We chose a name, for our baby boy to be, that means in Hebrew: Jehovah has heard, thankful, and praising God with up raised hands. We found so much joy in naming the little life growing in my womb once we found out that we were having a baby boy. Jaden Paul Povolni would be
Two years into our unexpected journey of self-employment, simple answers have felt just out of reach. God’s never left us or forsaken us, although there are days we have felt a bit lost. Like we are wandering on the back side of a wilderness and we can’t find the pathway out. Doubt can settle in
I’m a fan of pumpkin flavored anything near fall. I made my coffee with milk, a few drops of cream, honey, and sprinkles of Pumpkin Pie spice on top. I heated up my homemade creamer in a mug and poured the coffee in. I headed to the car to be on my way and began
I used to write it all down when I was angry or upset. Listing out all that happened and why I was justified to feel the way I felt. Now I have no desire to read those journals, all those words, and who would? It’s better to have voiced my frustrated thoughts written on the
The suitcases are ready. Hot coffees in hand. And we’re off on an adventure. A road trip to a new destination. The freedom of being free. The surprise. All things are new. Running wild and free under His protection. Isn’t this what we long for? Freedom to run our race WILD and FREE within our
Sitting and hoping for food to appear is absolutely ridiculous. Yet, you and I often do this exact thing when it comes to what we say we want to experience in our lives. When things are extremely busy or I’m working on interesting projects, I forget about eating. On days that are slower or involve
My husband traveled with a play company in Australia as an actor, dancer, and makeup artist in his early twenties before we knew one another. Actors create believable characters. They memorize lines, portray another’s mannerisms and characteristics, and cause us to believe in another time, place, and narrative. Their intention is to tell us a
The worst part of not knowing, is not knowing. Time can be our greatest gift and our greatest test. When my husband was laid off from his job two years ago, nothing I was reading in Romans jumped out at me until I read Romans 4:16-25. This portion of the Bible became life and breath
Some things are unexplainable, they look crooked and difficult, and seem impossible. As a baby, my son screamed if a man he did not know tried to hold him besides his father, grandfathers, or close family friends. As a toddler he balled and balled and never wanted his mama to leave him in the church
I sat the pumpkins out in the kitchen and my “Happy Fall Y’all” wooden sign on the fireplace mantel, even though outside it’s hot and humid and the temps are reaching over 90 degrees. I’m ready for the seasons to change from summer to fall, and in a few days the calendar promises it will.
Though her circumstances were worse than mine by comparison, she loved me just the same. She held my hand. She prayed for me. She reached out to me in spite of what she was going through herself. She showed love, compassion and empathy. She connected with my emotions, my heart and she had just met
We all are conditioned to believe certain things by the culture we are apart of, by the families we grew up in, by the words that were spoken over us, by the actions of those who surround us, the things we are taught in school, church, our community, our work environment, and by the lies
One year for Christmas our budget was limited. During the weeks leading up to the Holidays I sold my daughters Barbie town house, her red kitchen play set, and a few other things the kids no longer played with. Cleaning things out can be therapeutic, profitable, and fun. Christmas morning came and Paul and the
I know what it is like to smile and say that I am doing fine, when my reality is full of uncertainty. Is it okay to say, “I’m fine,” when I’m not fine? Have you ever wondered about this? Not everyone can handle our stories as we are experiencing them, nor should they. We may
I want to honor all the women and the moms who give us life, and who influence us with their love and life. Over and over again in my life I have found myself in the presence of unique women who have impacted my life in amazing ways. I want to honor every woman today,
This is the best we could do for an Easter photo and this took real effort y’all. My kids were mortified that we were using a selfie stick in our front yard where actual people could walk by, see us and even wave to us; their neighbors. No! Well, we all survived, kind of. If
In all the different stages of life there are times we don’t fit in. We just can’t seem to find our place, where we belong or who we belong with. There is awkwardness and frustration. Others may not understand or know. It’s not what we planned, it’s where we find ourselves. Could it even be
That first time you taste a mouth watering, juicy steak it blows your mind. It’s impossible for someone to imagine this experience if they have never had anything like it. I remember the first time I tasted the Australian dessert, Pavlova. I was in awe and at a loss for words to describe the light
I fall flat into the temptation of negativity so often. I can point out the issues and tell you all the things that are wrong—especially how others are missing this or that. When there are glitches, cracks, and lack of preparation—it’s glaringly obvious to me. This can be a gift if my mindset is to
She faced an awkward moment when Jesus gave no reply to her request. The disciples had no compassion and urged Jesus to send her away. Jesus had just arrived in the area where she was from and intended on speaking to his disciples and the Israelites first. Yet, word spread and she came, because she
