• When Was Your Last Spiritual Spring Cleaning?

    In college, my dorm mates and I dreaded “white glove,” the once-a-semester deep cleaning that bordered on the ridiculous. You could get called back in for so much as a strand of hair in the shower. As a clean freak by nature, though, I appreciated the concept, and today, pride myself in keeping a clean house. Well, I thought I was keeping a clean house, until we decided to put it up for sale. All of a sudden, there was dust on the floorboards I’d never noticed before. Dust on the light fixtures in the bathroom. Hints of rust on the washer machine. Spill stains on the kitchen cabinets. Don’t…

  • Wedding Day Joy: Stories Behind the Photos

    Our wedding photographer recently shared our photographs, and I currently feel like a little kid who is about to overdose on Christmas cookies. It’s the feeling of, “Please, please, someone share this goodness with me because if I eat any more by myself, I’m going to burst!” So this week, I’m sharing this happiest of snapshots into my personal life. Maybe saying so is cliche, but James’ and my wedding truly was the best day of my life, next to my choice to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. Some Humor Joy overshadowed the entire day, and I’m also grateful for the humor dosed throughout. For starters, my now-husband…

  • Finding Easter Hope When You’re Flatlined by Life

    Special thanks to my friend and fellow blogger Christi Perry of LearningToBeFearless.org for sharing here today. I hope her heartfelt story and challenge encourages you. Guest post by Christi Perry I stood in a dark room side by side with my sister and two of my friends. I was unaware of what they were doing as my eyes were closed. The thing that captivated me was the bass drum. The music was so loud it vibrated my body— more importantly, my heart. As I was driving home, several weeks ago, the same thing happened as I listened to a song. I was captivated with the bass drum. I finally had…

  • 3 Reasons This Christian Girl Runs

    I get it. Some people hate running. I once was one of them, and some days, I still am. When I tell people I’m training for a half marathon, I get a variety of responses. Most fall into one of the following categories. I’d be curious to hear yours, and I promise, you won’t hurt my feelings! [polldaddy poll=9817788] Asking the reason why Whether you’re setting goals or getting ready to make a decision, pause to ask, “Why am I doing this?” That’s a healthy question. Last time when we talked about goals, we determined the bottom line for doing anything is to glorify God (I Corinthians 10:31). Let me…

  • The Lincoln Memorial and a Mother’s Day Tribute

    Of all the monuments and memorials in the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial might be the most famous. (By National Mall, I don’t mean a shopping plaza with a food court. It’s the name of the national park lined with many of D.C.’s monuments.) Engraved on either side of Lincoln’s statue are both his Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address. The lesser well-known of the two is his inaugural address, which focuses on the Civil War conflict that had been tearing the nation apart during his presidency. I want to share with you an excerpt that reveals our sixteenth president’s faith and humility. Neither party expected for the war,…