Tonight is the eve of Passover, a week long festival celebrating God’s deliverance of the Israelite people from Egypt. It includes an annual Jewish feast where all across the world men and women and children will gather around a table tonight and tomorrow night to tell the story of God’s faithfulness to rescue His people…
A few months after we lost our first daughter, Sophie, Kevin and I went to see our counselor to continue to step into growing in this grieving journey together. It was a great emotional checkup. At one point I was sharing how I felt like a child most days, inwardly throwing tantrums of some sort…
This month, Jaden will be one year old. How life has changed in the span of a year! And how my grief has both changed and not changed. Getting to be Jaden’s mom has absolutely been one of the greatest joys of my life. He has brought fresh life and laughter to our home and…
A little over 2 months ago I wrote Part 1 of our Journey to Jaden and then took my time putting together Part 2. As Jaden’s 1 year birthday comes up this month, it’s hard to believe that it was nearly 2 years ago that God began to ready our hearts to navigate the adoption details.…
Our Entitled Culture I live in a world of “entitlement”. I see it in myself everyday. I saw it in myself several months ago as I went through the security line at the airport on my way to a conference in Denver. They were re-calibrating the security check and decided to do that right before…
“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? They are as high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? -Job 11:7-9 You, Oh Lord are limitless, infinite in power and might. Who am I to think as I often do that…
Joy. It’s the candle we light this week. The 3rd advent candle. But what is this joy we speak of? A word we put on chalkboards and hang on pennants inspired by Pinterest and see on storefronts and all over Christmas décor. J.O.Y. And what is it to have joy when there is so much…
Slow down. Sit. Think. The King IS coming. Imagine the joy. The joy of His arrival. The shocking, overwhelming amazement of the promise come down. Mary ponders. Joseph stunned. Zechariah rendered mute and then given the very words of God to speak to the people. Elizabeth overwhelmed with the goodness of God. It’s happening,…
Last week was a whirlwind. In fact the past few weeks have been a whirlwind of joy, and grief and everything in between. It’s strange to experience holidays and celebrations when you have experienced significant loss, when someone is missing in the celebration, when you lose someone so close to the holidays. Our first daughter…
Two days ago was Dasah’s 2nd birthday. It seemed like the day just crept up on us. Between caring for Jaden, the fullness of life as the holiday season approaches and increased lack of space in our lives, the space to grieve and even anticipate the grief was just not there. We had planned some…