Seven Serious Game Changers When Your Plans Are a Bust
The New Year’s ball barely landed before our plans were busted. On January 1, 2018, at 5:00 in the morning, I walked my pale and feverish husband right into the emergency room. The sun wasn’t even up. My thought was, If the sun isn’t awake, no one else should be either. No one has gotten […]
Happy New Year!
There’s nothing like starting something new! Filled with anticipation and expectations, no one really knows what will come of this year. This is for certain . . . we will be forced to change in some way. Our “normal” today will not be our “normal” by year’s end. We all will have to reframe something. […]
For a Fantastic New Year, Focus on These Four Choices
For the last few years, I’ve welcomed the New Year with arms so wide open I could have hugged an airplane! FINALLY . . . this last year is O-V-E-R! Bubbling over with excitement, I hang up the new calendar and yell . . . This Year Is Going to Be Fantastic! Ever had one of those new […]
Where to Turn When Sorrow Suffocates Seasonal Joy
I remember my first holiday season as a single parent. Surrounded by ringing bells and colorful bows, the only box I wanted to open was a box of Kleenex. Ever been there? You Are NOT Alone! We desperately wish it were the most fun and festive time of the year, but some Christmases aren’t fun […]
Twelve Significant Suggestions for Special Needs Holiday Success
When the kids were little, they would mark up all the catalogs to make their Christmas wish lists. It seems like yesterday. I remember their giggles of anticipatory joy, crossing off each day on the calendar until Christmas day FINALLY arrived. Something about kids and Christmas . . . it’s almost magical. But those magical […]
Five Lifechanging, Unforgettable Gifts
I never thought a washing machine would be on my 3-year-old son’s Christmas gift list. Christmas came three weeks after my son was diagnosed with autism and global developmental disability—what used to be labeled as “mental retardation.” While he wasn’t yet talking, he made his wishes very clear. Every time—I kid you not—we went to […]
How to Turn That Frown Upside Down
A simple shift in thinking makes all the difference.
[guestpost] Let this article by my Dad, Chuck Swindoll, bless you this holiday season! [/guestpost] Too often, we pastors tend to wear our smiles upside-down. The burdens of ministry—especially during the busy holidays—often cause our joy to droop into deep-wrinkled frowns. In case you need a little help with this assignment, read through this psalm […]
Three Essentials That Will Revolutionize Your Holiday Season
Years ago, shortly after Thanksgiving, I learned my son had been horribly assaulted. Suddenly, all thoughts of a joyful holiday vanished. The last thing on my mind was giving thanks. Though the trees displayed the colors of autumn, my heart was the shade of deepest sorrow. I remember two specific things about the holidays that […]
Seizing Life’s Shocking Surprises with Help and Hope
My son Jon let out a yell. Chairs tumbled over, and his cell phone slid across the wood floor. By the time I reached Jon, the grand mal seizure had started. Without warning, Jon’s body was suddenly bombarded by legions of electrical and chemical blasts that slammed him like tidal waves of shock. Let’s all […]
What You Must Do to Live Fearlessly
My husband’s work hours have been crazy due to the recent natural disasters. He was called into work every Sunday in October. I had just returned from a speaking engagement. I had yet to unpack . . . I was tired. Church is often a struggle for me. It’s tragically amazing how creative my excuses […]
The Priceless Value of Shattered Things
It’s confession time: I have an addiction. It started years ago. Short on cash but high on creativity, secondhand stores and antique shops became my go-to spots for getting stuff. I figured someone’s trash could become my treasure, with the help of some power tools, paint, and my sewing machine. (Thanks to Pinterest and DIY […]
Fearless Friendships: What You Must Remember
The offer was terrifying, but I couldn’t figure out why. My long-time friend told me years ago that I should meet her sister. Apparently, her sister and I have incredibly similar mannerisms and an outrageous sense of humor. On many occasions my friend has said she thinks her sister and I may have been separated […]