My morning quiet time today takes me on a journey that leads me full circle to a place of hope and awe. I invite you along for the ride and pray it speaks to you personally.
Peace Like A River (My Birth Story)
On a chilly morning in March, fighting first trimester nausea and fatigue, I woke up to a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. Trying not to think much of it, I sat up and began my morning routine.
An Awakening
Hello to everyone with ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to be moved. My name is Joy. I am a wife, mother, and someone always being moved with compassion.
When The Rubber Meets The Road
This past year has been a lesson in patience and endurance. There are seasons in our lives when we just have to keep treading water in hopes that the life boat will come soon.
A Letter To My Firstborn Son
My sweet Cyrus,
You’ve watched in curiosity (and other times complete disinterest) as mommy’s tummy has expanded over the past few months.
The Satanic Lullaby
Certain questions weigh heavily on my mind these days. Questions like, why are so many Christians going through life feeling beaten down, anxious, depressed, exhausted, overwhelmed and powerless?
Forget About Your Calling
If you had asked me what I wanted to be as a little girl, I would have told you decisively and consecutively that I wanted to be a runner, a singer, and an artist.
Holding On and Letting Go
When seasons in our lives are changing, we find ourselves at a crossroad. Do I go left or right? Is one heavily trodden, and the other overgrown by little use?
The Call of Love
Let’s be honest, Jesus asks us to do scary things. Uncomfortable things. Things that we actually work really hard in our life to avoid.
A Little Dose of Yellow
So many of my childhood summer memories are painted in golden hues. Catching fireflies, campfires, the sun setting behind my grandparents’ lake house, the bright yellow shag carpet in our “midcentury modern” living room.
Broken Pieces Make a Whole
Phone calls at 3 AM rarely bode well. My sister called me at that time when they were driving through Texas on the way to their vacation. My nephew, Whittan, had 3 seizures and
25 Life-Lessons I’ve Learned from my Mom
In honor of my mom’s birthday this week, I thought it would only be fitting to share some of the wisdom I’ve collected from her over the years.
Making These Years Count
I’ll be turning 57 in a few days. Sounds dangerously close to 60. What scares me about this is not so much the getting older. It’s the ever-lingering question, am I doing enough?
To Be A Life-Giving Woman
I’m sorry. I just have too much on my plate right now. How many times have I heard (or spoken) those words recently? It’s the mantra of the American woman
Summers at the Lake: A Tribute to my Childhood
Years ago, before I knew fear, I spent weeks out of the summer jumping off the diving board of my grandparents lake house dock — my feet leading me deeper into murky, cool water as the mandatory life-preserver always shot me back to the surface.
How To Love A Foster Mom
Not everyone is in a place in their lives where they can be a foster family. This does not mean that there is nothing else you can do. There are SO many ways you can get involved.
Knowing Your Season
As I sat on those steps, I could feel a shift in the air. The seasons were changing, and it made me wonder if the same could be true for my own.
Your Right Conditions
Every year I get to take a barren piece of land and turn it into something that is beautiful and provides for my family and friends. I watch as a tiny, dormant seed sprouts, grows, and blossoms.
Room For One More Voice?
Unwarranted opinions clutter our feeds and our inboxes on a daily basis. Let’s face it; we are a generation of activists,
When You're Feeling Restless
Anyone else feeling a bit restless lately? Like there’s something more you’re supposed to be doing but you can’t quite get past all the have-to’s of the day to the thing that’s calling out to you?