I'm going to reveal just how old and dorky we are, but Chris and I have started watching a lot of Bob Ross's "Joy of Painting" episodes to relax at the end of the day. We're regularly blown away by how quickly he can paint a very realistic-looking boulder or "almighty tree" or reflection in the wate...

You can make all kinds of guesses about what a baby will be like before it's born, but it's a waste of your time.

The baby will come with its own personality and gifts.

The baby will grow, and you will celebrate what he/she is becoming.

The baby will make mistakes, and you will love it anyway.

Your time...

You can make life decisions based on fact, or based on fiction. 

The difference is the set of assumptions you start out with. 

If you begin with assumptions that haven't undergone some serious scrutiny, you run the risk of ending up with a very crumbly foundation. Making big decisions this way will le...

We don't get to demand to see the valley from the summit just because we're worthy of witnessing the grandest views. That's not how God works. 

God wants the grandest views for us. He knows the simultaneous peace and exhilaration this experience brings.

He also knows what it takes to get there: one fo...

You can wait to go to the gym until you're strong enough to look good being there... but that's not the point, is it? 

Strong starts out squishy and committed. 

Slide on the workout pants, lace up the shoes, and get at it. 

I was pretty proud of myself yesterday morning. I got dressed for church (with accessories, even -- which is a big deal for me), prepped my piano binder, made avocado toast for myself and our 6-year old, and actually got out the door on time.

Winning.

I rode calmly to church with the family because I ...

It has been a big week for me on the development side for my new project. It's intense, but I really do feel it coming to life. Many parallels have come to mind between this work of mental/emotional labor and actual labor (which is definitely not on my mind because I saw the new Fantastic Four movie...

I had the privilege of watching some dear friends perform in a community theater musical last night. The show (Guys & Dolls, Sr. Edition) was adorable and entertaining, but what I loved most about it was how each person on stage shared their own unique personality. There was no "one right way" to be...

I found an Ace Hardware bag in a "to organize" box today (please tell me I'm not the only one), and inside were 5 packets of seeds: watermelon, summer squash, pumpkin, snap peas, and basil.

They didn't grow. 

I had the best  plans for them when I bought them this spring. We'd munch on our own juicy wa...

When you're doing something new, thoughts of fear come in that can be absolutely paralyzing.

• You have no idea what you're doing.

• You don't belong here.

• You'll never get through this.

• Someone's going to get hurt.

• No one will care about this.

• This will be an epic failur

  ...

When something in your life isn't working, you have some options:

1. Suffer in silence
2. Try to fix it
3. End it completely
4. End it as you know it

Suffering in silence is never a good idea. No one deserves that, and nothing good comes of it in the long run. It might feel like the easiest path for no...

For some people, free-falling through the sky is a major phobia. 

For others, it's a genuine thrill.

The difference? 

1. Story
2. Equipment and preparation
3. Support

Telling yourself that free-falling through the sky (period) equals certain death will surely lead to phobia -- with good reason! Free-fa...