve others. In fact, anxiety often made it hard to look beyond my own needs. But thanks to the steady example of my husband, I’ve learned that serving others is part of who I am—and who I’m called to be as a follower of Jesus. Christian Service Doesn’t Have to Be Grand Serving others doesn’t always mean doing something big or public. Sometimes it’s the small, quiet things that make the biggest difference. At our church, we use a Meal Train to support families who’ve had a baby, surgery, or other life event. I sign up the moment I see it. Bringing a…
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Friend Break-Ups
It’s okay if we’re not friends anymore—but just know, I’m still here when you need me. Maybe nothing happened. Maybe we’re just in different seasons of life. Maybe our kids are in different extracurriculars now. Maybe there was a moment—an awkward interaction or something between the kids—and it left you annoyed. Whatever the reason, good or bad: I’ll still be there. You need me to pray for you? I’m on it. You need my brutally honest, ill-filtered opinion? You got it. You need someone to keep your kids—whether it’s an emergency or not? I’ve got you covered. See, we may not talk anymore. We might just be acquaintances now. But…
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Community
Recently, my sisters and I threw a surprise birthday party for our parents. While reflecting on that day, what really struck me was the powerful sense of community. The room was filled with people my parents would want there the most—their family, siblings, close friends, and even their neighbor, who also happens to be my dad’s best friend since high school. There are people in your life who have just always been there, and for our family, that’s their neighbor. He’s an amazing man who has loved me like one of his own. He’s walked with my parents through it all—losses, surgeries, weddings, births, and every high and low in…
