An Ordinary Day

If I have never told you, my daughter is an amazing vocalist. She joined choir as a sophomore, and she made the Oklahoma All-State Choir her first year. Now that she is a senior, she is the school’s only three-time all-stater. This week, we are in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the OAKE National Honor Choir. Today, […]

Four Things to Remember When You Have Been Hurt by the Church

I read a Facebook post by a friend recently, and it absolutely broke my heart. In the post, he talked about all the ways he has been hurt by the Church. By the congregations that shamed him when his marriage fell apart. By the pastor who fired him when people responded to his message. By […]

What Makes a Marriage, Part 2

Before I dive into the rest of the interview with Gary Thomas, I want to say a few things. I have already written about Married Sex, Gary’s latest book written with Debra Fileta. Sadly, many of you have heard many negative and critical comments about it. It is so important that we refuse to take words […]

One Word for 2022

We are on the cusp of a new year, filled with 365 brand new days. A new beginning. A fresh start. New opportunities. Full of promise. New mercies every single day. These last two years have been difficult for so many. We’ve seen so much pain, so much loss, so much division. Many of us […]

The Truth About a Silent Night

Silent night, Holy night, All is calm,  All is bright As my daughter led the congregation in worship with these words, my heart was heavy and burdened. Yes, it’s that time where we celebrate the peace brought into the world by our Savior, God incarnate who came into the world as a precious baby wrapped […]

When Life Gives You Too Much

Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed with life? Felt like you were struggling just to keep your nose above water and keep breathing? Thought you simply couldn’t continue putting one foot ahead of the other? Maybe you were shattered by adultery. Perhaps the pain of infertility was ripping your heart into pieces. The death of […]

Five Reasons the Christian Life is Hard

Recently, I was reading an old blog post from when Roy and I were first married. In case you don’t know, our first couple of years were HARD…and that might be the understatement of the year! As if marriage isn’t hard enough, remarriages are even harder. When you take two people who have baggage from […]

Let’s Be Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving! Have you contemplated those things for which you are thankful? I know I have many things. My health. My family. My job. Redemption. Purpose. Relationships. And, of course, my Savior whose love and forgiveness and faithfulness is the one constant in this life. Where would I be without Him? Today, though. Today, I […]

Four Ways Cultural Change Can Make Us Better Christians

This weekend, I took my daughter on her first true college tour. Can I start by saying I’m not sure how we reached this place in life? My baby is a high school senior! I know she will do well in college, and I know SHE is ready. I, however, am not. But, I digress. […]

My Five Wishes for Christian Teachings on Sex and Marriage

Since I frequently write about adultery, divorce, and abuse, I also follow a number of Christian writers who focus on these topics. Most of the time, I find great compassion and a desire to help the church better understand the plight of those of us who have experienced this type of victimization. I have used […]