• Rice Krispies®, Chili Powder, and Rushing Ahead

    I was fighting a sweet tooth and since I’d made brownies the week before, Rice Krispies Treats™ seemed like a brilliant alternative. Besides, they’re basically instant gratification because they require only minutes to prep. After spreading the gooey goodness of Rice Krispies® cereal and buttery marshmallows in my cake pan, I reached into the cabinet for some sprinkles. Deliciousness is 90% preparation and 10% presentation, right? Maybe the percentages depend on the person, but I always like to make my desserts pretty. I started shaking the red dispenser, but something looked off. The red wasn’t red enough. It was a deeper burgundy color. And then I read the label. Chili…

  • Our Maker’s Metronome

    Click, click, click. Beep, beep, beep. That metronome used to drive me crazy as a beginning piano student. If you play piano (or some other instrument), maybe that little device was the bane of your early musical years, too. Of course, my teacher had my best interests at heart, and thanks to her persistence and the nagging of that metronome, my timing improved. All along, I knew its steady beat was right, but I still resented it. Am I that way with God’s timing? Are you? We might say we believe His ways are best, but truthfully, we’d rather speed up the tempo. However, when we rush ahead of God,…

  • Faith that Moves

      The follow post first appeared in the spring issue of Girlz 4 Christ magazine. I felt burdened to write it after moving at the end of last year and hope it will be a blessing to you, in whatever stage or place you find yourself. For more encouragement and inspiration on godly topics for teen girls, visit Girlz 4 Christ online. Moving. I can’t decide what I like least about it: getting the boxes, packing, or unpacking. Getting the boxes (if you’re thrifty like me) can involve borderline dumpster diving or soliciting the local grocery store. I felt like a puppy begging for food when I asked the clerk if she had…