Miracles faith family god miracles trust

Today, we celebrated our twin girls' 14th birthdays. I spent some time this morning reflecting on the miracles that surrounded their emergency premature delivery and found myself in tearful awe of the many ways we saw God's hand in the experience. 

I'll spare you the details, and tell you that I re...

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Impossible is a "now" problem courage enough faith freedom jesus miracles religion and spirituality trust

It's impossible for a newborn to fly a plane. 

It's impossible for a kindergartener to discover a cure for disease.

It's impossible for a high school junior to run for President.

Impossible is based on the present moment and existing resources. With design, focus, time, and connections -- magnifi...

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If the Savior stood beside me courage faith jesus miracles peace religion and spirituality trust

I grew up singing a children's song at church that has guided many of my decisions, but it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I found a new, even more powerful way to apply it. Here are the lyrics: 

If the Savior stood beside me
Would I do the things I do?
Would I think of his commandments a

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Accepting your lead role courage faith freedom god jesus motherhood personal growth potential trust

Each one of us is offered a role from God, and it's up to us whether we choose to accept it or not. It's a starring role that will push us both outward and inward. It is the role: Beloved Child of God.

This might sound like fancy old-fashioned language. Simplified into plain ol' American English, it ...

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The boat comes first courage faith jesus miracles peace personal growth religion and spirituality trust

I love the story in the New Testament of when Jesus was teaching a group of people from Simon's boat on the shore, and afterward told Simon to take his boat into deep water. Simon told Him that he and his friends had been fishing all night without catching any fish, but was willing to take the boat ...

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The foreign becomes familiar courage faith jesus peace trust

Being in a new place is a shock to your system. Everything is foreign, and everything around you seems to say, "you don't belong here."

If you choose courage, you walk forward anyway. You stay glued to your GPS to make sure you make the correct turns. You notice things that remind you of home or othe...

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"I'm did it!" courage enough faith freedom god personal growth trust

When our youngest was a toddler, she had the cutest way of declaring that she had finished something. She'd excitedly announce, "I'm did it!!!"

To this day, any time I complete a task (especially a challenging one), I hear that adorable little enthusiastic voice in my mind and say it, too (even thoug...

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God will let you eat the PB&J courage faith freedom god personal growth potential religion and spirituality trust

God is willing to let you eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwich you brought for yourself, if that's what you want. 

Just know that there's an absolutely divine Wagyu Bolognese topped with burrata, basil, San Marzano tomato, pappardelle, and grilled fennel plated and waiting for you whenever you're...

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Sparks and stepping stones faith freedom god jesus personal growth religion and spirituality trust

I'm in a beautifully miraculous season right now, and I'm 100% certain it is not because God has decided I'm extra special and is showing Himself more to me because I won some kind of spiritual beauty contest. It is because I'm working very hard to turn (and keep turning) to Him, and remaining in ...

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Fairy tale middles courage faith potential trust

We hear plenty about "fairy tale endings," but no one really mentions the "fairy tale middle." If you think about it, though, that's the part we love the most -- the part where the heroine really becomes who she is meant to be. It's where Snow White meets and builds friendships with the Seven Dwarfs...

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Spring always comes back choosing happiness faith jesus peace trust

I don't know about where you live, but here in Virginia it's been a long winter. Some weeks, it's seemed like this season will never end. 

But driving to church today and seeing the trees whose bare branches have started to show little hints of something new, I realized that -- even with the coldest ...

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What if choosing happiness courage creativity faith fear freedom potential trust

Anxiety and possibility are closely related. Both use the imagination, and both can be identified by one question: 

What if...?

The difference between anxiety and possibility, then, is what the What if question is combined with.

What if + fear = anxiety (what if the stove catches on fire)
What if + hat...

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