I Write Because…of You

Several years ago, I was dealing with the fresh pain of my divorce. The wounds were still gaping, and pain was my constant companion. One Sunday, I went to church. I was blessed that “our” church continued to love on me and support me (for the most part). What happened on this particular Sunday, however, […]

An Extravagant Response

How is a Christian to respond? This week, videos surfaced of students from a University of Oklahoma fraternity singing sickening, racially-motivated lyrics. The racial slurs were painful to hear, and the video should offend everyone who sees it. Racial tensions in our country are at an all-time high, at least in my lifetime. To add […]

From Miracles to Manna

These last few years have been an amazing journey with God! I have seen his hand move, enjoyed unbelievable intimacy with my Savior. I have heard amazing promises, seen my faith grow in ways I never dreamed possible. What a joy to know his voice, to hear his sweet whispers each and every day! I […]

Are You a Nabal or an Abigail?

There was a man in Maon who did business in Carmel. He was a very important man and owned three thousand sheep and one thousand goats…. The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and attractive woman, but her husband was a hard man who did evil things… […]

The Hurting Child

Divorce hurts. Divorce hurts everyone involved. I have spent the last two years talking about the pain I have experienced, about how I have come through the pain to find the joy of Christ. I have shared how God has redeemed my life, brought me back from the death of divorce and given me an […]

Fear Factor

It’s funny how different kids with the same parents, raised in the same environment can be. My oldest, Blake, was a very timid child. He was scared to take risks. In his defense, we discovered when he was three that his vision was very poor. He saw two of everything until we put him in […]

Father Knows Best

“Mom,” my daughter began, “I can’t wait until I’m 18 so I don’t have to deal with this situation any more.” My heart broke for her, until my younger son called me to his room. “Mom,” he began, “this situation makes me so mad! I try really hard not to explode. Instead, I end up […]

Dena and the Blue Bow Tie

Have you ever done something humiliating out of complete innocence? Embarrassed yourself because of your own naiveté? Kept that mistake buried for years? When the secret came out, you had to live with the humiliation for the rest of your life? I’ve made two such mistakes. The two biggest mistakes of my life (well, maybe […]

A Day in the Life of Dena

Parenting is hard. It is definitely a two-person job that requires tremendous cooperation, meticulous planning, and endless flexibility. When you become a single parent, you are solely responsible for every aspect of those precious children in your care. You are responsible for their physical well-being, their emotional stability, their spiritual growth. And, you are solely […]

When God Changes His Mind

I have spent a lot of time recently contemplating how God changes his mind. Have you ever thought about that? If you are like me, your first thought is, “But scripture is clear that God is not a man that he should change his mind” (1 Samuel 23:19)! And yet, I find myself absolutely convinced […]