Mark and I both had leadership positions in college. He was president of an on-campus leadership group and I was president of my sorority. But we’ve tried to teach our children a broader sense of leadership–the power of influence in daily life. There’s a question we asked our kids a lot over the years, especially during middle school and high school: Are your friends having more of an influence on you, or are you having more of an influence on…
People are usually a little surprised when we tell them the story in the video below. You see, our marriage didn’t have the most promising start. Our hearts were in the right place, but our personalities were on a crash course that was bound to implode our marriage. There were so many things we struggled through. We had to learn how to communicate, how to meet each other’s needs, and how to handle conflict. Of course, we still have conflict,…
Mark and I need your help. Our new books, From Me to You: A Conversation Journal (both son and daughter versions), releases April 2nd! We would love your help sharing the news. To make sharing convenient, use any of these posts or tweets below to get the word out on your social media. Thank you for helping. It is our hope that these books will be the beginning of a hundred meaningful conversations between parent and child about trials, temptations, and fears. About dreams, family,…
Mark has been dealing with back pain for the past few months. It’s getting better, but there are still days he doesn’t feel 100 percent. For someone as on-the-go as Mark, this experience has, at times, caused him to get discouraged. I’ve tried to be there for Mark, to encourage him and let him know I understand what he’s dealing with. It’s not always easy, but it’s part of being a supportive spouse. Mark has been there for me when…
When the first hand-held cell phone call was placed in 1973, I’ll bet the inventor didn’t realize what a cultural and social phenomenon had begun! With the advent of Smartphones and the rapidly improving technology that makes more knowledge and convenience available at our fingertips, cell phones are no longer simply for making calls. A study in 2013 found that Americans spend about an hour per day on their cell phones, and only about a quarter of that time was…
Confession: I have been MIA and haven’t blogged in months, but for good reason! The wedding trumped the blog. In my memory it actually trumped everything. Are there ever times in your life when several things are happening all at once? And somehow, in the midst of it all, you get the distinct feeling God is trying to tell you something, but you’re not sure what He is saying? My year, in summary, goes like this: moved 2 children, Mark…
When my daughter Megan got married, I don’t know who was happier…me or Megan! The day of the wedding was rainy, which was bad since the plan was to have the ceremony outside. But all of a sudden (I think it was because of the prayers of me and my network of praying friends!) the sky cleared, and it was beautifully calm and sunny. As the ceremony progressed, birds chirped in the trees and the breeze gently blew Megan’s veil around her…