The Pit Crew

by Arlene Pellicane | | 2 comments

Friend to Friend 

Sometimes my kids ride bikes to school. It’s just under 10 miles round trip to the high school. Personally, I would have a hard time making it to class if I had to bike. I’d need a lot of breaks (or an electric bike). One cold morning, I decided to drive my two teenagers in with their bikes. They could bike home, saving me an afternoon pick-up.

I’m not the kind of mom who waits in the eternally long line of cars to drop their kids off at the flagpole. Nope–I’m the smart mom who drops her kids off several blocks away, steering clear of the crazy school traffic.

We unloaded the bikes, and I waved goodbye to my kids.

What is Your Label?

by Mary Southerland | | 3 comments

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Have you ever wondered if God even knows your name? Have you doubted His awareness or even His concern about what you are going through? Have there been times when you felt totally alone and worthless? I have. I can really relate to the woman described in Luke 13. Oh, our problems may not be exactly the same, but the feelings and emotions are – and so is the answer.  

Jesus knew this woman. He knew she had been sick for 18 long years and that she had tried everything to be healed. He knew – but He looked past her pain and saw who she really was, and all she was created to be. And just as He

Make Every Effort

by Gwen Smith | | 2 comments

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I’ve got lots of opinions. You do too, right? I’ll go even one step further by saying your opinions and my opinions are likely not perfectly in sync. Differences of opinion are more numerous than grains of sand in the ocean. Disputable matters in the church are no exception. Freedoms and convictions are not the same in every heart. Unfortunately, these areas of contention can cause conflict in our hearts, relationships, and communities of faith if we let them.

My family and I once got thrown into a situation that caused both harm and confusion. The perception and convictions of another was pressed upon us, and the consequences were anything but peaceful. They were layered in judgment and accusation. 

We

The Power of Honesty that Heals

by Kelly Balarie | | 2 comments

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 They dissed me. Rather than including me in future discussions about the project we were working on together, one of them essentially said, “Kelly, we will take this offline and get back to you.” 

I thought we were co-leaders on this project, but now I’d been demoted. The two of them were getting together to discuss everything—without me, and, once again, I was the girl on the playground with no friends. Left alone. Was I not good enough? Too much? Did I pour out too much of my heart? Too much passion?

Even though I knew I was left out, I was also sure about one other thing: I didn’t want to react impulsively; I wanted to respond wisely. So, I used a

Quieting Pain with Prayer

by Rachel Wojo | | 4 comments

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There is a drink that many people love, and maybe you’re one of those people. Coffee! Perhaps you enjoy a frozen caramel latte or a single cup of black coffee, or maybe you need a little cream like me. Whether dark roast or blonde, medium Columbia or Vietnamese blend, coffee is your thing. You’ve probably seen t-shirts and mugs with a little saying for coffee lovers of this nature. “But first, coffee.”

What is this shirt saying? It’s saying I’m a coffee lover. You give me coffee in the morning, afternoon, or evening, and I’ll do whatever is needed. It says coffee propels me into motion. It moves me. It fills me. It fuels me for the day.

All of

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