Be Interruptible: The Tension Between Mary and Martha

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Be Interruptible: The Tension Between Mary and Martha

The mist from the prior evening’s rain was frozen solid in the shade at the Toledo Museum of Art in December. As my best friend and I skated every-so-gracefully out of the shadows of the parking garage into the sunshine, we’d just wrapped up an intriguing chat about those famous sisters—Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38–42).

Scripture + my bestie + art? This may have been my best day ever.


As a self-proclaimed Martha, I’ve revisited this Scripture again and again. One question has always plagued me—and I chatted about it that day with my self-proclaimed “Mary” friend: Wasn’t there stuff that needed to get done?

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The Kind of Mom I Want to Be (18 Gifts for My Children)

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The Kind of Mom I Want to Be (18 Gifts for My Children)

Have you ever spent much time considering the legacy that you're leaving your children (and their children and their children)?

If you have younger children, you probably haven't. It wasn't something that was front of mind for me until I lost my own mom very suddenly. In the year that has followed, I've spent much time reflecting upon who my mom was, what she taught me, and—most powerfully—the legacy that she left us of hard work, perseverance, humility, humor, and a sacred regard for life.

As I've reflected upon every good gift that my mom gave my sister and me, it has cemented the value of the now in my mind. We don't like to ponder our own end, but losing a parent pushes it to the forefront of your consciousness. In the end, we cannot control the fact that we are but a vapor, but we do have the good gift of choosing WHO we want to be for our children and the gracious ability to intentionally cultivate an inheritance that has generational benefit for our great-great-grandchildren.

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Mama, Your Body Matters

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Mama, Your Body Matters

Babies. Time. Gravity. Busyness. Injuries. Disease. There are so many ways and events that can fester a special kind of dissatisfaction with our bodies. As mamas, we know the power and strength that is inside of us- that created, nourished, and cultivated life, then pushed it out into the world. We know the purpose behind these bodies, but more often than not, as the battle scars of life begin to tatter our flesh, we can question our very worth and purpose.

We battle our stretch marks. We battle the extra pounds. We battle the cellulite, the sagging jaw line, and the embedded lines that show we’ve expressed joy daily. The world tells us that these signs of life are undesirable and less than beautiful. The message to these generations is that as we grow in wisdom, virtue, experience, and strength, we are now less than we once were because we wear the battle scars of a life filled with living.

Despite what the magazines on the rack say, the Book I look to says differently. The Book I look to says that my body is sacred, chosen, strengthened, and redeemed. The only Word that matters says that I house the Spirit of the living God inside these dimpled thighs and amongst all those wayward hairs.

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5 Things to Know When Your Husband is an Unbeliever

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5 Things to Know When Your Husband is an Unbeliever

We all have unbelief—sometimes in ourselves, in our spouse, in a child… all to varying degrees. We aren’t born believers, unfortunately. God must pursue our hearts until we willingly submit to Him and lay our lives at the foot of the cross.

When the root of unbelief is in our own hearts, we need only cry out to God in earnest desire to fully believe. As the father of the sick child in Mark 9:24 cries out to Jesus, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!” so too can we cry out, and He will surely answer.

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How I'm Breaking FREE From Anxiety + Fear

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How I'm Breaking FREE From Anxiety + Fear

You don’t have to see to the unforeseen when you serve a God who sees it all.

I like to say that I’m not a “paralyzed worrier,” but a “prepared worrier.” I’ve spent a lot of time planning for things most people never even think about.

  • Fire plans

  • Husband dying plans

  • Child dying plans

  • Burglar plans

  • Job loss plans

  • “Anyone I care about dying” plans

Really, for almost every conceivable scenario—even those so remote they’re rated at less than 0.01% chance of occurring—I have a plan. (And yes, of course I have the stats to back that up.)

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I love Jesus, but I cuss a little...

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I love Jesus, but I cuss a little...

... you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.... (Romans 6:16-17; partial)


I have become obedient, from the heart, to the calling before me- the righteous standard of a perfect and holy God. Or have I? I was listening to In His Image by Jen Wilkin last night, and she gave a metaphor that crushed my toes. She said, "When we are faithful to God in smaller temptations, we build strength to face the bigger ones. No one indulges an explosive fit of anger, who has not first indulged a thousand smaller aggressions. If we habitually flee from the temptation to commit minor sins of anger and selfishness, we are less likely to fall for temptation in greater sins of anger and selfishness."

Essentially, she likens our propensity to go all in with our sins to weightlifting. We are incapable of lifting those huge sins if we haven't been training with the smaller ones all along.

Ouch.

This immediately convicted me in the areas of anger and profanity in my own life.

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The Purpose in Your Broken _____ (marriage, finances, heart)

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The Purpose in Your Broken _____ (marriage, finances, heart)

We all have it. We have all been broken- in so many different ways.

Sometimes our bodies are broken by disease, deficiencies, accidents, or abuse. Sometimes our hearts are broken by loss, betrayal, loneliness, or shame. Sometimes our minds are broken by anxiety, depression, or obsessive thoughts.

Whether your marriage is broken, your relationship with your child is broken, or your finances are broken- that brokenness can have a purpose. It HAS a purpose.

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You ARE a Good Mom

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You ARE a Good Mom

You're a good mom. And I should know- I'm a good mom too, so I'm qualified to judge. 

Here's how I know that we are both good moms: 

I've also felt shame, self-hatred, condemnation, overwhelming guilt, and humiliation over every single one of those things. If you can fail in some way as a parent- I've done it. 

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If I Hear "Mama" One More Time

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If I Hear "Mama" One More Time

In the last 20 minutes, I've literally heard the beckoning of "Mama" 38 times. Literally. To keep my sanity, I started counting. As I lay my youngest down to sleep, I pondered the huge milestones we'd met this week of potty training and weaning all intermingled with the frustration and just plain exhaustion of, "Mama, Mama, Mama."

In my heart, I cried out to the Lord to strengthen, encourage, and bless me for the rest of this day and all that it still held... And for the many, many "Mamas" that had yet to be said... 

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How You're Sabotaging Motherhood (and don't know it)

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How You're Sabotaging Motherhood (and don't know it)
  • Breast or bottle.
  • Forward-facing or rear-facing.
  • Homeschool or public school.
  • Attachment parenting or cry it out.
  • Baby wearing or stroller.
  • Store bought puree or baby led weaning.
  • Cloth or disposable.
  • Early education or delayed instruction.
  • Formal lessons or unschooling.
  • Classical or Charlotte Mason.
  • Textbooks or living books.
  • Crafts or free play.
  • Packed lunch or lunchroom.
  • Organic or not.
  • Essential oils or a doctor visit.
  • Paleo or convenience foods.
  • Homeschool for life or homeschool for now.
  • Time outs... Positive reinforcement... Or spanking?
  • And let's not even get into the decisions we make with our teenagers!

It never ends. As moms, we make thousands of decisions daily, big and small, and no matter where we look, our friends, family, media, and experts are all telling us (directly or indirectly) that we are doing it WRONG. The world shouts that out of all the choices, the one we made isn't the BEST. There's a better way...

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