Today’s post is written by my good friend, and excellent writer, Mary. She shares with us today about finding joy while grieving during the holidays.  Growing up, my family gathered at my grandparents’ house on Thanksgiving morning with side dishes, desserts, excitement, and hungry bellies ready to be filled. The screen door slammed shut as the grandkids raced to see who could reach the hay barn first – eager to play hide-and-seek among the bales. When the farm bell rang…

This is a guest post from my friend, Dalene. If you’re like me, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. Decorations, parties, presents – they’re fun, festive traditions. But do we put the same amount of time, focus, and energy into seeking the Messiah? As I was reading the story of the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12, the Lord revealed five things about their actions that we can model to deepen our…

As the calendar turns toward November, my heart starts to notice all the little reminders to “be thankful.” It’s on coffee mugs, throw pillows, and social media posts. Gratitude is everywhere. Yet sometimes, if we’re honest, our hearts feel anything but thankful. Especially when life feels heavy. Although we might doubt, God’s word is true! It’s easy to connect gratitude with material blessings: our homes, our families, our jobs, our health. While those are gifts from God, they aren’t the…

As a young girl I was asked to do a lot. I was the oldest. My brother was only two years younger than me, but then my sisters were 7 and 9 years younger than me. By the time I was 12-13 my mom had gone back to work part time and my dad had started a new job that was incredibly stressful.  Over time, I became relied upon by my parents to do it all. I was asked to…