Praises of a Wife and Mommy

  Even though my kids are grown, there’s something so special about opening up a beautiful children’s book rooted in God’s Word. I recently had the chance to go through a few new titles, and while I may not have little ones at home anymore (hence the stuffed animals making a guest appearance in my photos 😊), I immediately thought of our church classrooms and the children who will be so blessed by these. I truly appreciate kids books that don’t shy away from truth but instead present it in a way that is both engaging and deeply rooted in Scripture. These four books do just that—each one offering something unique while pointing children back to Jesus. Jesus, Our True Friend Jesus, Our True Friend is a beautiful collection of seven stories from the life of Jesus that clearly and lovingly share the gospel message. Each story reminds children that Jesus came as our Rescuer—to mend what is broken, bring us back to God, and show us what true love really looks like. The storytelling is h...

 I think I wrote before about my  last appointment with my surgeon and the frustration I felt when he asked me to do something that, at the time, felt impossible — a single calf raise. In the moment I felt a little judged, especially when he said to my daughter, “Make sure your mom does her exercises.” I will admit… I was offended. Not deeply, but enough that it stuck with me. And honestly, I do not want to be someone who is easily offendable, so that in itself has been something for me to reflect on. This week I go back to see that doctor again. I know there is a good chance he will ask me to try the same thing. Yesterday I tried again, and once again the tears came. I still could not fully do it. In that moment it felt like failure. But my husband gently reminded me of something I needed to hear — progress. He pointed out that a few months ago I could barely put weight on my foot. Then I progressed to using both legs. Now I can shift most of my weight onto the right leg...