How to Dream Big (Like a 6-Year-Old)

When my son Connor was six years old, he wrote a hilarious Christmas wish list.

I still remember his creativity and boldness in choosing the many, many, many, many items. I smile when I think back to the wintery day he asked to get out my laptop and type out his Christmas list for him. He stayed serious and thoughtful as he dictated each item.

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When I found it recently, I laughed out loud and thought you may get a kick out of it too.

Fighting Back with Joy and Sweet Tea – FGF Highlights, Lenoir City, TN

It is so good to be back in Fresh Grounded Faith season! What a fun group of ladies! I love those Tennessee sisters — they make me feel like I’ve come home to hang out with my BFFs that I haven’t seen in years. It was exactly what we needed for our first FGF this month. God is good.

Here are a few photos from our weekend. To see the entire album, click here. Thank you, Vicki Simmons, for the beautiful photos! Also, here are your photo booth pics. So fun!

Our volunteers rocked, as did their fearless leader, Sabrina Stamper. Big thanks to all of you! And while I’m at it, thank you to First Baptist Church Lenoir City and the four co-host churches for loving us so well.

And I had some of my favorite people with me this weekend…

When Resentment Steals Your Joy: 4 Questions and 1 Prayer

Resentment. We all feel it from time to time.

It’s like the invisible undertow in the ocean that sweeps away even the most experienced swimmer. It pulls at us. It sucks us down into a pit of bitterness.

We hold a grudge. We secretly fume about what he said or she did. We keep a running list of how we’ve been wronged. We review how we’ve been hurt.

It is subtle until it is sudden.

It’s Open Season on Glory Hunting

Years ago, one of my friends was struggling with a chronic illness.  The girl was in bad shape, practically eating pain pills for breakfast just to make it through the day.  After a few years of living with her illness, she was adjusting —as much as you can when you’re hurting.  Her pain meds were managed well.  She had gone through some counseling which had really helped her and she finally seemed to be getting her life back.  She was moving on, even smiling more. She’d fought a hard fight and I admired her so much.

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What to Do When Life Doesn’t Turn Out As Expected

My friend, Margaret Feinberg, has been in a gruesome fight with breast cancer. Though she has been thrown on one of the toughest battlefields of life, her response has been startling and challenging to me.

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You may be on a battlefield of your own, and you may be at your wit’s end, a weary warrior — trampled and discouraged. So, I asked Margaret to share a piece of her story with you to encourage and inspire you to keep on trusting. If you want to go deeper, check out her new book and Bible study, Fight Back With Joy, filmed with LifeWay. I have no doubt my wise and inspiring friend will give you the Biblical truth and companionship you need to fight any battle you face with tenacity and joy!