A Gift of Time Book Tour

For those new to this site, my name is Kelly Gerken, and I am the founder of Sufficient Grace Ministries for Women and Families. You can learn more about our non-profit ministry which offers comfort and hope to hundreds of families each year all over the United States and beyond by clicking the link in this post or the Home Tab at the top of the page. This ministry was born from our own family's journey through the loss of three of our five children: twin daughters, Faith and Grace, who suffered from twin to twin transfusion syndrome and a son, Thomas, who was diagnosed with Potter's Syndrome. You can read more about our family's story of hope and healing by clicking here.

I mentioned in a previous post that part of our story was shared in a recently published book co-authored by Amy Kuebelbeck and Deborah Davis entitled, A Gift of Time. This book is a wonderful resource for families who are facing a fatal pregnancy diagnosis and for those who walk with them through this journey. Kathleen Benson is hosting a question/answer virtual book tour today, so I joined in to share some thoughts along with a few of the other contributors.

I answered some of the other questions, especially my initial reaction/feelings after reading the book in a previous post. Click here to read those thoughts.

And, now I'll try to answer a few other questions on the tour:

· As a bereaved parent, how have you continued to celebrate the memory of your deceased infant, and what resources did you utilize to help you cope with your loss?

During a past session of Walking With You (our online bereavement support site), I shared more details about how we remember our babies. In the beginning, we had little birthday parties with cupcakes or cookies with a close friend. We don't always make a big deal out of those days now, many years later. But, we never forget. Hanging special ornaments on the tree at Christmas, donating bibles in their names, purchasing presents to give to needy children at Christmas through Operation Christmas child...these are all different things we have done. One of the most significant ways that their lives have touched the lives of others is the legacy they have through Sufficient Grace Ministries. Every Dreams of You Memory Book that is given to a grieving family, every Comfort Bear that fills a pair of empty arms...every one of the items we give says that Faith, Grace, and Thomas were here. Their lives mattered. Because they lived, because God comforted us in our grief, we can reach out to offer comfort and hope to others.

· For most of the contributors to A Gift of Time, many years have now come and gone since the deaths of our babies. Looking back on your pregnancy and experience since the birth and death of your child(ren) has your perspective changed at all over the years? Do you have any regrets or think that you would do anything differently, “knowing what you know now?”

It has been fourteen years since Faith and Grace were born still, and twelve years since we spent six precious hours with our Thomas before saying goodbye. When we carried Thomas, after learning of his fatal diagnosis, we didn't know that we were making some brave choice. We were just trying to parent our son the best we could, and do what we felt was right in the eyes of the Lord. We didn't know the significance of that choice. Looking back, I realize that there was so little support because most of the time families in our situation chose to terminate. We were sort of like pioneers in many ways. But, we didn't know that. We were just trying to survive it...praying for a miracle, while planning a funeral.

Regrets...

Yes, I have many. I regret not taking on the perspective that we could take Thomas to different places while in my womb, making memories...soaking in that gift of time for all it was worth. I sang to him, prayed for him, talked with him. I did cherish the time. But there was so much more I could have done. I could have written him letters. I could have had beautiful maternity pictures taken. I could have planned to have our oldest son at the hospital to share that precious time, along with other family members. We could have chosen comfort care...and would have, if we would have known there was such a thing. I could have written a birth plan, if I would have known there was such a thing. I could have given him a bath like I wanted, instead of allowing the nurse to tell me that would just be "too hard". I wish I could have had beautiful photographs of all three of our babies and our family like parents have today through organizations like Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. I wish I had pictures of me kissing his face. I wish I would have unwrapped him and taken pictures of his feet and hands.

There are more. I could fill books with my regrets. But, I did the best I could. We did the best we could. We loved our children...all of them. And, one thing we do not regret. We do not regret giving them every opportunity for life. We view our time with them as the most precious of gifts. For that we are grateful...and for the promise that our regrets will one day be wiped away along with our tears. All will be right in heaven, where they wait, complete and safe.

· Whether or not you believe that “everything happens for a reason,” what good have you found that has come from your experience parenting a baby that did not live long before or after their birth?

I could fill books with the good that has been born from this journey, as well. We believe and have witnessed, that God makes beauty from ashes. We would have never chosen this path, but it is the path we have walked. And, there have been beautiful gifts in our lives because Faith, Grace, and Thomas lived. We were broken, more than once, in our sorrow. We learned to cling to God in such a profound and deep way...a way that can only be learned through being so broken, so desperate, so in need of His strength. We learned what it feels like to experience His sufficient grace. Our marriage went through incredible struggles, and seemed that it would barely survive at one point. And, yet...He healed not only our broken hearts, but our marriage has been restored to a place I never imagined possible. I mentioned before the work of  Sufficient Grace Ministries. That is a beautiful picture of the good being born from so much sorrow. And, we stand in awe of the privilege of being able to watch this story unfold.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort that we ourselves have received from God. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4



Because we were comforted by a loving God, we want to reach out and offer comfort to others walking this path.
This verse has also held true for us:


Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:5

Thanks so much for stopping by on the tour. You can meet some of the other contributors to A Gift of Time by visiting Kathleen's site, linked below.
To continue to the next leg of this book tour, please visit the main list at Four of a Kind.

Speechless

I opened an email from Maryline containing this picture...

Breathless, speechless, in tears, and in awe...

Of the woman across the ocean who created such beauty from my heart, with her hands...

Overwhelmed with the swelling of the ache of my heart...

The ache for little girls in pretty dresses with long brown hair, dancing free...

And, overwhelmed with the love of a God who would guide the very hands of a beautiful woman across the ocean, sending me a picture from heaven...the picture that has lived in my heart all these years.

A picture I now see with my eyes...

The promise that one day...I will see them in person, join them in heaven's meadow dance, let the music of my laughter join with theirs.

There are no words to express what this gift means to our family.

Thank you, Maryline. God bless you.

And, thank you to the God who always sees...

Finding our Want To - Made to Crave Session One

I'm so excited about this new study on the book, Made to Crave, by Lysa Terkeurst. Let me just say, Lysa had me at this line from her intro:

It's not the "how to" I'm missing. It's the "want to"...really wanting to make changes and deciding that the results of those changes are worth the sacrifice.

Preach it, sister!

That is me. I get the how to. I know what I need to do to lose weight, to be more healthy. But, it's the want to I'm lacking. There are times when I can be the queen of the "I don't wanna's". I don't wanna do the housework, balance the checkbook, go to work, cook dinner, do the laundry, do the dishes. I don't wanna! I know...pathetic, right? Don't worry...God has been working on me...changing my "I don't wanna" to "I get to". The attitude goes for eating right, too. Sure, there are times when I feel inspired to get healthy...to let go and earnestly pray, resisting the temptation to fulfill my desire in the moment for satisfaction through yummy food. But, in the moment...at the end of a long work day, when I feel stressed and reach for the cupboard to sooth that tense moment away....in the lunchroom, when someone has brought apple fritters and M&M's, to celebrate a special occasion (everything's better with indulgent treats, right?)

I could relate to so much that Lysa said in the introduction and in chapter one....too much for this post. When she spoke of putting it off to another time. When she mentioned needing comfort in this season of life....oh, I can't tell you how many times I said that during the season of grief after my mom passed away. Thinking of that really disappoints me...and revealing that truth to you is even harder. I want to say that I grieved perfectly...in a totally healthy way...giving it all to the Lord, finding comfort in His arms the entire way. I did...much of the time. But, some of the time, I let myself indulge in foods that were unhealthy...making an excuse that it was just too hard to let go of the comfort of indulging now and then during this difficult season. God freed me from this bondage of relying on food once, several years ago. And, yet, during that season of grief, I returned to the unhealthy cycle...like a dog returning to his vomit (I know...gross analogy, but biblical. And, truthfully...it's a gross thing to return to bondage once the Lord has freed us from sin's grip.)

Lysa also writes: It's easier to make excuses than to make changes.

So true...and, frankly, I'm tired of mine. It's time to Cowboy up. Put our big girl pants on. Get over it. Man up. Just do it. No more excuses.

You know I love grace...but truth is important too. And, the truth is that excuses do us no good. We were created with a craving in our souls. A craving that only God can fill. Nothing else will ever bring us true and lasting satisfaction.

This thought pierced me: I imagine Jesus looked straight into this young man's soul and said, "I want you to give up the one thing you crave more than me. Then, come follow me."

Lysa also spoke these powerful words based on Mark 8:34:

With Jesus, if we want to gain, we must give up.
If we want to be filled, we must deny ourselves.
If we want to truly get close to God, we'll have to distance ourselves from other things.
If we want to conquer our cravings, we'll have to redirect them to God.

As we move on to chapter one, I loved the wisdom that we "crave what we eat". I have found this to be so true. The less I eat junk, the less I crave it. The more healthy foods I eat, the more I crave. We were created to crave. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just what we do to satisfy those cravings that gets us off track. Interesting that Satan used food to bring down Eve...and subsequently the entire human race. No accident, I'm sure. He appealed to her craving...the lust of her eyes...and the boasting, or desire for significance. Interesting. Her eyes were looking at the object of her desire, rather than focusing on the Lord. Truth is the most powerful weapon in fighting deception and desires or cravings for the wrong things.

The author shared some questions at the end of the chapter. I'll answer a couple. Feel free to share your thoughts and answer whichever questions you wish in the comments or in the Blog Frog discussion.

She asked which of the three temptations we struggle with the most: cravings, lust of the eyes, or boasting. While I'm sure I've fallen in all three areas, craving is probably the most frequent battle for me. In the moment of temptation...when I'm hungry, overwhelmed, just craving something yummy, I will reach for the bag of Doritos, the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, the Pepsi...indulging that craving, satisfying it on my own, rather than denying it and turning to Him. At least I have done that in the past. He is working in a different way to free me from that pattern.

It feels like I'm telling a deep, dark secret that shows me in a less than appealing light here...not so easy for a girl who would always like to present her picture in the best light. Not so appealing, picturing me reaching for the bag of Doritos in a frenzy of stress at the end of the work day, while a mess piles around me, clamoring for my attention. It's kind of grossing me out to even admit it. But, the humble and at times humiliating truth is that I'm far from perfect. I'm flawed and broken. It's why I needed a Savior.

Lysa mentions using scripture to battle deception and temptation. I have found this to be a very powerful and effective weapon in resisting the desire to fulfill cravings in an unhealthy way. Mine is often food, but some of you may battle other temptations. Whatever your struggle, scripture is an effective tool in overcoming that moment of temptation. During the season of victory, I used scripture often to strengthen my resolve in weak moments...scripture and prayer.

One of my favorites:

Luke 4:4 (New King James Version)

But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”
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Please share how the Intro. and Chapter One of this study spoke to your heart in the comments and/or in the Blog Frog Discussion. Also, it would be nice if we could pray specifically for each other this week. So, feel free to share any prayer requests/struggles as well. And, if you're reading along...please keep these ladies in prayer.

My prayer request for this week: God has been working on my heart in many areas (and I've lost 7 pounds in the past 2 weeks in the process!), but often when there is one step forward, I have a set back, spiritual battle, etc. Please pray for me that I would keep my eyes focused on the Lord, cling to Him alone...look to His word for comfort in moments of weakness. Thanks so much...I look forward to praying for each of you as well.

Have a blessed week! Let's pray for each other that we not only find our "want to", but that we hold onto it once it's found! =)

*Updated Change: Tune in next Monday for Chapter Two, Three. and Four of Made to Crave. Since the chapters are rather short, we will be covering three chapters on next Monday's post, so read ahead and be ready to join in!

Another Update: Just wanted to add that my blog friend Kate, who is reading along, also blogged about her Made to Crave journey. Stop over and give her some encouragement. Her post is honest, encouraging...and just made me smile! If you are blogging about your journey, or would like to write a post each Monday, let me know and we can add a linky or mention your post here.

Running in Heaven's Meadows, Our Anniversary, and Some Reminders

When I think of my baby girls in heaven, I have always imagined them at about the 5-8 age range, with long brown hair falling in waves down their backs and ribbons weaving through their curls. In my mind, they are running through meadows, hands clasped, giggling and swinging on swings hanging from trees, full of life and joy. Complete.

It has been that way, since the day we said good-bye to Faith and Grace. That is the image in my mind. I picture Thomas sometimes as a baby and sometimes as a young boy, but more often as a baby. But, for Faith and Grace, it has always been the meadow.

Running free, hair flowing.

Maybe because they are my girls, daughters of my heart, born of my womb. And, I long for freedom...long to taste it's sweetness and dance in the breeze. Maybe, because I love to inhale the scent of summer with the sun shining on my face. I long to be in that place of perfect freedom, the light of Jesus shining on my face, basking in the glory of heaven's meadows. And, my sweet daughters are there, along with two of the most influential women in my life, my mother and Dinah.

I don't know if you know Maryline. But, she is amazing. The above picture is one she drew of my girls with hands clasped, hair blowing free, standing in the meadow. So beautiful. I am so grateful for this precious gift.

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Today is our 17th wedding anniversary. Walking through life with this man has been one of the greatest gifts I've experienced. Even greater has been to watch him come to know the Lord, and grow into not only a wonderful husband and father, but a man of God...humble and strong. The unfolding of his faith will always be one of my favorite miracles. If anyone wonders if God still performs miracles, I have a house full of them. They all play guitar and golf and make messes, and make me laugh, and they proclaim the name of Jesus...each in their own unique manly, boyish, simple way. A way that often astounds and humbles me....a way very different than the way I proclaim His name...but a way full of truth and beauty...a way that would make the common man stop and listen...and believe...an easy way that just fits into life. While we are far from perfect, and our marriage has been riddled with many storms, Tim is a man, easy to honor...training young men to be the same. And, he is a man who values friendship and family, strong and rugged...but soft-hearted and sentimental at the same time. Life with him is a precious gift, and I thank God everyday for this marriage that He has rescued and restored with more beauty than I could have ever imagined. Beauty born from much ugly. My favorite kind...for that is the stuff of miracles.

We celebrated last night at one of our favorite restaurants (because they give you heavenly bread...and an unlimited supply of it!), Texas Roadhouse.

And... on a completely unrelated note...

Today, James and I are going to see the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid and we are super-psyched! I have learned to love books that get my boys reading. Meet them where they are...that's what this veteran mom says! (I think Dinah would like that saying, don't you?)
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Made to Crave

O.K....just wanted to give everyone a quick reminder that we are starting the Made to Crave Study this Monday. Get your books and read the Intro and Chapter One...and please be ready to discuss and encourage one another in the comments and Blog Frog. I think it will be really important to share and be accountable to each other as we seek to lay down some of the stuff we've been holding on to and learn to go to God for comfort instead. So far, I am loving what this book is saying...and really looking forward to reading with you! It's not too late to join in. If you are someone who goes to food...or anything...instead of going to God to satisfy your cravings, this study could be a real encouragement to you.

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Sufficient Grace Online Auction

I don't know if you've heard, but our way-awesome friend and SGM board member, Holly Haas, is having an online auction to benefit Sufficient Grace. Items are being added to the list daily as people have been stepping up to donate for the auction. If you would like to join in with a donation, it's not too late. Also, help us spread the word. We would love to see many people attend to place bids and join in the fun! You can get a cute item...and support a wonderful cause! You can find more information about the auction taking place on April 6-8  here...and view items on the Caring for Carleigh facebook page, where bids can be placed on those days. Holly has a goal to raise more than $1,000 for Sufficient Grace. Will you help us? Please pray for her efforts and join in if you're able!

The Truth Will Set You Free...

This is the last installment of the Lies Women Believe Study. There was a plethora of truth spoken by Nancy in these last two chapters, and throughout this book. I'm so grateful for this time to remind ourselves of the truth in God's word. I feel like we have armed ourselves for battle....the spiritual battles we face as women. We are armed with the most powerful of weapons - The Truth!

If you hold to My teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free...If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31-32, 36)

Nancy shared some great ideas for resisting the lies that often permeate our thoughts. She shared that she will often speak the truth out loud and over and over again. I am one who works through things by talking about them, and I find this to be true even in spiritual matters. While we do not always need to rely on others, there are times when I have called and prayerfully shared my thoughts with a trusted Christian friend, and in the process God has spoken truth to my heart and worked out the concerns. Sometimes saying it out loud helps! I also was encouraged by the fact that we may not always feel like obeying or forgiving...doing the hard part of walking in truth. Sometimes we have to go through the motions of doing the right thing, until all of our feelings catch up! (And the catching up can take some time. It's not immediate!)

There truly is such great freedom in walking in truth. Freedom from bondage, from sin, from so many lies that keep us from being the people we were created to be. Nancy listed several truths in the last chapter. Here are just a few that jumped out to me.

God is good...no matter what the circumstances. He is always, always good.
We are complete in Him...a new creation.
God is enough.
God's grace is sufficient for me...in all things.
My past does not have to plague me.
God's Word is sufficient to teach me, lead me, heal me.
His Holy Spirit will enable us to do what He commands.

There are no "I can'ts" or "This is just too much!" He is faithful to equip us, and we have a choice to obey or not...to cling to Him for strength or struggle to do it on our own. We CAN do all things through Jesus Christ who gives us strength!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this study. Thanks so much for joining in with us. I hope some of you will join with us for our next study: Made to Crave, beginning next Monday, March 28, 2011.

Have a blessed week! Keep clinging to Him and walking in the truth!

Winner of Made to Crave Giveaway and Other SGM Updates (Oh...and my Haircut)

Announcing the Winner of the Made to Crave Giveaway....

Congratulations Michelle!

I'm really looking forward to joining in with several of you for this time of encouragement as we read Made to Crave together. Hoping we can be an encouragement to one another on this journey. If you didn't win, please make sure that you pick up a copy, so that you can begin reading along with us and get ready to discuss Chapter One on Monday, March 28, 2011.

And, in other news....

It is time to kick off Operation Support Sufficient Grace 2011!

We have a plethora of exciting events coming up for Sufficient Grace Ministries. If you are not familiar with what SGM offers to grieving families, please visit our ministry page by clicking the Home button on the tabs above. You can also read about the products and services we offer to families all over the United States and beyond, free of charge, by clicking on the Dreams of You Shop . We send products to hundreds of bereaved parents each year, in addition to offering online support and prayers, speaking at churches and women's events, hosting hospital seminars, performing praise music with our band One Way, and working to encourage women and families with biblical encouragement. Sufficient Grace is supported by donations from individuals, hospitals and funeral homes who offer products to their clients, churches, and other organizations. All donations made to this 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization are tax deductible.

There are several ways you can help support our efforts to continue to reach out to the families we serve. Most of all, we ask for your prayers for the upcoming events:

April 6, 2011 ~ Our dear friend and SGM board member, Holly Haas, is hosting an online auction at her Caring for Carleigh Facebook page on April 6th-8th. You can read more about this event on the Event Page. Visit the Caring for Carleigh Facebook site on April 6th-8th and leave bids on items you are interested in. You can also contact Holly or me to donate items to be auctioned off. There will be more items added to the list up until the day of the auction, so make sure you check back. There are some cute items already donated, and more cute things coming soon. This is a fun way to support SGM, and get something neat in the process. Please help support sweet Holly's generous efforts and join in!

April 29-30, 2011 ~ Nineteen ladies, including the girls from SGM, will be travelling to Columbus to attend  the Women of Faith Conference, for a weekend of refreshing encouragement. We will be blogging about this incredible and encouraging weekend, so stay tuned for some fun posts!

May 22, 2011 ~ SGM Ice Cream Social. Becki Burner will be hosting an ice cream social at Harvest Fellowship to support Sufficient Grace again this year. A light picnic-style lunch will be served with ice cream and toppings for dessert.  This will be a free will donation, and all proceeds will benefit Sufficient Grace Ministries.

June 4, 2011 ~ SGM Golf Outing

Save the date for the Sufficient Grace Ministries Golf Outing 2011 at Country Acres Golf Club in Kalida, Ohio ~ Shotgun start at 1:00pm



1. Form a four person team ~ $200/team ($50 ea.). Price includes 18 holes of golf,
cart, and dinner.
2. Sponsor a hole for $100 or share a sponsorship for $50. (Your name or business will appear on a Hole sign at the event.)
3. Donate a door prize, or a donation in any amount.
4. Become a dinner sponsor for $250.
6. Sponsor Beverages for $150 (non-alcoholic, of course!)
7. Please pray for this event and the outreaches of this ministry.

Please join us for this family friendly golf scramble fundraiser to help support the outreaches of Sufficient Grace Ministries. Your support helps us provide:

*Bereavement support for grieving families.
*Memory-making materials for parents.
*Hospital seminars encouraging compassionate care.
*Biblical encouragement and hope for women.

For more information visit: http://www.sufficientgrace.net/
Contact: Kelly Gerken ~ sufficientgraceministries@gmail.com

There will be a Ride for Grace Bike Run in August, hosted by Dave Amspoker. Details to come.


Thank you so much for your continued support...and please keep Operation Support Sufficient Grace and all of the other outreaches of this ministry in prayer.


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P.S. In completely unrelated news, I went to my hairdresser this week, and on a whim chose a really short haircut. So much for growing my hair out! Anyway, in the grand scheme of eternity, not such a newsworthy event. But, in the earthly life of a woman, let's face it...hair is an ongoing issue. =)

Food Fest 2011

Have you wondered what happened to Travelling Food Fest 2010?

O.k., probably not...but I'll tell you anyway. It sort of fell by the wayside when my partner in crime...(er lunching) and I decided to try and eat more healthy and lose some weight. So, that was the end of Travelling Food Fest 2010.

I'm still on a mission to Get-it-together-eat-healthier-keep-priorities-in-order-cling-to-the-Lord, so I can't promise there will be a lot of Food Fest posts in 2011. But, today I'd like to share about a couple of fun and yummy restaurants I visited recently with friends. I love a good lunch with a good friend, good food, and good conversation! And the following lunches had all of the above!

First Stop - Granite City, with my friend Tracy...

And a whole lot of yum!

Delicious chicken salad on wonderful bread and waffle fries dipped in an exquisite sour cream sauce!

Tracy's meal of perfectly breaded fish and waffle fries. She loved it! Her hands were the most she wanted in the picture on this particular, not looking our best lunch.

As evidenced by this picture of me taken by accident while trying to work the camera on my cell. Lovely! =)

The service was friendly, attentive, and impeccable. Our very patient waiter handled our quirky struggle with indecision, our desire to have bread on the table as soon as possible (any restaurant that offers bread scores immediate points with these carb-lovin' girls!), our preference for booth seating, and the strange way we were taking photos of our food with my cell phone quite graciously. I was tickled that he labelled our to go containers. What a nice touch!

We give Granite City two thumbs up!

Next Stop - Tea Tree Asian Bistro with my friend Brooke

And...some more yummy goodness!

Me in front of the Tea Tree. I'm thinking that blue shirt must be my go-to lunch shirt, since I'm apparently wearing it in last year's pics, as well! Funny!

The ambiance at the Tea Tree was aesthetically beautiful and way cool. Brooke and I were the only people in the restaurant at first since it had just opened that day, which made it even more delightful. The chef looked up after I snapped this picture with my phone, (which makes a really loud click accompanied by a bright flash, making it hard to be inconspicuous).

Even the menu looked neat...I am loving this turquoise color lately!

The lettuce wraps were amazing. We could have probably made a meal of those!

I ordered almond chicken, and it was also delicious! I didn't get any pictures of Brooke, even though she was looking adorable.

I took a picture of this lovely piece from Kirklands...my new favorite, inexpensive decorating store. I would love to buy this sometime and decorate my front room in these colors. But, for now, my room is still bordered in 90's floral pattern and carpeted burgundy. Someday...sigh.

And, the above picture is me...sporting my pre-St. Patrick's day Shamrocks and the crazy outfit pictured below. (Taken with my phone...sorry about the quality!) We are going to school late because James was not feeling great this morning, but he's feeling better now. Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Yes...I am a dork! =)

Made to Crave Giveaway and Announcing Our Next Blog Study

Contest Closed: Winner has been announced.

This package was waiting for me when I arrived home from work today. I was considering waiting until next week to announce Made to Crave as the next book I would like to read along with you on the blog. But, now that the books have arrived, I'm too excited to wait!

We will be finishing our Lies Women Believe study next week, wrapping up the final two chapters in next Monday's post. I have really appreciated those of you who joined in with us, and it seems to have been an encouragement to those who participated.

I have not read Made to Crave, the book we will be starting on Monday March 28th, but many of you have...and I like what I'm hearing from you about it's message. A message I believe I need to hear.

On the cover, the words...

"Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food"

Can I get an Amen?

If you've been around here long, you know about my battle with unhealthy eating. I do love me some Doritos and Pepsi...and so many other yummy, bad-for-me things. (In fact, I'm planning a Food Fest post covering a couple restaurants we visited recently later this week, ironically...or hypocritically, perhaps.) Over a year ago, I shared some thoughts on my struggle with food in this post....peeling back the layers. It sums up my belief that this isn't just a physical or mental issue, but it's tied in spiritual matters as well.

Sadly, I've been up and down on my progress since that post. I'm looking forward to yet another fresh start with the Made to Crave book. I love the title, because craving really is at the heart of the matter, isn't it? Billy Graham said that we are created with a God-sized hole in our hearts. That empty place is meant to draw us to the Lord to fill that hole, but we often try to fill it with other things....things that will not only leave us feeling more empty, but will also add to our misery after the initial feeling of fleeting satisfaction.

So....are any of you interested?

My plan is to do a post each Monday and you can come and add your thoughts in the comments. We can even discuss and encourage one another, either in comments or the Blog Frog. You don't have to write/link a post or anything like that. Just be ready to share your thoughts on the chapter each Monday. It is always helpful to be able to encourage and pray for each other. The goal is to feel less alone in the struggle.

Also...I'm giving away a copy of the book (courtesy of Sufficient Grace Ministries), Made to Crave, by Lysa Terkeurst for anyone who doesn't have one and would like one. Just let me know if you want to be entered in the comments.

Lies Women Believe about Circumstances

This week on the Lies Women Believe (Nancy Leigh DeMoss), we will be covering Chapter 9, Lies Women Believe about Circumstances. I love the truths we are going to talk about this week. The basis for true joy lies not in our circumstances, but in keeping our eyes fixed on our unchanging, steadfast Savior. It is a great follow-up for last week's study on emotions. Next week, we are going to finish up this study and announce the next book we will be covering.

Lie 36: If my circumstances were different, I would be different.

How many times have we found ourselves saying...If only things were different, I wouldn't feel this way? If only....I would be happy, content, satisfied, full of joy, more patient, more loving, etc. The truth is that there is joy for us, right now in this moment. There is a way to be content and grateful for what God has given us right now. It's time to let go of the what-ifs and if-onlys and focus on the blessings before us.

The Truth:
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ~ Philippians 4:11-12

Lie 37: I shouldn't have to suffer.

Who do we think we are, anyway? Why should we be any more exempt from suffering than anyone else? Don't get me wrong...I'm not a fan of suffering, and I don't know anyone who would ask for it. It's natural to have questions during suffering, but we must come to the point where we realize, as Job did that we were not there when God created the earth.We are not God. We do not know His ways....but we know He is good, and worthy of our praise...both in the giving and in the taking away.  God never promised this life to be easy. In fact, quite the opposite. He tells us not to be surprised by the fiery trials. I'm not saying God sends trouble upon us, but trouble exists as a result of our fallen world. And, He allows and uses those trials and suffering to perfect, strengthen, and establish us. We serve Jesus...we choose to follow Him. In doing so, we choose to die to ourselves, to take up our cross, to partake of His suffering. Scripture tells us to "count the cost"....to know what we are getting into before making this choice. He doesn't promise easy...but He does promise to carry us, to meet us and equip us, to cover us, to grow us, and to prepare a place for us in Heaven's glory at the end of this journey. The truth is...there will be trouble in this life. "The rain falls on the just and the unjust". None are exempt from it. But, I would rather walk through it all with Him than without Him, wouldn't you?

I bought this wall-hanging last week at one of my new favorite stores, Kirklands. It sort of sums it up:

  The Truth:

The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. ~ Peter 5:10

                                                                                                                                                                Lie 38: My circumstances will never change. This will go on forever.

Dinah and my mother both used to always say, "This didn't come to stay. It came to pass." I like that. One thing that many bereaved moms want to know at some point in their grieving is, "Will I always feel this way? Will I laugh again, feel joy, feel normal?" It can be some comfort, especially during tough times, to know that this season we are in will not last forever. The seasons of our life are constantly changing. Just as Ecclesiastes tells us, "there is a time to mourn...and a time to dance. To everything, there is a season."

It's also important to remember, no matter how difficult our circumstances may be, this life is a blip in the grand scheme of eternity. That is not always an easy truth...and in the midst of the suffering, it feels long and unbearable. But, eternity will come, and all of the promises that go with it. One day, this life and all it's struggles will seem so short...just a distant memory.

The Truth:

Therefore we do not lost heart, for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Lie 39: I can't take it anymore.

Ugg...I'm putting this under the category of "I don't wanna". And, you know the answer to that, as Dinah would say: "Cowboy up, Chicken Little...and just do the next thing." (I also enjoy a little "man up" as stated in this week's message by our beloved Pastor James. And another good one..."put your big girl pants on"...another saying shared in a conversation with a friend this week.) Another thing I have to say...to myself especially when I feel an "I can't" coming on...what's the alternative? This is your life. These are your circumstances. "I can't" isn't an option.

The Truth:

His grace is sufficient for me. (2 Corinth. 12:9) As Nancy wrote, "His divine resources are available to meet your need - no matter how great. That's the Truth. And the Truth will set you free.

Lie 40: It's all about me.

Blech. Our culture is so "me centered"...putting so much emphasis on our own comfort, happiness, satisfaction, etc. Do you know something? I think this is one of Satan's great joy stealers. The more effort we put toward satisfying ourselves, the less happy and fulfilled we are. Isn't that interesting? In fact, the more we give, serve, and look beyond ourselves to others, the more freedom and joy we experience. My friend Betsy likes to say, "Me time is overrated." I've always loved that.

Love Nancy's words here about the Truth:

"The Truth is, it's not about you. It's not about me. It's all about Him. The Truth may not change your circumstances - at least not here and now - but it will change you. Truth will set you free."

*Next week will be the final installment of the Lies Women Believe study. Please stay tuned as we announce the next book we will be covering. I hope this has been an encouragement to you, and maybe some of you will join in with us for the next study...to be announced soon, along with a giveaway. =)

Experiencing the Miracle of Gratefulness...Some Sort of Perfect Storm...Clinging

I have hesitated to write this post...knowing the minute I speak of this publicly, I open myself up for spiritual attack or to fall miserably on my face. Probably both.

But, I'm too encouraged...

invigorated...

full of peace and joy...

strengthened...

in awe...

and grateful...

...not to share this.

Over the past few weeks, something miraculous has occurred in my heart. God is changing me, and I am in awe. I'm not sure if it's an answer to prayers being lifted up on my behalf....or if it's the miracle of learning eucharisteo as I read Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts...the simplicity of offering a steady stream of thanksgiving directly to the Lord, in everything, watching my own list growing each day...embracing the gift of right now. Gratefulness is a powerful thing. How could something so simple bring such unlimited joy and cover our lives with such grace?

It could also be the fact that my friend Dinah seems to have left behind pieces of her legacy within me and others who love her...inspiring me to be more, to be free, to be the person He created me to be. I can see her now, among the "cloud of witnesses", encouraging us from heaven, cheering the loudest. Strange how in the midst of the missing, something else has risen....inspiration, strength, courage, grace, freedom. How can that even be?

Perhaps it's the perfect storm of all of the above. After all, He makes all things beautiful in His time. Perhaps it's all coming together just as He planned it.

All I know is that, while the circumstances of this imperfect life have remained the same, I am changing.

A heavy burden is lifting. Granted, it's only been a recent change. But for right now...I'm going to embrace this gift and give thanks for it.

I am sleeping at night and have all week (This hasn't happened much in the past four years). Good sleep. Enough sleep.

I am resisting the temptation to eat unhealthy foods, and not complaining about it.

The gratefulness is replacing all desire to complain and wallow. It's taking away the attitude of "I don't wanna" and replacing it with "I get to"...taking away the desire to resist what I know I should be doing, replacing it with a big "Cowboy up, Chicken Little, and do the next thing!" (In case this message wasn't clear enough, my pastor threw in a bit in last week's message about how we look like two year olds throwing a temper tantrum when we whine and don't do what we know we should do...and God looks down and says, "Get over it!" Don't get me wrong...I love me some grace and mercy...and God gives both generously. But there is a time when a loving Father says...Let's move on...it will do no good to stay here and wallow. In other words, "Get over it!") I'm not speaking about grief. That's a different thing all together. I am talking about the things I make excuses for...not giving Him all of me, not doing my devotions, having wrong attitudes, going to other things, like food, for comfort.

I didn't even consider how powerful simply focusing on the gifts God has given in each moment would be in every area of my life. In high school, I had an Algebra teacher who used to always say, "It's a great day! You get to do Algebra! You don't have to...you get to." When I was a teenager, it was a bit annoying. That man, a lover of Jesus, who was also my pastor back in my baby Christian days, knew the gift of gratefulness. He had the right attitude. I feel that same fervor for life seeping into my heart, renewing me. When I feel tempted to say, "I don't wanna"...it is quickly replaced with "I get to...live this day, go to my job, cook for this family, help this child with his homework, listen to that child play his guitar, wash these dishes, settle into this bed at the end of the day beside this man that I love." I get to!

Another day...really?

Is being transformed to...

Another day! Really!! What a gift!

Crazy, huh?

I'm embracing it.

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One more thing...on the subject of "clinging"...

Have you ever considered the word "cling" in The Old Rugged Cross? I never had...until the day we stood side by side, singing at Dinah's funeral. Tim's guitar music gently guided, and I sang the words. And, when I reached the chorus, my voice quivered for a moment as I sang,

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.


"I will cling to the old rugged cross...and exchange it some day
                                             for a crown."

A crown which I will lay at His feet. I remember when Dinah and I talked about how He will turn our struggles, and our clinging to Him into crowns one day. Crowns we can lay at His feet in an act of worship. She had just gone Home, and I stood in  her church, singing about the crowns and the clinging. And..He met me there.

You know, He always meets us there. Where ever He asks us to go, He is faithful to meet us there.

And, He's here, right now...in the laying down of my trophies, in the learning to cling to the cross ever closer.

In all of it, He is there.

Prayer Request for Hurting Marriages

This past week, two families have come to us requesting prayer for hurting marriages. Both of these Christian families are in urgent need of prayer! In both cases, the wife and children have left the home. Please, please, please take some time this evening to lift these families in prayer. They are not alone. Satan is working to tear families apart all over the world. This battle is not flesh and blood. It is spiritual, and best fought on our knees in prayer. Tim and I will be praying at 6:30 this evening. I hope you will join us from your homes or where ever you are at that time...or anytime.

Ephesians 6:12 (New King James Version)

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Matthew 18:20 (New King James Version)
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

I'm sure it still counts if we are coming from different places...agreeing in prayer...lifting our voices in one accord. Let's pray together for these marriages...for the sanctity of marriage. Our foe is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour....but our God is able to heal and restore even the most broken relationships. He is able to protect and defend these marriages. We are living proof of His ability to make beauty from ashes.

Please pray with us!

Cowboy up, Chicken Little...More Things Dinah Said...

Last week was hard.

Going back to life and work so quickly after saying goodbye to Dinah seemed so surreal.

The weight of that reality for her family...heavy on our hearts, heavy on theirs....

A lot of heavy.

Tears fresh in my eyes as I walked into work, heavy with thoughts of her and images of grief-stricken faces parading through my mind.

Tuesday, Wednesday...

By Thursday, I awoke once more with the heavy. The heavy of cancer's fury, of another goodbye, of all the sorrow this world offers, the reality of death, the missing of my friend. I looked in the mirror at the dark circles, the pale face, the worn look of one who has lived a lot of life in thirty-five years. I sighed heavily.

Another day, really?

Then, her words...playing in my mind as they had so many times before.

"Cowboy up, Chicken Little. Just do the next thing."

She always called me Chicken Little. I have no idea why. She called her daughter, Christy, the same thing. A compliment indeed, since Christy is one of the most cool, beautiful, classy chicks I know. She has a lot of her mother in her. Dinah liked the saying "cowboy up"...meaning, "man up", "pull yourself up by your bootstraps". Dinah was a horse lover. I'm smiling now, picturing the cowboy boots under her casket. So Dinah.

"Just do the next thing" was a phrase spoken by Elizabeth Elliot...a phrase we share here, often when talking about grief. When life overwhelms us, when things hurt too much...just do the next thing. It might be: get out of bed, brush your teeth, get dressed, go to work. Keep it simple. Give yourself grace. Dinah loved it and said it often.

So, I cowboyed up...got ready for work, got into the car, put one foot in front of the other....did the next thing. And, the next, and the next.

I've been thinking of a couple other things she said to me when I was young and feisty.

"Life is a process, not an event."

"He makes all things beautiful in His time." (love this truth...love this song.)

Years ago, when I was frustrated and wanted to let someone have it...tell them how it is, she would say...

"What is your goal? What are your trying to achieve by saying that or doing that?"

Those words reminded me to have self-control. I learned to pray more and speak less. Now, the Lord has imparted much grace into my life, teaching me that He is faithful if I wait on Him. I'm so grateful for Dinah's wisdom and patience as she taught my young, head-strong, opinionated self to hold my tongue.

The gift of her life is ongoing. Many are missing her...and we will miss her until we enter heaven's gates. But, until then...it is her voice in our heads along with His strength, encouraging us to cowboy up and do the next thing.

To read more nuggets of wisdom from Dinah, click here.

P.S. I just had to come back and add another quote mentioned by my pastor this morning that I so loved. I think Dinah would have liked this one, too. It was on a magnet that Pastor James' mom, Joyce (another woman I dearly love), had on her refrigerator. It read: "Don't try to outstubborn your mother."

Good stuff.

Lies Women Believe About Emotions...

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we postponed last week's Lies Women Believe Study to focus on the passing and remembering of my friend Dinah. Hopefully taking the week off gave some of you a chance to catch up! ;) This week, we are talking about Lies Women Believe About Emotions. Da, da, da, daaaaaa.

This is a big one for me. In fact, I have felt such conviction reading this chapter. I am guilty of allowing almost every one of these lies to dictate my behavior at one time or another. While it is true that we cannot help how we may feel, we can control how we react to those feelings...and what we allow our minds to dwell on.

Those words are easier said than done...when emotions roar, telling us our feelings are true and valid and require action. Action and words...lots of words. Spewed with raised voice. Irrational tears. Anxious dwelling thoughts. Oh...the enemy has done quite a work with the lie of emotions. What God meant to be a beautiful gift to women...a gift that blesses those they love, a gift meant to nurture and love with passion and compassion. Satan has twisted this beautiful gift into something...hideous and broken...at least that's what he means to do.

Which leads us to...

Lie Number 32 - If I feel something, it must be true.

I love how Nancy combats these lies with the truth that God is good, whether we feel it or not. He loves us, regardless of whether we feel unloved. He will never leave us, even if we feel forsaken. He forgives us when we feel unforgiven and drowning in guilt. He is faithful when we are not. He is steadfastly, always who He says He is...despite the raging storm of our changing emotions...emotions based on circumstances instead of our steadfast, immovable God.

Nancy sites scripture from Philippians...wise words from Paul...
Rejoice in the Lord always...Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God...Whatever is true...think about such things.

And the result: The peace of God...

Lie Number 33 - I can't control my emotions.

Truth: We take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinth. 10:5

We can fix our minds on Him, resist fear, trust Him...Do we trust Him rather than reacting to what we feel?

This is tough sometimes...

Which leads to a big one...

Lie 34 - I can't help how I respond when my hormones are out of whack...

Hormones are strong stuff. And, they are hard to control. I can say with my mouth and write these words...but when the firestorm of emotions spews forth from me, capturing me and taking me unaware and ill-prepared, it feels almost impossible to keep from reacting...from being swept in. Still...it should not be an excuse for lashing out at my family and friends...for giving in to the fury, claiming it as truth. It seems to help to remember it's coming and prepare...instead of using it as an excuse. It helps me to know..."This is a hormonal reaction. These strong feelings and overwhelming thoughts are not the truth." Once I realize that's what is happening, I calm down and refocus. We can pray for strength to overcome those moments. And, He will give us the grace to do so. It takes some effort and resisting what we feel, clinging instead to what we know to be true.

I love Psalm 139....God knows us. He created us...and He is not surprised by any part of us...not even our crazy hormones.

Lie 35- The answer to depression must first be sought in medication and/or phsychotherapy.

Depression is prevalent among women, and more so in recent years. My mother battled depression much of her life. I remember as a young girl, praying that I would never struggle with those emotions. In recent years, as some of those pressing weights have laid on my shoulders...her passing, which seems to have passed on that struggle to me...I have wrestled.

Wrestled as a Christian woman...we should have joy. Am I failing to trust him, because I feel so heavy? Am I giving in to fear when I curl up into my shell, run to things other than Him, don't want to leave my room and face life? Why? Why do I feel this way? Am I not believing Him enough? Am I a hypocrite to feel these feelings while I preach the hope in the living God?

Sometimes...it is because I cling to other things for comfort...things that will not truly bring joy...things that cause a brief escape...a false comfort. Food, a mindless TV show, a conversation with a friend...basically everything Nancy mentioned...I have run to. This section was the most convicting. I have fallen for every excuse. I am weak in every area mentioned under lie number 34.

Many women in my life take medication for depression. So widespread is this issue, it is a common thing. I have resisted, so far. Not because I don't think there is a time for medicine. I do believe that is one way God helps us, when needed, due to a chemical or physical cause of depression that cannot be helped another way. Yet...I do wonder at times. It seems like in some cases, medicine has become just another easy answer...not all cases...but some. For many it is necessary...and that is a different matter.

We have not been created to live the way we are living. We were not made for the pace of our world...of our lives. Yet...this is where we are...living in this time...in this place. I wonder how much our battle with bouts of depression has to do with living a life we weren't created for...an environment that doesn't nourish and sustain..that rushes us on to the next thing. Then I read in scripture that depression is certainly nothing new. David battled, Jonah, Elijah, Hannah...on and on.

In all of it, the answer isn't for me to give in to the excuses...feeding my family pizza delivery again, remaining overwhelmed by my disorganized mess, eating the Doritos because they make me feel better. Those band aids mentioned in this chapter...every one of them....I am guilty of all. But, I don't have to stay there. And, slowly, He is pulling me out...whispering to me to cling to Him, instead of the layers I've built.

One more thing I want to share... It is quite simple sounding, but a powerful truth. Gratefulness is a great way to change our outlook when we have sunk to the pit of despair. Giving thanks...finding something, anything to give thanks for...praising God for who He is...these things change our perspective from focusing on our feelings and circumstances. Gratefulness renews hope.

Psalm 42:5-6;8
Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,

at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

*Next week's chapter, Lies Women Believe About Circumstances, will be posted Monday, March 14th.

Getting our Spring Blog Party on with Lynnette!

I've been sharing a lot about my friend Dinah, who went home to heaven last week. My heart has surely been heavy, but I'm taking a little break from the heavy to join in Lynnette's Blog Party. I love that beautiful, fun, dancing through the trials and joys of this life Lynnette! And, this party is extra fun, because there are some amazing giveaways for those who participate. I could use a little spring after a long, cold Ohio winter...and laughter does a heart good like medicine. Besides, Dinah loved a good party!

If you've never visited before, my name is Kelly Gerken. I began blogging in the summer of 2008, to share about the way God has made beauty from ashes in the life of my family and to share the ministry He has given us. This blog has evolved into a hodge podge of our ministry, family life, posts that encourage women in their walk with Jesus, posts that offer hope for grieving hearts, and whatever else God lays on my heart to share in the wee hours of the morning while my family sleeps. I'm so glad you stopped by and hope you enjoy your visit today. Looking forward to getting to know some of you as we hop around the blogosphere!

This is me...not looking so springy...but certainly looking forward to spring.

These are my people, the boys who fill my house with laughter, guitar music, and lots of golf balls in every corner. This picture is a couple years old, but I love it.

This is our band, One Way. I love singing with these guys. Especially with that hottie with the guitar!

Lynnette listed some fun questions to answer about ourselves...so here goes...

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.) Are they right?

Hmmmm....not sure about this one.

My friend Tracy would say that I'm "real"....the same person no matter where I am. I like that, and hope it's true. Although, I know when I fall short.

I sometimes feel like I'm a "mess", but Holly has reminded me that I am a "beautiful mess".

I like the word "grace"..although in my clumsiness, I am far from graceful. Can you be full of grace and not graceful?

I don't know....for those who know me...what would you say?



Who is your favorite blogger? Why?

I love so many bloggers, and have come to consider you all dear friends. If I had to choose one blogger, I would have to say Angie Smith...because hers was the first blog I ever read. I connected with her story of her precious daughter Audrey and her love for Jesus. I fell in love with her gift of writing and sharing her tender heart.


What is your comfort food/drink?

Oh boy....If you've been around here long, you know I love me some Doritos and Pepsi. My heart also skips a beat for bread and all kinds of sweets! I've been known to indulge in some pizza as well. Currently, I'm trying to stop looking to food for comfort...a weakness of mine...and cling to Jesus instead.


Be brave – tell us something very random and weird about yourself.

I've never mowed the lawn and don't plan to.
I've never had a cup of coffee.
I prefer a booth to a table, at a restaurant, and almost never eat Mexican food when eating out. Even though I love Mexican food, when I cook it at home.
I also have a terrible time choosing what to eat when eating out, wanting to make it count. Actually decisions in general are not my favorite thing.


Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it?

I would love to publish a book, and I'm working on it! I would also love to be able to continue speaking and sharing our ministry and the beauty of God's sufficient grace during times of grief with others....maybe someday being able to travel other places to do so. We'll see what happens. It's always an adventure with the Lord!


Movies: Action, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Documentary, Comedy? What are your favorite genres?

Probably Romantic Comedy....I am a sappy romantic and I love to laugh. I also really love inspirational underdog stories...like Rocky, Rudy, Blindside, The Legend of Bagger Vance. I have watched Rudy probably more than twenty times (it's one of my oldest son's favorites), and I still cry every time he runs on to the field, as the music swells in the background and the crowd chants his name.

I'm also kind of a sap. I love the Notebook and Coal Miner's Daughter...watch them whenever they are on.

Books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Biographies, True Stories, Self-Help, Devotional/Study? What are your favorite types of reading material?

Love, love, love to read...and a little tidbit: I was just recently chatting with a friend about Kindles and Nooks. While they seem like nifty gadgets, my old school heart is not ready to let go of the experience of holding a book in my hands, smelling it's smell, turning it's pages. There's nothing like it!

Most of the time I read Christian Non-fiction books, Devotionals and True Stories. I'm currently reading Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh Demoss and One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.

For Fiction indulgence I loved the Left Behind Books and anything by Karen Kingsbury....especially the Baxter series!



Music: Funk, Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Film Score, Blues, Classic Rock, Crooner, Alternative, Heavy Metal, Techno? What are your favorite types?

Christian contemporary...also our band, One Way likes to perform old hymns by adding our own flair. I  love to listen to my boys playing guitar. With three guitar players in the house, there is almost always some music playing.

I enjoy folk style music...and sometimes blues, some country, some classic....Oh, lots of different types.



Name one weakness of yours (confession is good for the soul).

Disorganization and poor time management...they sort of go hand in hand.

If you could live anywhere at all (and take all your loved ones with you), where would you go?

Georgia - It's beautiful, in the south, great weather, and I hear they have some pretty fancy golf courses there. ;) I would love to live on a golf course. Not because I'm fancy, but because my family loves to golf...and I think golf courses are some of the most beautiful places on earth.


Strange Talent? Can you juggle basketballs, put your legs behind your head or perform some other strange feat?

I can fold my tongue like a taco and make a pretty mean fishy face. (Special talents passed on by my mother.)

What’s something you consider yourself to be good at? (Don’t worry, it’s not bragging, it’s acknowledging a God given gift).

I love to write. Love words.

I also enjoy singing.

My boys say I make the best chili...on earth. And, I've heard my peanut butter pie is pretty good.


What is one of your favorite things to catch a whiff of?

Dinah's warm apple pie
My mom's lilac bush
Baby Max's cheeks
The smell of the breeze at the golf course with a hint of fresh cut grass mixed in
The smell of a new book


O.K....that was more than one, but I am not really much of a rule follower! You may have heard, we like grace here! =)

When you leave a social gathering, do you wish: You would have talked more or You would have talked less?

I always wish I would have talked less.

What are your favorite animals?

Love my dogs Rex and Jesse


Are you a hopeless romantic?

Oh, my yes! I love a good love story. My favorite is my own!


What movie or book character can you most relate to?

Not a movie character, but...Sometimes I feel like Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy) because I'm always messing up and finding myself in hilarious mishaps.

Sometimes June Carter....standing beside my guitar-picking man singing about Jesus.

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Well that was a fun change of pace. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you as we hop around. Thanks so much for stopping by! To learn more about our family's story of God's amazing grace, please click here. To learn more about Sufficient Grace Ministries, our ministry for grieving families and also with a mission to encourage women, please click here.

Have a beautiful, blessed day!