Looking for CWO’s post-it board, where bloggers share giveaways and announcements? You can always find it linked in our sidebar under the topic of “blogging,” or click here to find it: Post-it Board

Hi, My name is Tricia in Massachusetts. We need prayer for our daughter Kate, age 11. We adopted Kate at age 7 and her prior family history was severe which caused emotional special needs including PTSD, Reactive Attachment Disorder and neglect issues that often are overwhelming to all of us.

Please pray we find a resolution to her special education needs and a new counselor. She loves The Lord.

Blessings, 

Tricia…

Hi My name is Sara ..and I have a Friend that lives in New Jersy ..Her husband is ill with Pleuorosy and hasn’t shown signs of improvement. Please hold him up in prayer . Her name is Patty ..I don’t know his as we are new internet friends.

Thank you so much ..

Blessings ..Sara…

I would appreciate prayers for my mom and dad. My mom is suffering with stomach pain and a swollen abdomen. She is 79 and my grandmother, her mom, died of stomach cancer at the age of 82.

My dad is also starting dementia and is medicated and seems to be doing better, he is 79 years old and suffers with ankylosingspondylitis and has much pain.

Tito and I have a goal to get out of credit card debt and we need wisdom on how to allocate our funds that would help us pay down our debt quickly.

My… Read More

It started at the mall—that moment I knew I was born to be your mom and that you belonged to me. Dad and I had decided to shop our separate ways—his, the hardware department; mine, the pharmacy, where I scraped $14.25 together, so I could tinkle on a wand.

20 minutes later, with new purchase in hand I watched, while the image of a plus sign announced your existence. 

I had the kind of smile a kid gets when Grandpa lets them keep the… Read More

CWO,

I wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I have appreciated the encouragment and info in your column.  I started reading CWO this summer and it has been a God sent to me.  In July my daughter took a picture of me that was a huge wake up call.  I got on CWO and started reading your “Live Well!” articles.  While reading I was convicted of the sedentary life style I had been living.  I was not excessively over… Read More

When our first child, Allie, was a year old, I miscarried a pregnancy of 8 weeks. Generally, when we told people about it, they seemed to shrug it off, after all, it was only 8 weeks. We never let anyone know that we had dreams of this baby, and that secretly we had a name for her, Elizabeth. People wouldn’t understand how we could choose a name without knowing from the doctors whether it was a boy or girl, and they certainly wouldn’t understand how we… Read More

Congratulations to CWO blogroll member, Sherry Woodbridge who won second place in Women of Passion’s third annual Christmas story contest, with her story “Good News in Bethlehem.” 

Please show your support to our sister by heading over there to read her story: 

Good News In Bethlehem Second Place Winner

Way to go Sherri!…

Hollywood mom Barbara Cameron visits with us this month to tell us what it’s like to raise two children who became household names starring in hit TV series. Her son, Kirk Cameron, played the role of Mike Seaver on the show, “Growing Pains” (1985-1992), and her daughter, Candace, played D.J. Tanner on the popular series, “Full House” (1987-1995). Barbara is the mother of four and author of the newly released book, A Full House of Growing Pains.

Barbara, I enjoyed reading your new book. Can you tell our CWO readers what A Full… Read More

Christy is a 30-year-old chick who lives in the Wild West. She was born a middle child. Christy is married to a hot guy she met at church eight years ago. They’ve been married for six years and are totally in love with their two little boys. Christy has answered the Lord’s call to be a full-time mother and homemaker.  Biblical parenting is her top priority. She loves to laugh and make others laugh too.  If people aren’t laughing with her; they’re laughing at her! 

How did you go about naming

Formerly a wall muralist, Sophia began to paint a floral series after losing her oldest son in ‘02, to a rare genetic disorder and heart disease. She began to get invitations to share her experience of God’s grace through grief, leading her to women’s conferences, banquets, moms groups and churches. She started Dare2Shine, Inc, to encourage others who are walking through the losses of life to find hope, and shine through their circumstances.

Now having two very active boys, and a family of mild processing challenges, she writes and

DeeDee’s life is filled with a crazy schedule that she thrives in.  She is recently an empty-nester and has found joy in the new freedom of not having to cook dinner!  She leads a women’s ministry that has been described as a “gentle revolution,” a description that fits her as well: gentle.  Ministry is her passion but it wouldn’t be possible without the family that has long supported her.  She has been married to Byron for 22 years and has two sons (Byron and Brennan) and a daughter-in-love (Megan)… Read More

Robin Richards, age 36, from the greater Cleveland OH. Area, has been seeking after God since she was a little girl.  Growing up, she always knew that there was a deeper relationship with God that she desired.  In her mid 20’s she gave her life to Christ through a local Christian outreach ministry and seemed to be on the right track by following after Christ and serving in the ministry where she was gifted. Life had a way of pulling her awa,y when she took

More than any other, November is the month that reminds us to pause and give thanks. To express our thankfulness with joy–giving praise to our God.

I love the tradition our family started a while back of going around the table one by one, expressing our thankfulness–each in our own unique way. Starting from the youngest to the oldest, my children pause to give thanks. And then it’s my turn…

I’m thankful for my four children, for a husband who’s heart is set on… Read More

Many of us will remember Candace Cameron Bure from ABC’s Full House, where we affectionately knew her as “DJ Tanner.” Today Candace is a role model to young women everywhere, with a testimony of growing up in Hollywood, while growing in faith with God.

This month, Candace gets candid on the topic of spanking when a reader asks, “Why is it that Christian parents are

“But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume.”

—2 Corinthians 2:14 (New Living Translation)

As we approach this season of Thanksgiving, I can’t help but review the events and people who have left their mark on my life. At the time, I probably didn’t appreciate them as much as I do now, but hindsight is always 20/20… Read More

“It was one of those perfect English autumnal days
which occur more frequently in memory than in life…”
—Author P.D. James

Oh, may it not be so!

Autumn gives us every opportunity to live an authentic life. Yet how easy it is to miss the little things in the pursuit of a “perfect” life! An authentic life treasures beautiful moments in an imperfect world. We must discipline ourselves to linger even for a moment on those things so they will become emblazoned in our memory like a snapshot… Read More

Later I would learn that Uccello painted the Battle of San Romano with tempera on wood panel in 1435, a scene recounting the victory of the Florentines over the Sienese.

But walking through the Louvre that day I didn’t know any of that. Frankly, the painting’s spirited clash of metal, charging horses, flapping banners appealed little to my pastoral, peace-loving sensibilities. But it was that boy sitting there….

If it hadn’t been for that cross-legged boy sitting on the floor of the gallery, a few feet from this masterpiece that purportedly once… Read More

Tune in as Jill chats with organizational expert Elizabeth Hagen. Whether you’re an individual stuck in clutter, or a business leader looking for a way to energize your team, Elizabeth Hagen works wonders.

Elizabeth’s energy, passion, humor, and can-do attitude will show you how to see the solution, not the mess. Elizabeth’s 1:1 consulting, team workshops, and famed “Organize with Confidence” seminars have helped thousands of people just like you go from overwhelmed to action.

©2008, Jill Hart … Read More

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy —they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. 
—Marcel Proust

Last Christmas, I came across a unique book called Ferris Wheels, Daffodils and Hot Fudge Sundaes by Laura Jensen Walker. This gratitude journal, which was inspired by Walker’s bout with breast cancer, consists of blank pages to write on, quotes and scriptures

“Do not get tired of doing what is good.  Do not get discouraged and give up, for we reap a harvest of  blessings at the appropriate time”. 

–Galatians 6:9

I am certain that for all of us, at times, it seems like no matter how hard we pray, or how many sacrifices we may make, or how many good things we do, God just isn’t answering our prayers.  It is especially true for me right now in this season of my life… Read More

I am excited to introduce you to Patti Lacy.  Patti is a first time author that swept me off my feet with her book An Irishwoman’s Tale. She lives with her husband and two children in Illinois.  When she is not volunteering, Patti is hiking and sightseeing in most of the fifty states, as well as Canada, Ireland, and Switzerland. Her travels have made the vivid imagery of her book come alive. Patti has the gifted ability of making you… Read More

For that is what God is like. He is our God
forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.
—Psalm 48:14 NLT

I was recently asked to bring a broccoli cauliflower casserole to a home potluck that was to be held out at the lake.  Rather than say, “I have no idea what that is”, I responded, “sure!”  After all, I write for Bonnie’s Kitchen at CWO – if I can’t try new recipes once in a while how can I expect my readers to?

There are usually… Read More

The book of Judges tells us the story of Samson, a man of incomparable strength. He tore a lion apart with his bare hands, caught 300 foxes, slew 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass, tore the gates from the city wall, pulled down the pillars that held up a vast house, thereby killing 3,000 people, and had a weakness for women.

Chapter fourteen tells us that his first wife deceived him, enticing him with tears for seven days, until he finally gave in. I can’t imagine… Read More

O Lord you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my every thought when far away.  You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.  Every moment you know where I am.  Psalms 139:1-3

It was an extremely cold November day in St. Louis, and I was bundled head to toe in a plaid, wooly winter coat, fuzzy gloves, tall black leather boots, and a red woolen cap.  All that was… Read More

October was a special month for our family.  If you are in ministry, chances are it was a big deal for you, too.  Why? It was Pastor Appreciation Month!

Luke and I consider ourselves supremely blessed to serve a congregation who takes this event to heart. Among the expressions of affection we received were home-cooked meals and goodies brought to our house, gift cards for dinner out and home improvement, notes of encouragement (often with a monetary gift inside), a gift certificate for a haircut from my favorite hairdresser, and various… Read More

She was sleeping when I began slicing onions and celery and a Granny Smith apple; when I crumbled one tube of maple-flavored sausage into my heavy black skillet, and stirred, and watched the heat rising in savory wisps.

She didn’t see the coming together of a fresh batch of homemade poultry seasoning–all those spice containers gathered in a huddle around my mortar and pestle, and the careful measurements of half-, and quarter-, and eighths of a teaspoonful of rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, pepper, and nutmeg. She didn’t get to see the turn… Read More

This month one of our readers will win a copy
of Patti Lacy’s book,
An Irishwoman’s Tale

Product Description
Far away from her Irish home, Mary Freeman begins to adapt to life in Midwest America, but family turmoil and her own haunting memories threaten to ruin her future. It takes a crisis in her daughter’s life — and the encouragement of Sally, a plucky Southern transplant — to propel Mary back to the rocky cliffs of her home in County Clare, Ireland.

About… Read More

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts
by Trish Berg, Terra Hangen, Cathy Messecar,  Brenda Nixon,
Karen Robbins, & Leslie Wilson

Terra Hangen, mother of two adult sons, lives in coastal California with her husband and their two cats. She loves to write and share tips on gardening, Christmas celebrations, cats, recipes, book reviews, and everything else that catches her fancy. Her articles have been published in Country Woman, Victorian Homes, Back Home, San Diego Family Magazine, Lutheran Digest, Mature Living and many others. She is currently writing a… Read More