"I've struggled with my weight for as long as I remember..." That's how the email began. Oooh... Someone else who struggles is going to share their secret! That hook works on me. Every. Single. Time. Please! Tell me how you solved it! Please, please, please tell me...
Christian Living
What Politics and Insecurity Have in Common
"Cast your vote for Heather. She's the girl with the broken foot!" Freshman year of college, during orientation weekend, I tore a ligament and shattered my third metatarsal while walking on a swinging bridge. Yes. Just walking. (I've never been accused of being...
Knowing When To Quit & Say “That’s All I Can Do”
Can I confess something? I don't know when to quit. I feel as if I always could do a little bit more. Yesterday, for example. I finished everything I absolutely needed to accomplish for the day by 11am. I should have quit. I should have stopped and done something fun...
Gordon Ramsay’s Hotel Hell & Self Deception
My husband and I watch Hotel Hell every chance we get. We love that show! If you haven’t watched, the premise of the show is this: business owners contact Gordon Ramsay to come help their sinking business rise from the ashes. They are all truly looking for a...
How Not to Marry a Loser
Don't marry a loser. Trust me. I've dated my fair share. Maybe this sounds familiar: He said he believed in God, but not organized religion. "That counts, right?" I convinced myself. He was kind of cute. What mattered most was that he really liked me. That felt good....
How to Upgrade Your Wardrobe
“Have you worn it in the last year?” That’s the question we’re “supposed” to ask when weeding out our old clothes, right? Unfortunately, it’s a pretty easy question to get around: No, but I didn’t have a reason to wear something that dressy. No, but I’m still losing a...
How to Practice Hospitality Without Stressing Over Your Home
This is part one in a mini-series by Esther on how practice hospitality without stressing over your home. Look for part two, next week, called, "Are You Home Insecure: Three Questions to Ask Yourself!" Do you let the state of your home dictate whether or not you are...
You Have Great Purpose
I looked out our second story bathroom window onto the blooming tree in our neighbor's yard. I noticed a massive number of bees swarming around it's blooms. There were so many of them I'm sure had I opened the window I would have heard the buzzing. I don't necessarily...
Lessons from the DustBuster: Don’t Suck it Up
I unpacked all the fresh fruit and vegetables that once filled the box. It looked a bit on the dirty side, so I was anxious to get it off my kitchen counter. I carried the produce box to the garage, then walked back into the kitchen. That's when I saw it. A huge pile...
Just a Little More Beauty, Lord: A Poem
"Just a Little More Beauty, Lord," is an original poem! My first, in fact. It may not be Emily Dickinson but I hope these words will still touch you and (maybe) make you smile as you reflect on the truth about our desires and our body image struggles . . . Just a...