The following post is simply a prayer (from The Valley of Vision*) and verses that have shaped my thinking about the most important thing I can do with my life. When we find ourselves at a fork in the road or a major transition, or when it’s just difficult to keep doing the thing that... Read More
A post for (very tired) moms of young children
If you lived in Shanghai from 2011 to 2018, you might have seen me on a crowded subway, standing out like a bright orange Cheeto on a beige living room carpet. With a stroller in front, another child or two in tow, and enough diapers and snacks for the day, we’d head into the city... Read More
A book for teaching children Psalm 23
Recently, I’ve been meditating on Psalm 23, and it’s been extremely comforting as we go through a time of grieving. Many of us memorized this psalm when we were children so that we could be prepared for such times. Have the children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews in your life memorized this psalm? I’d like to... Read More
Psalm 23: A song for facing death
This week, I cleaned out my mother-in-law’s office. It had been the room where we’d been placing all of her things from around the house, but this week we needed to clean it out and organize her things, storing them away in boxes until the family can go through them more carefully. I was thankful... Read More
Three Characteristics and Two Surprising Facts about the Virtuous Woman (or Excellent Wife)
The “Proverbs 31 Woman” can be both an inspiring and terrifying figure. We may read an individual verse of Proverbs 31, and say, “Yes! I want to be like that!” We may read the entire chapter and say, “Oh, that is just impossible!” For those of you who may be reading Proverbs for the first... Read More
What book can help me meditate on the gospel?
A Gospel Primer for Christians by Milton Vincent is simple in the extreme, but Vincent’s message (reflected in the subtitle Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love) is as compelling as it is straightforward: that the gospel, rehearsed daily, gives Christians so much power that all the promises of God are within reach for... Read More
Can social media be redeemed?
Turn your Facebook usage (or addiction) into something eternally profitable Do you remember when you first started using Facebook? For me, Facebook came into my life in college, and I embraced it whole-heartedly. It was an amazing and new way to connect with others and to share pictures and moments in our lives. After completing... Read More
Celebrating the Life of Deborah Talbert
Being with so many people who love and cherish Mom Talbert was very comforting and helpful today. Meadowlands Baptist Church did so much to make this a memorable and blessed day. They even made a live-streaming option and recorded it for those who couldn’t come in person. Thank you to all of you for your... Read More
Proverbs 18: Don’t isolate & don’t be silent
If you are working through the 2023 Proverbs Reading Challenge, you are on Proverbs 18 today. If you haven’t yet started, or if things have prevented you from reading each day, please don’t worry. You can start anytime, and if you miss some days, it’s ok. Remember that this is a very generous reading challenge... Read More
The power of prayer . . . and paraphrase: paraphrasing the psalms in daily prayer
Sometimes, I really struggle with prayer. I am certain that it is powerful, that it is vital, and that God wants it, but when I actually sit down to pray, my mind sometimes goes blank. In the past, I had struggled with severe fatigue that made it nearly impossible to stay awake when I prayed,... Read More