“Mama, I wish I was in eighth grade,” my sweet first-grader said to me as she sat at the kitchen counter one day after school at the beginning of the year. “Why’s that?” “Because then I would almost be done with reading,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Mama, I don’t like reading. It’s so hard.” My mama’s … Continue reading Your Child Can Do Big Things Even if School is Tough
Sweet Mama, I know you’re discouraged and feeling defeated. You feel like you don’t measure up and that you never will. Time and time again, you feel like you screw up, and you wish you could just do something right. Doubt creeps into your mind, and your insecurities rise as you look around at everyone … Continue reading Mama, Your Presence Is Enough
Mama, Take the picture, no matter what’s in the background. I was searching through old photos on the computer to find one in particular (to no avail), but the longer I looked, the more my heart filled with joy as I saw smile after smile of my kids in their childhood messes. I went past … Continue reading Leave the Mess and Take the Picture
We sat in a circle at the end of Bible study, everyone taking a turn to pray for something that had been shared earlier. I could feel the panic rise within me. I wanted to get up and run away. Maybe I could escape to the bathroom, but that would be obvious, wouldn’t it? I … Continue reading Our Prayers Don’t Have to be Perfect
We’re in the middle of this beautiful time where the leaves are changing. The colors around us pop, and there’s beauty everywhere. But we wouldn’t have that beauty without change. I have been someone to shy away from change. I usually want things to stay the same. I want things to be constant and predictable. … Continue reading The Beauty of Change
Sweet friend, Slow down. I see you rushing around, trying to get everything done, but all it’s doing is causing you more stress and anxiety. I know you think that as you cross more off your list, you’ll feel better, but I see you adding even more to it. You constantly find another thing that … Continue reading Sweet Friend, Slow Down
Sweet friend, I don’t know what hard thing you’re facing right now, but I know something is staring you in the face, trying to get you to back down. It continually shows up, making you feel discouraged and defeated. Your eyes are heavy, and your feet are tired. The weight on your shoulders pulls you … Continue reading Our Hope and Refuge
Dear Friend, I know you are ashamed of your past. You’re ashamed of the mistakes you’ve made. You’re ashamed of the struggles you’ve dealt with. You’re ashamed of what somebody did to you. You try to hide it from the rest of the world, hoping it will disappear into the shadows, but it keeps coming back … Continue reading You Don’t Need to Hide Your Past
Sweet friend, I know you look at everyone around you and think they have it all together. You want to be like them with their seemingly perfect lives. You cut yourself down time and time again because you feel like you don’t measure up. You feel worthless, and you’re exhausted from carrying this weight. Don’t … Continue reading The Comparison Game is Stealing Your Joy
To the mama trying to hold it all together, I see the smile you show the rest of the world. I see the way you do everything you can to make sure things run smoothly, but I also see the truth you’re hiding from others. Maybe you’re even trying to hide it from yourself. You're … Continue reading To the Mom Trying to Hold it Together
To the mama struggling with postpartum depression, I know right now you’re surrounded by darkness, but it won’t always be this way. I know you feel like you can’t breathe, but it won’t always be this way. I know the tears fall freely, but it won’t always be this way. I know you feel broken … Continue reading It Won’t Always Be This Way
Mama, I know this school year has been hard. It was filled with ups and downs, and nothing consistent other than inconsistency. There were good days and bad days. There were quarantines and unexpected doctor visits. There were canceled plans and changes to schedules. Nothing stayed the same. I know you felt like you were … Continue reading Mama, You Made It To Summer—Now Enjoy It!
A "We’re Hiring” post caught my attention as I scrolled through Instagram. I read the post and clicked on the link in the company’s bio. My interest was piqued, and I felt a pang in my heart as I explored it more. It sounded perfect. It sounded like something I would love, and it was … Continue reading When Waiting Gets Hard
Sweet friend, what weighs on your heart today? I know something is hiding behind the smile you try to show the rest of the world. Something is pulling you down, but you keep pushing through it.Friend, I know you have been running, trying not to acknowledge it.Take it to God. Put it at his feet. … Continue reading Finding Rest in God
Mama friend, You’re crushing it. I know it might not feel like it, but you are. Every morning you get up, get out of bed, and care for those in your house. I know there are some days you wish you could hide beneath the covers all day (or even for an extra hour). But … Continue reading Mama, You’re Crushing It
Heart to Heart 