I’ve always enjoyed watching the Olympics. One winter at my grandparents’ house, I slipped away to the back room to watch. They had a small box television set, and the bunny ears were angled just right to get a decent signal. That’s where I turned on the 1992 Winter Olympics. I watched skaters glide across the ice, making it look effortless. I watched skiers race down mountains at record-breaking speeds. And even then, I remember […]
God Built. Not Cultured Defined
Who told us our bodies needed fixing? It’s a question worth asking. I’ve had conversations with friends and family over the years, and it seems we all share this belief. It’s rarely said out loud, but it shows up in how normal it feels to think we should do better—exercise more, eat less, look more aesthetically pleasing. I don’t recall one specific day this belief formed, but rather a series of moments over time that […]
Who’s Cheering You On? Encouragement From the Sidelines
Yesterday I had the chance to cheer on one of my favorite marathon runners—my daughter’s friend, Hannah. Over 4,000 women were running that day—some for the first time, others for their 60th. As they lined up, what caught my attention were all the families and friends crowding the sidewalks, cheering and holding signs. And you could see the dedication written on the faces of the runners themselves. They had put in months of training to […]
Grace Over Guilt: A Gentle Holiday Reminder
When I first sat down to write this month’s newsletter, I thought I had the topic wrapped up neatly with a bow. I was going to talk about body shame—fittingly titled “Shedding Shame Like Autumn Leaves.” It felt perfect for this season, with the cooler weather and changing colors. But as I began to write, the Lord redirected my thoughts. With the holidays approaching, He placed something else on my heart: grace over guilt. I […]
Stewardship Beyond Finances: Your Body
Growing up, Monday nights were set aside for family financial talks—at least until Monday Night Football started in the fall! My dad would gather us—my sister in high school, my brother and me still in middle school—to teach about investing, saving, tithing, and living within our means. He wanted to lay a foundation early, long before we ever received our first paychecks, so we would learn how to manage money in a way that honored […]
By Intricate Design
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”Psalm 139:13 (NIV) My husband and I worked in the autobody industry for 22 years. During that time, I saw thousands of cars go through the repair process, from start to finish. A vehicle would come in wrecked and leave as if the accident never happened. New parts, new paint, the car looked as good as new. The very first part of the […]
Summer Body
It’s only April, and the ads have started showing up in my Instagram feed:“5 ways to get your summer body.” “Lose 20 pounds before summer” “Get that summer body…start today” Here’s the deal. Our bodies, yours and mine, are our bodies all year long. Every season. Fall, winter, spring and yes, summer. As if we don’t experience enough pressure in our culture day in and day out about the ways our bodies look. We add an […]
Striving for Balance: Honoring God When Our Body Is a Temple
Have you ever felt the pressure to look a certain way, to push your body to extremes, all in the name of health or beauty? I know I have.
Beauty in the Blemishes
I opened the drawer and stared at the pile of half-used beauty products, the ones I bought, one by one, all because an Instagram ad promised they’d ‘fix’ me.
It’s Just a Number, Not My Identity
A challenge from my Pastor encouraged me to step into the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday as a season of intentional reflection, repentance, and self-denial.