Prayer
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When evil looms, will you pray this prayer? Galatians Devotional 7
Darkness. Brokenness. Evil. Sickness. I’m not going to recount the news cycles of the last few weeks, but if you’ve scrolled the headlines, you’ve seen enough to make your heart break, anxiety rise, or anger spark, more so if events hit close to home. Or maybe you’re becoming numb to tales of pain, violence, and…
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Will You Let Peace Put You Back Together? Galatians Devotional 4
“Sarah, I need you to pray with me right now.” That was how I ambushed a new friend at a writer’s conference just a few days ago. What had started as a joy-infused time of skill sharpening and networking had now ushered in my anxiety gremlins as I rehearsed a list of shortfalls. Article ideas…
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As Those Baby Birds Leave the Nest, Here’s How We Partner with God through Prayer
As we wrap up this month of “launch strategies” for all the teenagers in our lives, I’ve reached out to another mom with a college-aged daughter so she can give us a peek ahead at the next stage. Guest blogger Lianne Robinson, a friend and fellow-writer from my own college days, shares what it’s like…
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How to Take a Spring Break from Worry
A change of scenery is good for the soul. Last week we took a trip to Mexico and delighted in crystal-clear underground rivers, Mayan ruins, tropical birds and flowers, and of course, lots of sand and sun. Though I’m now busy dumping out that sand from shoes and bags, I’m trying to hold on firmly…
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Finding God’s Faithfulness in Everyday Life
How ‘bout them resolutions? Anybody still winning with theirs? I can tell you I’ve mostly kept up with one of them, but it’s neither the one I made about eating more heart-healthy fish nor the one about getting more exercise. (Insert list of excuses here. Take a deep breath. Get back on the plan with…
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5 Ways to Fire Up Your Prayer Life
We’ve been fired up around here lately. Not only are we cooking like crazy on our new grill, but we’ve got a fire pit that’s proving to be a huge hit, and not just with the younger set. Fresh pop corn and marshmallow goodness, here we come. Sometimes, though, it takes a few tries to…
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What Kind of Back-to-School Parent Are You?
Just saw on Twitter that a local elementary school is offering a Kinder Parent Information Night and thought, “How progressive to teach parents to be kind and compassionate this year!” Realized later that Kinder was short for Kindergarten. But what if it really meant learning to be kind? (Some of my teacher friends just sat…
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10 Ways to Say “Be Careful” and Other Mom-ventures in Trust
OH MY WORD, my son is hauling himself around the suburbs as a newly licensed driver this summer, and I’m having an out-of-body experience. It’s like I’m reliving all at once the angst of Kindergarten drop-off, the first day of sleep-away camp, and the time I sent him on a plane by himself. I know…
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The Cure For Those Summertime Blues
PSA: Heaven on earth does exist, and it’s in South Carolina. In June, we got the heck out of Dodge for a week at Pine Cove Chimney Point near Anderson, SC. We laughed hard, played a ton (Jet skis! Zip lines! Horses!), and studied God’s Word. No phones. Just family, friends, and the best country-fried…
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3 Ways to Amp Your Joy
Cruising into week three of a Joy30–a month of meditating on God’s truth about joy, and one truth stands out: some days you just have to choose gladness. As in, “This is the day the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118:24). I’m not advocating that we fake happy…