Jul 17
Don’t let this adorable, seemingly innocent smile fool you… she’s a negotiator. Consider our recent conversation. ABBY: You have any stuffed animals dat were mommy’s when she was a widdle girl? ME: I don’t think so. I think I gave them all to her already. ABBY: Can you just check? ME: Sure, I can do …
Apr 24
This has to be one of the most difficult questions we can ask. Why do children get cancer? Why does a young woman fight for her life while an elderly woman prays to die? Why do brilliant minds get dementia? Why does one person walk away from an accident unhurt and another is paralyzed for …
Mar 13
A diagnosis of cancer or any difficult trial brings with it many responses, but “Hallelujah!” is not usually one of them. When I found out my cells had gone awry and allowed cancer to grow inside me, gratefulness was pretty much the last thing I felt. But I kept thinking about the admonition in the Bible to …
Dec 19
Last week I shared with you my pastor’s thoughts on not being consumed with trying to make all our pain go away, but instead learning how to be invincible to it–“incapable of being conquered, overcome or subdued” by it. Those who accomplish this “are an unstoppable force,” Pastor Brian said. I’ve been trying to be …
Sep 26
The above quote from 20th-century American author/pastor A. W. Tozer is for me a mind-blowing one. What I think about God–who He is, how He acts, what He can and cannot do–is the very most important thing about me. Our view of God shapes our attitude, our emotions, our responses, and our plans in unimaginable …
Jul 11
There are certain “encouraging” phrases spoken to people going through difficulties which drive me nuts. “It’s all gonna work out.” (So you have a crystal ball and can see my future?) “I’m sure everything’s going to be fine.” (Because nothing bad ever happens to nice people?!) “Just take it one day at a time.” (Thanks, I’d rather …
Jun 20
It was the end of September 1960 and my family had recently moved from Mansfield, Ohio, to Riverside, California. I had loved first-grade in Ohio, but apparently was “bored’ in second grade in the Golden State. My mother said I usually came home after school, didn’t want to talk about anything and then threw …
Jun 06
I just needed to hang in there until May 31. I knew April and May would be ridiculously busy with extensive traveling, speaking engagements, ministering to cancer patients/caregivers, serving on faculty at writing conferences, milestone family celebrations, and teaching discipleship classes. But I just had to make it until May 31 and then my …
Mar 07
One of our church’s pastors, Matt, and his wife Carrie have been living in the shadow of cancer since December 2009, when their oldest child, Ian, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia at the age of 3 ½ . Matt vividly recalls the moment the doctor gave them the diagnosis. “Acute leukemia were not …
Jan 03
My 3-year-old granddaughter Abby is not the world’s best sleeper. She’s not the worst either, but definitely not as good as her brothers, ages 1 and 5. In fact she’s quite the master of “stalling” at bedtime and/or “needing” things in the middle of the night. You may be familiar with the toddlers’ universal …
