Making Space to Breathe

by Mary Southerland | | 8 comments

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I have learned many lessons from my husband about how to do ministry. Dan is a people person and views strangers as friends he simply hasn’t met yet. But his heart beats for the lost man who seems to be running from God with every ounce of energy he has. Dan’s passion gave birth to the Fireside Ministry.

Every Sunday night men from all walks of life gather in our driveway around a fire pit to share what God is doing in their lives as well as the struggles they are experiencing. They ask for help. They pray for each other. Fireside time is a holy time where God shows up and works in amazing ways.

One Sunday night I

When Family Gets Messy

by Sharon Jaynes | | 4 comments

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My family growing up was one big mess. Fighting. Arguing. Yelling. Crying. And eventually, a lot of forgiving. If ever there is a place to learn about forgiveness…to practice forgiveness…to struggle with forgiveness…it is in the family. And interestingly, it is in the context of family where the word forgiveness first shows up in the Bible.

Let’s dig into Scripture today.  Come on. You can do it.

In the book of Genesis, we meet a young man named Joseph—the eleventh of twelve brothers, and favorite son of Jacob. He is most famously known for his elaborate coat of many colors. Young Joseph had several prophetic dreams involving his brothers and father one day bowing down to him. Rather than keep

Crossing Boundaries and Barriers

by Gwen Smith | | 10 comments

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The glasses we had to wear looked ridiculous. They came in lots of shapes, colors and styles and were sold for weeks leading up to the big event. Some people made viewing machines out of cereal boxes. Others went against the warnings and attempted to see the celestial wonder without eclipse glasses.

The epic 70-mile-wide “path of totality” stretched across fourteen states, from Oregon to South Carolina, changing day into night for a few unforgettable moments. It was the longest total solar eclipse of the century, the first in forty years, and all of the North American continent was amped up to see it.

The day was electric.

People from every state and around the world celebrated the light show.

It was

Hope For Hopeless Situations

by Kelly Balarie | | 5 comments

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I looked out the window, my mind trailing off beyond the house cleaning I needed to do and far past the trail of kid items I would soon need to pick up.

My life should be more, I thought. My years should add up to more than where I am today. I am getting older. If only I had more money, then I could… If people didn’t treat me like this, then I would be in a better place. If I was smarter, more gifted, or if I had more faith, then I would…

Somehow, I am not where I thought I would be. How did this happen? How did I end up here?

Maybe, like me, you wonder how you

God’s Love Always Shows Up!

by Mary Southerland | | 7 comments

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I heard the doorbell ring, but I had absolutely no desire to answer it. I was desperately trying to withdraw from my world. It was too dark and too painful. I just wanted to be left alone.

Clinical depression was sucking the life out of me. I was seeing a counselor. I was also under the care of a psychiatrist who discovered I had a chemical imbalance that required medication. But it would be a long, hard road.

The doorbell rang again. I pulled the covers over my head, determined to outlast whoever was trying to work their way into my pain. It was easier to just surrender to the darkness than it was to struggle my way to the

God Will Calm Your Heart

by Holley Gerth | | 4 comments

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I grew up close to the ocean, and I remember going to the beach with my parents. They taught me the water was to be enjoyed but also respected. The ocean was wild—both beautiful and destructive, life-giving and deadly, a playmate and a potential enemy. The disciples, especially Peter and Andrew as fishermen, likely had a similar attitude toward the Sea of Galilee.

One day Jesus says to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake” (Luke 8:22). It’s not the first time they’ve made this short journey. The Sea of Galilee is small, only thirteen miles from north to south and seven miles from east to west. Jesus settles in for a nap, weary from

Destined to Be a Builder

by Mary Southerland | | 5 comments

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Our son was born to be a builder. From the time he could hold a red plastic hammer in his toddler-sized hands, Jered began hammering imaginary nails into the coffee table, fixing everything that was broken in our house. No wooden surface in our home was safe from Jered’s scrutiny or design.

Since my husband enjoyed woodworking, he built Jered a miniature workbench beside his own. Several nights each week, Dan and Jered headed to the garage to pound and hammer and do what they called “man stuff.” I thought it was cute – a philosophy that would drastically change in the years to come.

When he was in middle school, Jered built a clubhouse inside our garage. He scrounged

Disqualified? Says Who?

by Sharon Jaynes | | 12 comments

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My son, Steven, was in the ninth grade when I turned in the manuscript for my book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids. I should have waited until he was in the tenth grade.

That fateful morning, I placed my neatly printed pages in a padded envelope, prayed a blessing over the bundle, and then dropped a year of hard work in the mail slot at the post office. When I returned home, my phone was ringing. It was Steven.

“Hey, Mom, I’m calling to let you know that I’m in the principal’s office. I got caught stealing in the lunchroom. You need to come to the school.”

I sped to the school, stomped down the hall, and opened the

What To Do in the Waiting

by Kathi Lipp | | 10 comments

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Today has not gone as planned.

I’m sitting here in the middle of a Barnes and Noble café waiting.

You see, about three hours ago, we dropped our tiny, eleven-pound dog off at the oncologist to find out about a tumor that is growing larger and larger on her neck. They decided to keep her for the day to try to figure out what is going on with her little body.

They are doing scans.

They are taking samples.

They are sending things to labs.

They are running tests.

And if you are not an animal lover, none of these emotions will make sense to you.

The panic.

The worry.

The fear of what if…

But if you’ve loved an animal so much that you’ve considered making deals with

It’s Never Too Late to Pray

by Rachel Wojo | | 2 comments

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I rushed into the store to get last-minute items to host a birthday party. Reaching into my purse, a sudden sinking feeling washed over me. I forgot the list! Quickly I called my daughter. “I think I left my list on the counter. Could you take a picture of it and send it to me?” Within mere seconds, I had the list and could move on. If only every forgetful occasion could be remedied as quickly.

Have you ever remembered something when it was too late? A lunch when you’re already on the school bus. Medicine before the pain kicks in. Closing the car windows before the rain. Each of these situations yields consequences that could have been prevented