When Distraction Derails Our Best Intentions
(And maybe even our wardrobes…) When my children were young, there was a time when money was tight as a one-income family. I had been wanting new furniture for our growing family, so I decided to get a part-time job…
Holding the Gaze as an Act of Love
As Shakespeare once penned, the eyes are the window to the soul. Earlier still, the Bible calls the eyes the lamp of the body in Matthew 6:22-23. Our inner man peers out through our eyes, revealing the light we claim…
Community: Softening the Rough Edges of My Grief
As I sat down at one of the round, white folding tables at the Wednesday evening ladies’ meeting, I began to question if I should have shown up at all. I had spent the day caring for my mother who,…
A Teacher, a Piece of Toilet Paper, and a Lesson in Grace
Out of all the moments we experience in our daily lives, there are certain memories that seem to be seared into our stories. I can’t remember what I ate last week, but I will never forget a moment in Mrs.…
Borrowed Trouble and a Missing Peace
Key Verses: Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the…
Moved Beyond My Comfort Zone
As I glanced in the rearview mirror at my son and daughter in the backseat, my mood quickly deflated from joyful anticipation to impatient frustration. I had just picked them up from their first day of kindergarten and third grade,…
Walking Toward Hope When You Are Embittered by Grief
I sat in disbelief as the movie credits rolled and fresh tears dripped off my nose. I slowly wiped them away as my mind wrestled to make sense of the injustice played out on the big screen. These were real…
Parenting Series: Training our Minds Toward Truth before Training Theirs
As I am acutely aware of my own struggles along my parenting journey, it is with humility and grace that I write on this topic. Now that I am beginning to see my kids own their independence and faith, I…
The Darkness is no Comfort; No Friend
Hope is the one thing that humans cannot live without. The lack of hope in a person’s life leads to various practices of personal destruction and self-harm. This self-harm is a result of hopelessness in the soul. Whether cutting, drug…
Life Repurposed: Stories of Grace, Hope, and Renewed Faith
Compiled and Edited by Michelle Rayburn – Foreward by Jane Rubietta I loved being a part of this book collaboration! Check out my story of restored faith after losing my first son at birth, and the wrestling I did to…