Hi, I need prayer. I want to move from where we live, and it’s just not God’s timing I guess.

Traditionally, people have chosen May as the month to honor and celebrate mothers. My children like to show their love by purchasing perenials at the local nursery. My youngest struggles to carry the biggest trays he can find, while my daughter looks for the brightest shades of pink, hoping to Barbie up the yard a shade or two.

I like to honor my own mother by taking time out of my day to visit with her. I’ll often bring flowers for… 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 with a reader who hopes to win her husband to Christ.

I am married to an unbeliever. He and I got together real young, had… Read More

As the school year is coming to an end, us moms put on our Vacation Coordinator hats and busily begin preparing for “the best summer vacation yet!” Some of us have a few weeks to begin this yearly flutter of signing our children up for summer camps, missions trips, coordinating family vacations, summer school, etc. Others have a little over a month to fill our children’s summer vacation with fun memories of their childhood that we hope they will pass on to their children one day.

But in the midst of all this hustle and bustle… Read More

While speaking at the recent “A Women Inspired” online conference, I was asked if I have any motivation to press on, for those who are struggling with their diet. I was reminded of the many times that I’ve personally stared down at the scale looking at yet another plateau.

I happen to know how frustrating that can be, and how hard it is to fight negative thoughts. So in order to combat those feelings I’ve put together a list of 15 motivational thoughts and ideas to keep you on… Read More

We call it Operation Enduring Sleep. My husband and I, the two-member coalition in this war on sleep-deprivation, take our assignment very seriously. The mission: to transfer our sleeping toddler, Jordan, from his car seat to his bed without waking him.

After we deploy ourselves, our first step is to unhook the buckle on his restraining device. Jordan sighs, and we freeze. Our lips purse, our foreheads crease, and we both wonder if we’ll make it.

After unhooking our little soldier, we give silent instructions to one… Read More

When I think of hosting in our home, the first thing that comes to mind is all the cleaning I’ll have to do.  Sometimes it’s hard to get beyond that issue, so that I just end up dropping the idea of having people over.  How can I change my attitude about cleaning so that it doesn’t hinder hospitality in our house?

Last week we had friends over for a dinner, and I didn’t clean my house!  It was an internal war inside - do I vacuum, dust and… Read More

She sits close to me tonight. Closer than usual. Sometimes, on some Wednesday nights, I can tell her mind is elsewhere. Those times, she’s not enclosed within the four walls of this church. She’s running free.

But tonight she leans in close. It’s not that she’s snuggling–which she also does sometimes–it’s more that she’s just … leaning. For a minute, I can’t figure out why. But then I catch the faint sound of her voice imitating mine. She’s leaning in to hear my harmony.

I don’t say… Read More

“No gift to your mother can ever equal
her gift to you – life.”

A woman has the most mysterious and wonderful power in the whole world – choosing to give birth to a child.  Most of the time, the child is born into a family unit.  But there are times when a woman has a very difficult and painful decision to make – is she able to give the child whom she is carrying a life where all of his or her needs are met?   A lot… Read More

More and more I find myself striving for the beauty and freedom of simplicity. I am trying to pare down, have less and really enjoy what I have rather than being overloaded with so many things. One of the ways I’ve simplified is to use the same dinner dishes for everyday as I do for entertaining at parties or holidays. And not only do I use those same dishes for all occasions where I serve food, I use them for decorating every day. The beauty of this… Read More

It’s the slow, heaving pant on the other end of the line that wakes me. No words in the receiver, just this heavy, exaggerated exhale of a body.

My brow crinkles. I don’t open eyes, searching for a way out of dreams, to figure out who, why.

And then a voice, hardly audible:

“I think it is today.”

Today?

It registers. My sister’s voice. And today. The Saturday before Mother’s Day.

I know this place. I been here before. Thirteen years ago on the eve of Mother’s Day, it… Read More

Lori Kasbeer with Max Lucado

Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now  to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

I am excited to share with you that I am a contributing author in a new book titled, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace compiled by Margaret McSweeney.

That is not the best part; the best part is that all proceeds for this book are donated to charity. The proceeds go towards… Read More

Johnny’s basically a good kid—just trying to get it together.

If only I had a dollar for every parent who has said that to me!

The only trouble is that for Johnny, “getting it together” doesn’t happen until he wakes up, usually well into the day, at which time he eats (leaving the dirty dishes in the sink), then spends time playing video games or surfing My Space on the Internet, or wondering why his mother didn’t get around to washing his clothes yet

When we got married, we didn’t just make a few mistakes with money—we made ‘em all! Throughout our sixteen years of marriage, there have been some trouble spots that seemed to pop up repeatedly.

Failing to communicate about money
Money is hard to talk about. Issues of pride, inadequacy, resentment and shame get wrapped up in the conversation, resulting in hurt feelings, isolation, and even lying to each other about debt. In the early days of our marriage, every conversation about money seemed to end up in a fight. He felt attacked… Read More

This month we celebrate MOM…and all what she means to us—it could be your mother, grandmother, spiritual mother, sister or whoever had a great influence in your life. We want to say, “thank you for all you do!” I know we are in an economic crunch and money may be tight—so… I invite you to print this article, wrap it up in a bow, and give this to someone you love or care about.

Sensibly Chic . . . Thirty Days of Elegance

Surrounding your life… Read More

It was a lovely azure blue-sky day in Colorado, with wispy, white clouds creating animal pictures in the sky.  The drive out to Hanging Lake for our hike took about 40 minutes, and the view of the mountains was absolutely breathtaking. Spindly fingers of crystallized ice seemed to weave their way down the sides of the crevices as if to grasp the tops of the mountains. Every tree imaginable grew in proud rows, too numerous to count; a horticulturist’s dream.

As soon as we arrived we began our… Read More

After viewing random blogs on CWO I, Sarah, chose Tammy to be May’s ‘Blog Girl of the Month’  Her blog is real and tender on some parts.  I believe that many will benefit from her story.  I really like and admire how she humbly admits her flaws; which is a hard thing for most anyone to do.   I recently followed along her blog to read more about her and have read that she shares with her readers about some of her darkest… Read More

Dondi Scumaci is an international speaker, author, and an expert in professional and personal development. She is well known for her high energy on the platform and for the dramatic results that her seminars inspire. Prior to establishing her consulting firm, Elevations Unlimited, Inc., Dondi was Vice President and Director for two of the largest financial institutions in the United States.

Dondi co-authored Thriving in the Midst of Change and developed Mentoring-in-a-Box, an interactive, self- study tool for mentors and protégés. She is also… Read More

Black Forest cake takes a little longer to make than most cakes, but I specifically chose this recipe to remind us to try difficult things.

“Honor thy mother” Exodus 20:12

On mother’s day all children come together and agree it is time to show our mothers honor.  After all it is a commandment of God and none of us would dare disrespect the caretaker God has ordained for our lives.

But what about when Mother’s Day has passed?  Are we really fulfilling the commandment God has given… Read More