• Uncategorized

    FREE (older version) Study Guides for the Peacemaking Church Women’s Study: Living the Gospel in Relationships

    The leaders at Peacemaker Ministries are SO generous! When I was quite surprised to have study guides for my ORIGINAL video series (4+ years ago!) returned to me, the Peacemaker leaders granted me an exception to my contract with them and now I get to give them away! Hooray! I love giving stuff away. So here’s the deal … the study guides look a little different from the current ones, and they don’t have the really nice letter from Ken Sande at the beginning, but truly, ALL of the substantive content is the same. If you have a ministry idea for ten Peacemaking Church: Living the Gospel in Relationships study…

  • Please Pray for Troops & Chaplains

    Please Consider Planning (even just a brief!) Actual Memorial Day Tomorrow

    We’re looking very forward to trying Pastor Dave and Chris Bentz’s famed BBQ recipe tomorrow. Yum! But far, far above our lunchtime munchies, our entire family is looking forward to going to our local Memorial Day ceremony. We have already purchased our red, white, and blue flowers and miniature flags to place on our local gravestones. (Did you know Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day?) We have been talking for weeks now about standing in the presence of the flag and never allowing a flag to drape on the ground. We will hear stories of courage and be inspired to live for ideals well beyond our personal comfort. We…

  • Perfectionism & Shame

    Interrupting the Shame Cycle

    Thanks to the generosity of my sister in funding the trip, my mom and stepdad are in town for a week-long visit. It’s so great to have them here—the girls are absolutely in grandparent heaven: And we’re all enjoying the chance to visit and catch-up in person. But in addition to the good times, my mom and I have been tempted to slip back into a really unpleasant relational cycle. It looks something like this: 1. My mom feels like she’s “not good enough.” That we’re unhappy with her in some way. That she doesn’t measure up. 2. She says something self-deprecating that implies I’m being critical of her. (Which,…

  • Uncategorized

    Visual Theology – The One Anothering Verses of Holy Scripture

    Are you following the visual theology posts of Challies.com? I am and I absolutely love them. Today’s visual theology was particularly beautiful. I immediately forwarded it on to my pastors, elder, and husband as a thank you for not only calling us all to live out the one-another verses in Scripture, but also for praying for us and helping us to obey. Enjoy! (You’ll need to click through to the high-res version to read all of the verses and really see its beauty.)    

  • Uncategorized

    If You Fly Regularly, You REALLY Need to do TSA PRE-CHECK

    In just over four months, I have flown 25,366 air miles. That’s a lot of flights! And a lot of airports. Today? I just had one of THE BEST, most WONDERFUL experiences in airports EVER. It started badly: I saw hundreds and hundreds of people in the TSA security line at the Las Vegas airport. (Apparently, they process over 100,000 people EACH DAY. Yeek!) But there was a First Class/Premier flyer line (always a blessing) with only four people in it. So that was great—but wait! There’s more. When the agent scanned my boarding pass, it directed me to the TSA Pre-Check Line and there I experienced EASE and COMFORT…

  • Uncategorized

    Ken Sande to Leave Peacemaker Ministries

    Just in case you haven’t already heard the news … Ken Sande is stepping down from his leadership position at Peacemaker Ministries. You can read his personal letter here to learn more about the decision. Of course the entire Peacemaker family will miss having him in the office (he will still remain a close ministry supporter and friend). But we are all cheering him on as he is so excited to develop his new paradigm (“relational wisdom”). I remember the first time he showed me its graphic on his iPhone when we were seated across the aisle from one another on a late flight home to Billings earlier this spring.…

  • Uncategorized

    Five Sets of FIVE Peacemaking Books Being Given Away Today at Challies.com!

    I rarely look out of airplane windows when I travel. I just fly too much to find it interesting. But even I was ensorceled by the landscape surrounding Las Vegas as we made our approach last night. What a beautiful state! What a beautiful city. (It really is! There is so much more to Las Vegas than the seven-deadly-sins-encouraging-Strip.) And how I love the way the church where I am speaking this weekend (at their women’s retreat) loves their community. The members and leaders have such a heart for the people of Las Vegas and such confidence in the saving, justifying, sanctifying, adopting power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.…

  • Redeeming Church Conflicts

    Ken Sande’s Endorsement of “Redeeming Church Conflicts”

    How blessed we were by Ken Sande’s generous offer to record an endorsement video for “Redeeming Church Conflicts.” A number of other endorsements are also included: Dennis Johnson (Westminster CA), Timothy George (Beeson Divinity School), Glenn Waddell (Birmingham Theological Seminary), Bob Kellemen  (Biblical Counseling Coalition), Andrew Zeller (sangre de Christo Seminary), and Nancy Guthrie (author and speaker). (PS—If you enjoy the video, would you please consider posting it on your blog or FaceBook account? That would be super! Thanks!)  

  • Redeeming Church Conflicts

    Trailer for “Redeeming Church Conflicts”

    We enjoyed many still photos on our videotaping day. Brooke Moore Photography always goes above and beyond the call to get the shot. We are thrilled with our new professional headshot photos: And chuckling over some silly/poetic shots the photographer wanted to take … But our favorites are the backstage pics. They really give you a sweet peek into our day. You’ll see Ken Sande working hard to prepare: And the team gathering at the beginning of the day to pray:   May God be glorified! We did our best. Now we entrust our feeble efforts to the Lord—-may He use them for His glory and the building up of…