It can be easy to fall into a prayer rut. We may pray the same type of prayers – for those struggling with health concerns, for example. We may always pray the same way or at the same time of day. Or maybe your rut is that you don’t pray at all, really. It feels overwhelming … More 10 Ways to Pray
Postpartum women face quite a few challenges. It’s a time of great joy but also deep exhaustion, hormonal recalibration, physical changes, and all of the upheaval that comes with adding a new human into the family mix. People mean well. They really do. But the things they say sometimes… Gonna try for another one? Oh my gosh, … More 10 Things Not to Say to a Postpartum Mom
My husband had knee surgery a couple weeks ago. In the days leading up to it he went for a prep appointment with his surgeon. Daryl’s been through this surgery – repair to a meniscus (that cartilage pad inside your knee) – before. Ten years ago, when we were still boyfriend-and-girlfriend, his roommates and I helped him recover by … More On Being “Older”
Go swimming, eat Popsicles, set up a sprinkler in the yard… blah, blah, blah. Anyone with half a brain can come up with those ways to beat the summer heat. But when temperatures rise like crazy and stay there for months, you need a few more tools in your arsenal. Drink something warm Yeah, I know it sounds … More 10 Creative Ways to Beat the Summer Heat
Nothing tests your understanding of God like a preschooler. Our firstborn is asking some pretty tough questions. I’ll be the first one to admit that I don’t have all the answers, especially to the tough questions a preschooler asks. Perhaps nowhere are his questions tougher than when we read him Bible stories before bed. The Bible … More Gruesome Bible Stories and Your Preschooler
10. Your attention Put down the phone, for the love of all that’s good and holy. And don’t just put it down next to you where you know you’ll pick it up when it buzzes again. 9. A love note My husband and I leave each other love notes from time to time. They used … More 10 Gifts to Give Your Spouse
To the Pastor’s Husband, Thank you for undertaking this journey – a journey that is fraught with both blessing and difficulty. Pastoring is an odd and wondrous calling, and the pastor’s husband is along for a wild ride indeed. Thank you for all the long hours you supported us during seminary. Thank you for listening … More To the Pastor’s Husband on Father’s Day
Maybe you don’t have kids yet. Or maybe your kids are grown. Now that we have a new baby, I’m amazed at all the stuff I forgot about in the three years between our oldest and our newest. So for those of you who don’t currently have young kids, here are ten things parents of … More 10 Things Parents of Young Kids Wished Other People Knew
No matter how well you’ve prepared for certain big things in life, you can never be fully prepared. Whether you’re surrounded by well-wishers offering advice or totally alone on an island, there will be things you just didn’t predict until the big event happens. I had some idea of what welcoming baby #2 into our lives would … More 5 Things Nobody Told Me About Adding Baby #2
I struggled to make friends in high school. Part of it was my bookish, introverted nature. The larger part was that I assumed I only needed one friend. I bought into the BFF thing, believing that there was one person out there who could be my be-all and end-all in the friend department. I was wrong. … More 10 Friends Every Woman Needs
Courtney Ellis 