• Uncategorized

    Amber Alerts?

    Has anyone else signed up for the wireless amber alerts? I keep hearing their ads on talk radio, so I thought I’d check it out. It sure seems like a great idea … if there is an amber alert on a missing child, everyone who signs up in that zip code gets a FREE text message to their cell phone. I hope that I never have to use it, but can you imagine if a child was lost in a park and within minutes all of the moms in the park received the alert? It would DRASTICALLY increase the ability of our wonderful law enforcement professionals to help us and…

  • Uncategorized

    Discussion board …

    Hey friends! I just spent a few minutes glancing at your posts on our little discussion board and boy! Was I blessed by how you encouraged / counseled / prayed for one another. Thrilling! Truly. I do SO hope that you will continue to minister to one another … my goal is really to facilitate an online environment where your wisdom can bless others and point them to Christ. So I’m just thrilled — oh, and I do hope that you’ll let me know how I can (try to) improve things for you too. I do have a favor to ask, though … One of you emailed me about a…

  • Grace in Daily Life

    It really makes you appreciate …

    Those of you who attended my “alumni/advanced” retreat last week in Texas will remember me telling the story of Rick, Annette & Christina Friesen. Christina was the fifteen year old girl who had spent her entire life in foster care/group homes but one day in the summer of 2005 found herself on an airplane next to one of the directors at Peacemaker Ministries, Rick Friesen. To make a long story short, Rick was so struck by this sweet teenager (who was, again, on her way to a new group home) that he and his wife spent weeks finding her (with only her first name and the information that she was…

  • Relationships & Peacemaking

    There’s just something about her I can’t stand …

    about me. Have you ever heard that? “There’s just something about her I can’t stand about me!” The first time I heard something say that I thought, “Man! That is SO true!” Especially when it comes to mothers and daughters. As you may recall, my mom and stepdad were visiting last week. All in all, I think it was a great visit … we thoroughly enjoyed having them here; Sophia LOVED having granma and grandpa to entertain … no overt conflicts; actually a lot of laughs and nice/sweet conversations. Nice. BUT … there were stresses too. Mostly because of my black heart. Really. I can just be such a jerk…

  • Uncategorized

    Texas! (& Deaf Interpreters too!)

    Hi friends! (If anyone is still with me after this LONG hiatus …) Or should I say, “Hi, y’all!” Yes, I’m in Texas one session into the “new” women’s retreat that I’m hoping will serve as a foundation for the CONTENT of the dvd series we’re taping in March. It is always such a privilege to be with God’s people! And so humbling too– Last night I was overwhelmed with the thought of my own inadequacy when it comes to sharing this message of how the gospel transforms our lives (not just forgives our past sins and secures our future eternity–but actually brings real and present benefits to our lives…