Forgiveness. It seems like a 1,000-pound bench press, a crushing load, impossibly heavy to lift. But forgiveness isn’t a one-time heft above our heads to declare our spiritual duty done. It’s more like a marathon. (Or, for those like me, who shudder at the thought of running a 5K, it’s more like a really, really long-distance stroll—preferably with a coffee in hand.) But whether you … [Read more...]
The Greatest Therapy
When Alec was first diagnosed, I became obsessed with finding out everything I could about autism. I researched every autism theory, every therapy and spent every waking minute on the phone or online with other parents trying to create the best possible plan for Alec’s care. If someone told me that they were providing their child with a therapy that Matt and I could not afford, I was desperate … [Read more...]
Snooze Buttons, Train Wrecks and Finding Joy
It was pretty clear by the time I hit the snooze button for the fifth time. I didn’t want to get out of bed. Then words from Hebrews 12:2 I had read the day before came to mind: “For the joy set before him, he endured the cross.” I lay there, wondering, what is the joy set before me? What can give me such hope that I can endure mornings when I just don’t want to face another teen intervention, … [Read more...]
How to Walk on Stormy Waters
Poor pitiful me! I'm sorry to say that this how I've felt lately. If anyone could throw a pity party these past few years, let me tell you, it's been me. My family has been walking a hard road for some time now, and somewhere along the way I forgot one of the most valuable lessons that God ever taught me: I forgot to look up. See, all around us was a sea of trouble. Miles and miles of waves and … [Read more...]
Cowbells and Barricades
My first mistake? Driving my Honda Fit around the barricade that blocked the residential road in my neighborhood. My second mistake? Inadvertently driving into the middle of an international bicycle race that had apparently been scheduled that weekend. Of course, I didn’t realize what I’d done until a pace car for the race (followed by hundreds of speeding cyclists) rounded the empty street … [Read more...]
How to Fight Discouragement
Matt and I sat on the sofa looking grim. It was another hard night for my husband and me. We were anxious about our cash flow, with many bills looming and new work projects disappearing from our collective professional horizons. Just one more wave of financial stress for our family, and the waves had been crashing around us since 2008. There were so many things that our family needed, and we … [Read more...]