I turned around and saw him standing there, fresh cut flowers in hand and a smile on his face. “I’m sorry. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” I embedded my face in his chest and wrapped my arms around him. An apology and flowers weren’t what I was expecting, but I was grateful for both. I breathed in the soft, earthy scent of the lilies and took them inside. He wasn’t sleeping well, and I knew the early wake up call from our son didn’t help. We’d exchanged some harsh words and Continue Reading
The Damage We Do When We Withhold Grace
They turn on each other in a New York minute. One second they’re playing nicely together, sharing toys, and laughing. The next I hear screams of “Mama!” as my six-year-old chases his younger sibling through the room. Part of me wants to just close the door and lock them in there. But I figure I should at least see if both kids are still alive. After I kneel down on the floor and get the scoop on what happened, I tell both boys to apologize. I am struck by how quickly they forgive each Continue Reading
4 Truths to Help You Find Rest in God’s Grace
One weekday morning several months ago, I woke up to a familiar tune. In my grogginess I realized my husband had personalized the alarm on my phone. He knew the words of Tenth Avenue North’s By Your Side held a reminder I desperately needed. A reminder that his grace covers me, that I don’t need to strive to attain his love. I’d fallen into the old, familiar habit of running again and the lyrics of the song washed over me like raindrops on arid soil. Why are you striving these daysWhy Continue Reading