No Grand Plan for 2023 — Just Rising Above it ALL by way of Vulnerability

No Grand Plan for 2023 — Just Rising Above it ALL by way of Vulnerability

I’m going to be honest with you. I’m not going into 2023 with some grand plan. Five days in, and I haven’t chosen my “one word,” nor do I feel confident right now with any of my words. As a writer and a wordy girl, it’s an uncomfortable place to be, but it’s where God has me now.

Wrestling. Wondering why. Why is life so hard? Why is pain so deep?

So, here’s to a little vulnerability in 2023.

I’m struggling.

Struggling to focus.

Struggling to fix my eyes on Jesus.

Struggling to find the right words.

Struggling to find any words.

Not just for this post,

but in response to people’s pain,

in response to lots of change,

and in response to a myriad of things.

2023 is a BIG year for our family. It’s a year I’ve been excited about — joyful and expectant in regards to ALL it holds, but now I’m ALL tied up in the tension of the expectation of it ALL coupled with the guilt of even having the expectation in the midst of ALL the pain and suffering and loss for so many so close to me.

This year, we celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, and we’ll celebrate two graduations — one from college, one from high school. The high school grad will be moving 200 miles away to attend college in the fall in another state, so we’ll have three in college at some point this year in three different states. The youngest turns 16 which means ALL will be on the road, and the oldest, who has already been “on his own” for quite some time, will be officially a full time mechanical engineer.

It’s ALL a bit much for the momma heart, and yet, I’m holding the excitement and expectation of it ALL with some sadness, grief, and pain knowing what some so dear to me are experiencing.

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Only Then & All for Him

Only Then & All for Him

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” ~ Joshua 1:8


We can’t obey everything in it if we aren’t in it everyday — Continually and consistently in the Word, not casually and conveniently to receive a word. God wants to speak to us every single day in an ongoing and active way — not just to tickle our ears but to transform our lives.

Two little words in this verse positioned perfectly to perfectly position us in complete submission and total surrender.

ONLY THEN.

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Stop the Scroll if it’s not Feeding your Soul.

Stop the Scroll if it’s not Feeding your Soul.

Stop the scroll if it’s not feeding your soul.


If scrolling has you stressed or depressed, I’d love to offer you two simple words, followed by two more that lead to far more...

Just stop. Then start.

Stop scrolling. Start seeking.

Stop aimlessly and mindlessly reading content that leaves you discontent, and start reading THE WORD. God’s Word. It doesn’t return void (Isaiah 55:11), nor does it leave you feeling devoid.

I know there are accounts you follow that encourage and equip you with Biblical truths, and that is great.

But don’t just snack on sound bites, when you can feast of the Bread of Life.

We must stop the scroll if our feeds are weakening our souls. Our thumbs may be strengthened, but our spirits are weakened.

When God’s Word is read, we are not only fed, we’re nourished instead, and our spirit strengthened while the enemy is weakened.

Greg Boone of Look Up Lodge, says, “The absence of weight gives the illusion of strength.” I love how this pertains to and parallels this spiritual analogy of a well-nourished soul.


Scrolling, liking, commenting, and sharing may give the appearance of being “strong in the Lord” or “well versed in His Word,” but if we are not truly IN the Word, we will never truly live it OUT in the world. It’s merely an illusion or facade.

The absence of true connection with God (because of online connection with others) can give an illusion of intimacy. In time, however, it can lead to a misconnection with others and a disconnection with God.

Webster defines “misconnection” as “a wrong or faulty connection.” I define it this way: “online connection with others that causes a real life disconnection with God”... which makes us all desperately MISS CONNECTION with God!

“Connect with God first so you can connect with others best” has become a mantra of sorts for the way I want to live life and encourage other believers to live as well. But actions speak louder than words, and at times, I can find online connection with others coming before my connection with my the One who is above all others.

And it leaves me feeling frustrated and deflated because snacking on sound bites has me desperately craving more of Christ.

Less of me. Less of the world. Less scrolling.

Stop the scroll if it’s not feeding your soul.

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