Moving from Restlessness to Rest

by Katy McCown | | 3 comments

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Like clockwork, it happened every night.

For weeks, under a pitch-black canopy and hum of the fan, a guest would appear. One night I even felt fingers crawling up my arm. I jolted up out of my sleep to see my daughter, nose to nose with me, looking for a place to lay her head.

Most nights she came alone, sometimes she brought her brother with her. But every night, whoever showed up in my bedroom wanted the same thing—the coveted spot in the bed between Mom and Dad.

Now, I know many parenting books would scorn me and tell me to take the child back to bed. I’m not winning any Mom-of-the-year awards here. Nor am I encouraging you to mimic

When Fear Taunts You, Do This

by Katy McCown | | 5 comments

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I crouched behind a wall in my living room, peeking out only for a few seconds at a time. I didn’t really want to keep watching, but for some reason I couldn’t stop.

A real-life tightrope walker dared to cross a gorge near the Grand Canyon on live television. I didn’t know this man from Adam, but my fear for him and his potential plummet to the bottom of the canyon was real. With each step he took I prayed, please God let him make it across!

The wind blew so hard at times he stopped and crouched down on the rope to lower himself beneath the gusts. He would pause and pray then stand up and continue across.

Yet quite

The First Step to Smiling Without Fear

by Katy McCown | | no comments

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It’s as though the worn-out piece of wood can tell the future. Years of use have literally left their mark on the old stick, and each time it appears, anticipation swirls in the hearts of my little people.

During the days of my husband’s youth, as he and his siblings grew in age and size, Luke’s mom took a wooden board and made it a measuring stick. Year after year, Luke and his brothers and sister would scoot their heels all the way to the wall, stretch their necks, and wait anxiously to see the new line that marked how much they had grown.

Now, decades later, my children like to measure themselves on this same old piece of wood.

One Question to Ask Before You Begin the New Year

by Katy McCown | | 6 comments

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“I’m not doing this again,” I proclaimed, and I meant it with all my heart.

Just a few days before, I spent a dark, rainy weekend packing our lives into boxes and then unloading them into a new place in a new city.

Though the bulk of the work was behind me, I felt exhausted and unsatisfied. I didn’t look forward to new memories and planting roots, because this new place had no more certainty than the last one. I feared another weekend much like the one I’d just experienced was all too close.

So, I announced I wasn’t doing it again … but my husband’s career required us to relocate often. Although I knew I couldn’t cling to the

Moving From Grumbling to Gratitude

by Katy McCown | | 2 comments

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I heard the crackle under my foot and knew what had just transpired.

I shut my eyes and felt sure my ears must be turning red. I didn’t know whether to cry or scream.

With six little ones under my feet, dinner to be made, and another practice to get ready for, the chip on the floor threatened to make everything fall apart … especially when I stepped on it.

While enjoying an after-school snack, a chip slipped through some little fingers and fell to the kitchen floor — the same kitchen floor my hurried feet shuffled through and consequently crushed the forgotten chip into a million tiny pieces.

With my emotions already on the edge of irritable, this chip created

A Pattern for Change

by Katy McCown | | 2 comments

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I knew that sound too well. It had etched its way into my mind the first time I heard it and now it was unmistakable.

A few years ago, doctors diagnosed my daughter with asthma. From that moment forward, any warning of the asthma-induced cough sent me into action. I grabbed medicine, called doctors and asked her to stop any strenuous activity. I knew her life depended on it.

Like me with my daughter, we’re usually quick to respond to physical warnings. When we have a fever we call a doctor. When we have a headache we take medicine. We go for yearly check-ups and do at-home examinations.

Why don’t we treat our spiritual health the same way?

Today’s Truth details

When You Can’t See What God is Doing

by Katy McCown | | 10 comments

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I couldn’t believe my eyes. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined it would turn out this beautiful. I stared in amazement and kept coming back for another look. A tear may have even formed in the corner of my eye.

What I viewed seemed like a masterpiece to me.

This masterpiece was a family picture. Only a few weeks before, I had given birth to our baby girl. We positioned a small, white sofa in the middle of a field of green grass. We brushed our hair and dressed in coordinating colors. Reds, blues and creams brushed across the autumn background of our very first photo as a family of eight.

That alone was enough to make

You Can Walk With Confidence Today

by Katy McCown | | 12 comments

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A few years ago, my family and I teamed up with our local church family and went out into our community for a week-long event complete with bounce houses, food, music and God’s Word. We’d never attempted anything like this before.

For months we prepared. We hung signs about the event and held training sessions for our workers. When the week of our community block party finally arrived, I scurried about with my clipboard making sure everything went as planned … What I did not do was clean my car.

As the week went on, my car accumulated trash, crumbs and anything else I didn’t feel like dragging into the house. (Let’s be honest – it wasn’t all that different from what I do

When You Can’t Figure Things Out on Your Own

by Katy McCown | | 4 comments

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It’s possible I had never searched the internet more in my entire life.

My dad had become ill and despite the seriousness of his condition, no one seemed to have an answer for what was happening. I felt sure that with the right combination of symptoms and information, I would land on the answer to what was causing the problems. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not come up with a concrete answer. My search proved more frustrating than freeing, and I finished more confused than comforted.

2 Chronicles 13:18 tells us about a king that chose to rely on the Lord in a time of crisis, “Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that

The Next Time You’re Worried, Do This

by Katy McCown | | 7 comments

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We couldn’t decide what to name him. We knew, however, that he needed a name.

He was a beautiful and determined red bird who seemed to want to become a part of our family. Every day for weeks, this cardinal would come to the windows around our house; and when I say windows, I mean every single window around our house.

He visited the windows in the kitchen and in the family room. He perched outside my bedroom windows and the ones in my daughters’ bedroom. He even stopped by the window in the bathroom once.

But he didn’t just visit. He hung around. It was as though he wanted to be a part of our conversations. If we had

How To Wait For Jesus’ Return

by Katy McCown | | 1 comment

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We dreaded this moment every year.

As summer ended, my husband, Luke, packed his bag to leave for NFL training camp. After a decade of doing this year after year, I still teared up as I walked him to his truck and gave him one last kiss good-bye.

On the calendar we penciled in the day we expected training camp to end, usually with several exclamation points included! But ultimately, we knew the coach would make the final call. If he wanted to break camp early, he would. If he wanted to keep the team a few days longer, he would.

As we longed for Luke’s return, the kids and I kept ourselves busy. If we stayed productive, it eased

One Question to Help You Live Every Day with Purpose

by Katy McCown | | 9 comments

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Some days, before my feet ever touch the floor, I say a one-sentence prayer.

The origins of this one-sentence prayer came during the first few days of quarantine as the world grappled with the uncertainty of the pandemic. Only a few weeks before the country shut down, my mom, my sister and I had said our final goodbyes to my dad.

By God’s grace, we were able to be with my dad during his last days on earth and, in the days that followed his passing, mourn together with others who loved him. The shutdown, however, brought unique challenges. Busyness can sometimes help us move on, but there was no busyness to be found.

My mom, in particular, found herself

When It Feels Like God’s Path Takes a Detour

by Katy McCown | | 7 comments

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I looked at my husband in disbelief. My mouth might have actually been open.

After only a few weeks at his current position, he came home from work with the news he had been demoted. After working tirelessly for nearly a year to earn this position, it had been taken from him without warning and without reason.

In the days that followed my husband, Luke, and I wondered what could have possibly gone wrong. In our prayers we asked God, “Why?” It felt like God’s plan for us had taken an unexpected detour, and we couldn’t imagine how this could be good for us.

A few days later, however, at a routine doctor’s appointment with our newborn son, we began

Letting God’s Word Lead Our Words

by Katy McCown | | 5 comments

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People called her confident, independent and sure of herself. She was quick to offer her opinion on just about anything, and she refused to lose. While she never actually participated in the debate team at school, people told her she should—because she could win any war of words.

I remember her so well, because she was me.

My sister eventually gave up arguing with me, because she knew I would never quit. I would push my opinion into any situation and voice it until everyone else agreed with me.

And while the world may see assertions like these as strength and even something to be praised, Today’s Truth gives us another perspective, “Do you see a man who is wise

Smile Without Fear This Year

by Katy McCown | | 4 comments

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I needed help. That was not a question.

With three little boys and a baby girl soon to be born, there were things I couldn’t do anymore. So when my sweet husband came home from a long day at work, he formed a habit of taking care of the things that were now difficult for me.

He helped me bathe the kids, feed the dogs, put away towels and just about anything else that required bending or reaching.

I was so very thankful for his willing heart and helping hands; but one day as he sat down next to me, I realized something. While I loved all of the things Luke was doing for me, I wouldn’t want him to

Trade Stress for a Smile This Season

by Katy McCown | | 6 comments

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Too often I think the month of December can feel like a race to the finish line. We plan, shop, and arrange experiences trying to soak up the joy of the season, yet we stumble into Christmas morning exhausted and depleted.

This year, let’s do it differently. Instead of focusing on a list of things to be done, let’s shift our perspective to the love of God through the gift of His Son, Jesus. Today’s Truth tells us more about love, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

With

Feasting When Your Circumstances Feel Like a Wilderness

by Katy McCown | | 2 comments

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I stood near the sink with my chin tucked tightly to my chest. I was supposed to be happy. This is a time of celebration, I told myself; but though the holidays were upon us, I didn’t feel the fullness that all of the television shows and commercials portrayed.

My table wasn’t perfectly decorated. In fact, it wasn’t decorated at all. My kitchen didn’t overflow with the smells of a turkey cooked just right. No one was coming to gather around my table, and my life circumstances left me feeling alone and empty.

Thanksgiving feasts have taken all shapes and sizes in my family. For many years we lived thousands of miles from home, so for a holiday feast

The Reason You Never Have to Walk Alone

by Katy McCown | | 14 comments

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We crowded around the kitchen table with an important decision to make.

Just a few days before, my husband and I had given a Christmas gift to our children — 2 new puppies! Naming the first puppy was easy. The puppies joined our family on Christmas Eve, so we all agreed to name one puppy, Eve. The other girl, however, still needed a name.

Everyone at the table cast a vote. We started with eight names and narrowed it to four. After one more round of voting we landed on the name, Grace. At the time I didn’t know how much I’d learn from this sweet girl and her name.

Grace likes to be near me and the family. One

Our Best Plan for the Future

by Katy McCown | | 6 comments

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I knew I would have to leave the house at some point. But at the moment I couldn’t muster up the courage.

Just outside my window I could see what awaited me when I decided to open the door. A spider … the size of my hand. Not the size of my palm. Not the size of my fingers. The size of my hand. My whole hand.

I’m not positive I had ever seen a spider so big in my entire life, and seeing as how I scream and jump at the sight of a tiny spider, you can imagine my response to this one. Of course this happened at a time when my husband was away, and I was

A Place Where You Can Find Rest

by Katy McCown | | 6 comments

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I brushed my teeth but tried not to move. If I did, I might interrupt her.

I’d grown so fond of these moments. My baby girl, quickly gaining her independence, had made a habit of sitting on my feet. It might be while I cooked dinner or when I stood over the counter to consult my day planner or even sometimes while I brushed my teeth in the morning. What I was doing didn’t really matter to her. She just sought me out and settled in, right on top of my feet. Out of all my six children, she was the only to ever do anything like this. And I treasured every moment.

In today’s truth, the psalmist expresses how

One Step to Help You Smile Without Fear

by Katy McCown | | 16 comments

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“Dad, I’m scared!”

I knew that voice. I didn’t need binoculars to confirm it. My oldest son needed help, and I wanted to save him. But all I could do was watch.

Moments before, as we traveled our well-worn path of animal observation at the local zoo, we had stumbled upon something new. We discovered a ropes course, and a sea of hands raised as our kids volunteered to go first.

While my husband escorted four eager kids down the path to the ropes course, I took the younger ones for a bathroom break. A few minutes later, we wove down the tree-lined path and stepped into a clearing, where I found my four oldest children dangling four stories above the