As my boss rambled on about projections and sales goals, my stomach growled, and my mind began to wander. It was almost lunchtime, and the all-day conference seemed to have no end in sight. And that's when it happened…

"Daddy, I love cuddling with you. You're like the world's best squishy pillow."

Talk about a punch in the gut. Granted, it is apparently a nicely cushioned gut, but a gut nonetheless. Even though my daughter's words strung, it didn't make them any less accurate…

I’ve heard it said that there are two types of people in this world. First, there are those individuals who see the "E" illuminated on their car's dashboard and think, "I got this…I can drive 15 more…

We’ve all had numerous people who gave us advice that went “in one ear and out the other.” To take this to another level, we’ve probably caught ourselves giving the same advice to someone else and as we hear it come out of our mouths we’ve realized that we don’t even heed what we’re saying…

We walk through our days consumed with a million little concerns and cravings that steal our attention. I don’t know about you, but my mind is constantly running through a list of things I have to do and decisions I need to make. As a result, I have difficulty staying in the present because I am so caught up thinking about what’s next on my schedule. And when I’m not thinking about what has to be done, I am thinking about what I want.

If you ever need a ride from me, I should give you a fair warning that I failed my driver's license exam three times. I became such a familiar face at the DMV every instructor knew me by name. I've never been a great test-taker but put me behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, and my already anxious nature skyrockets even more…d

If you were on the row of treadmills at Planet Fitness the other day, I want to take this moment to apologize for my huffing and puffing. Yes, that person plodding along gasping for air was yours truly…

The weight of the circumstances keeps us tongue-tied. Trying to articulate the flood of emotions that fill our hearts is an exercise in futility. Nothing we say will do justice to how we feel…

When I think back to the first time a curse word left my lips, I get a bad taste in my mouth. My mom sticking a bar of soap in my trap as punishment failed to wash this memory from my system. But I think that was the whole point. Dirty words weren't allowed in our household…

Everybody encounters temptation. Yes, everyone. No one is immune, including Jesus. If He was tested, then so can we. At the core of every trial we face resides a question that exposes our heart: Can God be trusted? Our ability to withstand and walk in faith hinges on our confidence in God.

Growing up, our family participated in a local charity road race every summer. We'd race around town, going from clue to clue, hoping to get to the finish line the fastest…

During my time in the corporate world, our office had a weekend retreat focused on team dynamics and morale. To break the tension from numerous meetings throughout the day, our bosses set up an evening of laser tag to blow off some steam…

What is pride? It's hard to define, but we all recognize it when we see it. Okay, that statement is only partially true. Even though it's easy for us to acknowledge it in those around us, we often remain blind to the pride that resides in our hearts…

I'll admit it: I'm a planner. You would see what I mean if you saw my Google calendar. I love to organize my day into color-coded, predictable blocks of time. I love the sense of control I get from planning—admittedly, I get my peace from thinking I "know" what's ahead. I want to know precisely what I can expect each and every day. Unfortunately, however, I'm not omniscient.

Today has been a beautiful day! It was hard, but I resisted the urge to drop a "so far" at the end of that sentence. With no magic mirror shedding light on what lies ahead, the "so far" tagline protects me from potential disappointment and the world's ugliness washing away the glimpses of beauty I'm experiencing.

I forgot to consider when adding a puppy with black curly hair to the family was taking her out in the middle of the night. She tends to blend into the surroundings. Being a bundle of energy, Megan bolts from one side of the yard to the next. Keeping track of her whereabouts is near to impossible. Panicking over losing her is routine. I now only brave the backyard if I have my cell phone flashlight turned on. It doesn't brighten the entire yard, but it does allow me to keep her always within view…

As I stood amidst a sea of runners packed in the starting corral like sardines, my nerves were getting the better of me. All those months of training lead up to this moment - my first attempt at running a half marathon. Slow and steady might not win the race, but it would allow me to cross the finish line and check this achievement off my bucket list…

Seeing things from our limited perspective can get us into trouble. We react to our circumstances based off what we see and how we interpret the things going on around us. Feeling rushed forces faith to give way to certainty and hope to lose out over control. The perceived pressure leads us to feel overwhelmed, so we continue to force our way in a never-ending loop that leaves us exhausted.

I'm a bit absent-minded. I lose things frequently, most often my car keys and sandals. The other day it was my glasses, which is a big problem because I'm blind without them. After a good half hour of searching, I gave up and threw on my "emergency" pair. 

For the majority of the years I have participated in My One Word, my selections centered on my battle against the debilitating anxiety that has plagued me for most of my life. Peace. Focus. Vision. Steadfast. Rest. Trust. Each word was deeply rooted in my effort to fight through the challenges that the force of anxiety presented. Each year brought a new word that challenged and inspired my perspective about what walking with God could look like. Keenly aware that anxiety will always attempt to surface, I have discovered a refreshed level of hope in, and love for, my Savior through this process.