I've made a significant change in my life recently.  After eight years of praying over it, spending a lot of time and energy on it, building it into a successful business and ministry, I have closed the doors on my Thirty-One Gifts business.  Whew!  What a big transition for me as well as for my … Continue reading Resting Doesn’t Always Mean You’re Tired

Recently our youngest daughter was found to have a severe dairy intolerance. This has caused us to do a lot of research into dairy alternatives and to pay a whole lot more attention to the ingredients in the foods we consume. Did you know there is dairy in hot dogs?? While there are a lot … Continue reading Checking Our Intolerances

Today is my and Jay's 16th wedding anniversary.  16 years.  Wow!  In many ways, all good, it feels much longer than that.  I may not have grown up planning my wedding and fantasizing about my dress but I did grow up longing to have a loving, actually cherished, relationship with a man from who I … Continue reading The One Whom I Love

It happened again yesterday. I heard of a friend's loved one who took his own life. With that, I knew I just couldn't NOT say something. In the last year I have known eight people who have attempted/considered/acted out suicide. It is an issue that is groaning to be heard and seen. This isn't contained … Continue reading Be the “Extra Strength” in His Pain Relief

While driving around one day I saw a squirrel standing beside the road, right beside the road. Its back was to the road but it seemed to still see me approaching out of the corner of its eye. I thought, "Here we go. Road kill." I braced myself for the squirrel to run into the street … Continue reading Being Chill is Hard

I am so drawn to hummingbirds and could watch them for hours. Each May I look forward to prepping our feeders for their arrival. These beautiful creatures are so tiny that their life would seem simple. In fact, the nectar we make for them is called simple syrup. I feel like they enjoy simple yet … Continue reading A Hummingbird Life

I recently met Bailey, a rescued dog who was getting adjusted to her new home. Oh those eyes! They were filled with questions, anxiety, and hope. You could see she just wanted to be loved and know she wasn't alone. We can probably all relate to that, don't you think? We have separation anxiety with … Continue reading We’re All Rescues

"Righteousness" was always a word that confused me. It stirred feelings of being uncomfortable, that someone was better than everyone else if they were righteous. The dictionary defines righteous as 1) characterized by uprightness or morality, 2) morally right or justifiable, and 3) acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous. The Bible tells us these … Continue reading Righteous Living…What Is That Anyway?

We've been dealing with some ants this month. It seems like just when I think they're gone they are back. I celebrate having beaten this annoyance aaaannnd then it is like they are laughing in my face. Sigh! It seems like this sometimes in life don't you think? We overcome a struggle, think it is … Continue reading Your Battles Have Been Won

Fill in the blanks. "Ready, set, _____!" "Up, up, and ______!" "Luke, I am your ______." How did you do? Most likely you said, "...go", "...away", and "...father." There are so many other examples of sayings we know by heart. Maybe you have a song you know every single word to and could sing it … Continue reading Look At Love Differently