Yesterday I read through part of Matthew in my new ESV Study Bible. Oh how I have a crush on that Bible! Anyway, one of the notes on Matthew 4:12-25 struck me. It says this: “The duration of Jesus’ ministry has traditionally been thought to have been three years: a year of obscurity, a year [...]

Today I’m thankful to feature my friend Holley Gerth, sharing a painful yet redemptive story with you. She’ll be giving a FREE webinar next week chatting about transitions of the heart. Find out more here. Later, I’ll host a webinar about Transitions in Faith, followed by author Lauraine Snelling discussing Transitions in Courage. We’d love [...]

Two years ago in the summer of 2008, my son Aidan had a dream. He wanted to see water come to a small village in northern Ghana. So he helped raise some funds and we flew with a team of people to the north. Unfortunately, we didn’t find water, and now, two years later, we’re [...]

So my son Aidan and I did a triathlon this last weekend. And it was HOT. The hottest day in Texas so far. 105 with a heat index of 112. To those of you interested in doing your first triathlon, may I offer a piece of advice? Don’t do one in Texas in the heat [...]

Yesterday my two eldest picked up their high school schedules, and today my youngest received hers. We walked through the halls of the middle school, locating classrooms, figuring out locker combinations, comparing schedules to Julia’s friends. Sigh. They’re growing up. (Just look at the picture!) And there’s still so much to teach them.

Today on my run toward the tail end while I huffed my way through a park and felt the sweat drip down my forehead, I chatted with God. The subject? A frenetic, crazy-busy life. It amazes me how deliberate I’ve been about paring down my life. And yet, even so, I find myself back in [...]

I asked Julie if I could post this. She was gracious enough to say yes. She wrote this to me after she read the recent Inside Renewal. Her email was a sweet reminder of God’s control over my writing career and ministry. I pray it blesses you too, this Lord’s Day.

At the She Speaks conference a little bit ago, the weekend culminated with a time where you could write something on a card and place it before the cross. Something you wanted to let go of. Give up. Turn away from. It took me a little time, pen in hand, to write the words. They [...]

Last week I had the privilege of speaking at the national MOPS convention. I flew in early on Friday, then spoke on Saturday, which gave me an afternoon to relax. What is this relaxation I speak of? I’m not so sure. But I did promise my kids after the mountainfuls of work I’ve been under [...]

I’ve mentioned before my hospitality burnout in France. We entertained several days a week, inviting many, many people over for dinner. It’s taken me three years back in the states to finally welcome guests around our table. This weekend, our dear friends the Mills family, came over. We gathered around our dining table, ate Mediterranean [...]