Grace
The Secret to Being Brave
The day will forever be etched in my mind. I so wanted to be brave, but the moment we brought our firstborn home held apprehension and insecurity. My joy over this little guy’s life remained, but my confidence evaporated as my husband and I looked at each other across the bed, the weight of responsibility hanging between us. Now what? Here…
Three Reasons for Our Negative-Sightedness and How To Improve It
Too often all we can see are the hard things in our days—the struggles, valleys, pits, and roadblocks. Yet no matter what our circumstances, goodness and beauty are just a look away. If that’s so, why don’t we take better notice? Negative-Sightedness As I see it, there are three reasons for our negative-sightedness: We feel entitled to…
Striving Is Not What Makes You Someone: Letter To My Teenage Self
Dear Teenage Julie, I admire your willingness to work hard, always wanting to do your best. I really do. From the time you were little, you’ve only wanted to keep up to those older brothers of yours. To be good. To do right. To show everyone that you are someone. But I need to whisper something to…
Find the Space to Breathe and Hear the Whispers of God
“Whitespace is not blank—it breathes beauty and gives our souls a place to rest.” Bonnie Gray, Finding Spiritual Whitespace The work suited me, but it was the setting that marked the job as a perfect fit. Three summers I spent working for the county in a nature preserve/park. The tasks were far from glamorous—hand weed…
Three Proven Steps To Follow When Failure Looms Large [Grace Overcomes]
If you’ve read much of anything I’ve written, you know I fail regularly in living a righteous life. I try to modify my behavior: be less critical, speak softer, exercise regularly, be in the Word more, and be gracious and merciful, loving and kind, and I fall short … every single time! And from comments…
Announcement: A New Look and Summer Schedule [and Graduation!]
Although you can’t tell it by the weather in Iowa, summer looms ever closer. My high school graduate is already done with school and his two younger siblings are finished in a week. Change of Posting Schedule In light of all that the summer months bring, my family priorities, and the feedback some of you…
How To Hold On When the Little Messes Grow Too Big [Despair]
Yesterday, motherhood was celebrated. Fabulous tributes given to amazing mothers. It felt good. It felt right. But today … today is back to the reality of our days. And sometimes that reality seems like one not worth celebrating. Sneaking a peak into my world, you’d see not a supermom, but a harried mom. Not an organized, well-put-together Proverbs 31…
What to do When Your People are not Perfect
My first horse would only go one way: home as fast as he could. So I sold him for a more adventurous horse. This one loved to go anywhere and to run whenever he could… And not stop no matter how hard I pulled back on the reins! So I sold him and bought a lovely horse…
Evidence of God’s Love in a World Desperately Needing It
As I sorted through pictures for various high school graduation events for our son Zachary, I was struck by the evidence of the Lord’s love through the years. Life hasn’t always been easy, but it has been lavished with God’s grace. Photographs are a wonderful way to trace His fingerprints. They give us a glimpse into His…
The Best Reason To Choose
I’m in tears watching this video I shot three years ago of my oldest son, Danny, singing Steven Curtis Chapman’s song “I Will Be Here.” As you listen you can hear Rachel, who was 12 at the time, making comments about her brother (“D” and “Hi, DD” and “Bye, DD”). A precious recording to match…
Hello, I'm Julie, an imperfect wife and mother of four. Life in this broken world is not always easy. Yet, joy can be found in each day through the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I find it's easy for our day's blessings to get lost in its happenings. But God's "mercies never end" (Lamentations 3:22) and His "grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
May the posts and pages on this site offer you a measure of peace and encouragement.
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