Every spring, over 1.5 million people visit Washington DC to see the 3,000 cherry trees blossoming along the tidal basin and National Mall. We're about 30 minutes outside of the city, so my girls and I met up with my niece in the city this weekend to join the fun. 

As I sat under one of the cherry tr...

When something comes to an end, especially when it's special to you, it feels like a massive loss. You feel a gaping hole in your life where it was, and life as you knew it is gone. In that moment, all you can see is that loss. It's one of the hardest parts of being human. We'll often go to great le...

It's finally spring here in Virginia, and my youngest loves to play at the park after school. Today, we had to come home first to change clothes and grab a snack. As she was changing, she had an idea:

"I want to ride my bike to the park!"

"Sure!" I agreed.

"And we'll have an adventure!" She added.

"Abs...

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 ...

When we go to accept the call to "something bigger," it's important to be very intentional about which influences we allow in our decision-making process.

To bring this very important concept to life, I like to picture myself in a board room with seats all around the table. At the head of the table ...

I have mixed feelings about the saying, "It is what it is." I like it because there's power in acceptance. But it can also be used as a cop-out from confrontation or change, which isn't helpful and can keep us stuck.

To make the phrase work for our growth, we can simply add a comma and continue the s...

I just had the funnest time with some girlfriends here in our community tonight. We went to JC Penney and had our portraits done, just like we had decades ago with our families when we were kids. We each picked a childhood photo and put together an outfit inspired by the photo, then came together fo...

There's a principle in design thinking that my career coach, David Warren, taught me last week, which I've been thinking about ever since. It's called the "Principle of Good Enough." The premise is simple. Instead of reaching the "ta-da!" final version before sharing or moving forward, you get to th...

You can tell a real difference between someone performing, and someone expressing. 

Performing is fun to watch; expressing brings the viewer right into the moment.

Performing seeks to earn the attention; expressing doesn't care if it's there or not (and as a result, people can't look away). 

Perfor...

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...

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...

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 ...