How quickly I forget, because of pride and judgment, the worth of another soul. 

So while we might not see the provision for all our needs in our lives today, we know our most urgent need has been gloriously met and thoroughly satisfied.

If I belong to Jesus, then my worth, value, and meaning all come from Him who is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no way I could ever be more secure than I am this very minute. 

The greatest encouragement I can give anyone is to remind him of the finished work of Christ.

God is continuously busy transforming me into the image of His Son- not by the methods I would choose, not on the timetable I would choose, not into the image I would presume to attain- but He is working and He will not fail.

While we help our kids with their burdens, we don't attempt to take over their responsibilities.

Into the darkness of grief and despair, Jesus comes. He is the Light that overcomes even the darkness of death. He is forever and always the Light of all mankind: the Light of a young man dying, yet filled with peace; the Light of young sons devastated, yet strengthened with unfailing love; the Light of a widow despairing, yet sustained with tender care. The Light that is Jesus cannot be overcome.

Favorite things may be a misnomer- these are all books! Which are, of course, my favorite things. I have read or re-read these in the last year. Here's a Sow Love book guide for your Christmas shopping.

Much of the time, whatever someone else says or does is NOT ABOUT ME. Other times, when offense is inevitable, God gives us grace to forgive.

Throughout history God has worked through rulers both wicked and wonderful to accomplish His purposes, so we have great reason to believe He will do the same in contemporary America. 

Knowing my role means I no longer have to try to do all those things I can’t do anyway. 

Your hopes, dreams, and expectations for your child may not be his hopes, dreams, or expectations for himself. 

The fact that love is sometimes an act of will rather than a tender feeling does not diminish its value- in fact, quite the opposite.

God can give grace through the difficult times and the boring times and the angry times in any family and in any marriage. I pray that you will find His grace sufficient for you and our spouse at the best and the worst of times.

I want joy. I want hope. I want peace.  But if I really want those things, I have got to fight for them, hard. 

Knowing how valuable, cherished and loved we are, how completely, irrevocably and eternally we fit in- this is the answer to the insatiable longing to belong.

What would you do for your enemy? Jesus died for His.

Work becomes a delight when it follows worship. 

The triple-loop roller coaster of emotion, circumstance, and hormones is real but it doesn’t have to control my teen, or me, or our family.