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5 Lessons From 50 Years Of Love

With Valentine’s Day less than a week away, it seems like a good time to talk about love. But what makes it an even better time—actually, no, the perfect time—is the story of two people who exchanged wedding rings on Valentine’s Day fifty years ago. And what makes it even more special is that I happen ...

Advent Devotional 2023

It has been several years since I wrote my last Advent devotional. I remember writing that Bible plan as a challenge to myself. Could I keep the focus on Christ and manage to write 25 devotionals for Christmas? It was one of those God-sized goals—but it wasn't to show the world that I had "nailed" ...

What Are You Wearing?

In the late 19th century, two nuns from Belgium set sail for India. They landed on the shores of the coastal hamlet of Mulagumoodu in the south of the country. The two Catholic missionaries had traveled across the world to care for the orphan girls in the little town. But they also taught the girls at ...

A Letter To My Husband On Our 18th Anniversary

Dear hubbers, You’re not one for “open” letters—you’re too logical to comprehend why a letter to you would be launched in the public domain. You’re right—there is no reasonable explanation. But humor me this time, would ya? (You’ve had excellent training in that regard for the last 18 years. If I do say so myself.) Since we’re ...

A Christmas “Activity” You Won’t Want To Miss

Women are getting angrier. At least that’s what a recent poll reveals. An annual survey by Gallup suggests that women, on average worldwide, have been getting angrier over the past 10 years. In 2012 both genders reported anger and stress at similar levels. But more recently, it was found that women were angrier—by six percentage points. The ...

We Need This More Than We Know

Sitting in the second row of the auditorium, I watched as my daughter and the rest of the choir filed onto the stage. Dressed in black and white, they looked like piano keys and my heart played a proud, happy tune. Being an overenthusiastic, trigger-happy mama, I leaned forward to speak to the two ladies in ...

Get On With The Life God Has For You

Our first year of marriage wasn’t all rainbows and roses. Of course, we were newlyweds in love. But, like many freshly-baked marriages, year one was like a cake with an undercooked, wobbly middle. Back then, though, I hadn’t the faintest clue that your relationship could go from idyllic to irritating in a nanosecond. Or even if ...

When Making Oatmeal Is A Moment Of Worship

Almost every morning I do this absolutely insane thing. I make oatmeal. (I know, radical stuff there, right?) The thing is, I don’t like oatmeal. I don’t eat oatmeal (Is that sacrilegious for a mom to say? Shouldn’t we stoically eat our way through all things deemed “healthy”?) But I make it for my husband’s breakfast. It’s not complicated. I ...

A Letter To My Daughter On Her 13th Birthday

Hey baby girl, Yeah, I know you’re not a baby anymore, but this growing-up thing is pretty overwhelming for me as your mama. I know it is for you too. But you’re handling it with more grace and maturity than I ever could. Thank you for being my second-born, my only girl, my couture consultant, my mini-me ...
MEET SUSAN

I love words. But you probably figured that out by now, considering this website essentially collates my words on the web. Read More…