The Collection - By Author

A few months ago I found myself at one of my favorite second-hand clothing stores, specifically for the purpose of updating my maternity wardrobe after finding out another little one was on the way.

 And whatever you do,Do it heartily, as to the Lord...Colossians 3:23Dear reader,Have you ever wondered how to escape the frivolous undertow of the 21st-century lifestyle? Have you ever had the longing to live for “something more” than the trending tides of our here-today, gone-tomorrow world?

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in Him, and he will act.Psalm 37:4-5 ESVI remember the moment I learned about her concerns.

Before my husband and I got married, a lot of people offered us practical advice. Some of it was excellent, and some was … not so excellent.

My four-year-old son, Jude, and two-year-old daughter, Jenesis, were thrilled to wake up on a frosty morning last December to see a beautiful blanket of snow and big, fluffy flakes still falling plentifully from the sky. They decided breakfast was less important than beginning their snowy adventures, so they eagerly slipped into their winter gear and ran outside into the yard.

The moment she walked through our apartment door, there was an almost-tangible radiance that emanated from her. She greeted us with overflowing warmth, and a delighted smile graced her face.  She was an older woman who had recently become a widow. Instead of being subdued and serious, she joyfully testified of God’s faithfulness to her since her husband had died.

I walked into the living room to find toys scattered everywhere and a very forlorn figure sitting in the midst of them.

Romance novels, chick-flicks, sensual magazines, and more — everywhere we look there are land mines of relational compromise awaiting us. As Christians, it’s easy to turn to the “tamer” versions of these things to fulfill our desire to fantasize about our own personal fairy tale and imagine the charming prince

The auditorium buzzed with noise and activity as people arrived and found their seats, waiting for the high school musical to begin. I had been invited to attend the event with two girls who were several years older than me, which, at fifteen, was a huge honor. As the three of us chatted together, a woman named Cindy* (the former youth leader of one of the girls I was with) came up to say hello.