Welcome to the Blog.

Today we headed out of town to celebrate my husband’s birthday. I am so thankful for another year with him. On our way toward the ocean, we passed my old neighborhood. The one my first husband left me and our two little boys in. I don’t go that way often. But every so often, life takes me down that road again. It’s strange how a place can hold so many memories. Five years later, driving by still hurt. I could almost feel the weight of those early days again—the fear, the unce

My mom loved hummingbirds. ❤️ After she had her stroke, she told me one of the hardest things was losing those little pieces of independence. Just being able to run to the store because she wanted or needed one little thing. I am a lot like my mom. Neither one of us was ever very good at sitting still. 😂 I’m a little better at it now than she ever was. But after her stroke, she had to. Every year, a hummingbird would build a nest right outside her sliding glass door, tucked

Masada is one of Israel’s most visited tourist attractions. Its ruins have become an enduring symbol of the Jewish fight for freedom. According to the ancient historian Josephus, when it became clear that the end was near, Elazar Ben-Yair gathered the people together. He reminded them that they had resolved to serve God rather than the Romans or any other master and urged them to die free rather than face capture and slavery. Josephus writes that nearly everyone at Masada die

I’m not exactly sure when our home turned into a petting zoo, but here we are. It started with our two Shih Tzus, Aslan and Koda. When Aslan suddenly went blind, he needed more help finding his way through the world. Of course, we adjusted because that’s what you do when you love an animal. You help them learn a new way to live, and you love them through it. Then there was the kitten I rescued from a neighbor’s house. The mother cat went to live with someone else, but they we

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 NLT My dog had died a couple of years earlier, and I desperately wanted another one, but then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Getting a new dog had to be put on hold for a while. There would be treatments and surgeries to recover from. My husband often reminded me that a new puppy would not be a good idea until I was on my way to recovery.

I had the privilege of traveling to Israel in 2018 and again in 2023. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing photos from the places we visited and hearing a little about what we learned along the way. Whether you’ve never been to Israel but hope to go someday, or you know you’ll probably never have the opportunity, I’d love to take you along. One of the greatest gifts of visiting Israel is standing in the places where so many events in the Bible took place. Scripture I had

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. Isaiah 53:4 NLT My two sons and I were abandoned by their father when the boys were just two and a half and five. The most painful thing I have ever had to do was to tell my sons that their father wasn’t coming home. They had asked where he was for a few days before I could bring myself to tell them. The oldest one’s reply pierced my heart like the building brick that had pierced my foot the week

Years ago I took a spiritual gifts test, and my strongest gift was mercy. For a long time, I thought it was more of a burden than a blessing. Feeling other people's pain so deeply can be heavy. Honestly I wished I could turn it down a little. But now I see it differently. My son said something recently that I'll never forget: "Mom, when you combine your writing with your gift of mercy, it becomes your superpower." I loved hearing my son say that, but it also made me think. Ma

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 NLT My dog had died a couple of years earlier, and I desperately wanted another one, but then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Getting a new dog had to be put on hold for a while. There would be treatments and surgeries to recover from. My husband often reminded me that a new puppy would not be a good idea until I was on my way to recovery

There have been times in my life when I have had a hard time praying. Sometimes I was in too much emotional or physical pain and I couldn’t utter a word. Other times, my prayers became repetitive and, as much as I hate to admit it, I was bored. There have even been moments when I wondered if praying would make a difference. But I learned about prayer long before I understood any of that. I learned by watching my mother. When I was little, I noticed that every once in a while

Mother’s Day can feel very different depending on where we are in life. Sometimes it’s filled with laughter and hugs, but other times it’s quiet, reflective, or even painful. When the usual celebrations change or the people we expect to be there are missing, it can feel like the day has lost its meaning. Yet, just like other holidays that evolve over time, Mother’s Day remains a special moment to honor the role of mothers, no matter the circumstances. Years ago, a shift happe

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting my writing. For as long as I can remember, encouraging others through my writing has been my heart’s desire. But there have been some hard moments that left me second-guessing myself and my abilities as a writer. I was just about to give up when I was invited to the Sierra Valley Writing Retreat. In that quiet mountain setting, I spent time with a treasured mentor who truly believed in me. Her encouragement helped

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In a world brimming with stories, there are tales that transcend generations, capturing the essence of love, hope, and the relentless...

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As I sit here on my front porch, basking in the gentle warmth of the sun's rays, I can't help but reflect on the whirlwind that was my life just four years ago. It was February 2020 when I received the diagnosis of an aggressive form of breast cancer after a routine mammogram. My head started spinning - there was no history of breast cancer in my family, yet here I was, facing a battle that seemed daunting. Because of the type of cancer it was, I was told I would have to have