2017, The Year of Grace

I always look forward to January 1. It's a fresh start...and I really need a fresh start this time. Last year was one of the best years of my life, but also one of the hardest. I am deep-down-in-my-soul tired. Physically, I'm exhausted because apparently not every baby in the world will sleep through the night like …

“She Pondered Them in Her Heart”: A Year in Reflection

Recently in our young adult Bible study, Dustin read about Jesus' birth in Luke 2. In this account, there were shepherds who heard about Jesus from angels and went to see Him. Verses 18 and 19 say, "And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And …

A Sense of Meaning: Update on My New Normal

Hey friends, thanks for stopping in. My heart is full tonight, so I thought I'd write. There've been a lot of things I would have written about the last few months, but the days have been long and full of memories and struggle and meaning. I'd be lying if I said I savored every moment. …

Your Childhood Joy

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you were downtrodden, depressed, anxious, or lonely? Maybe you're experiencing that time right now? Unfortunately, I've spent a great deal of my adult life like that, despite having a relationship with Christ. The Bible says Jesus came so we could have life to the full …

July 2016 Update

I had good intentions to write this post early in the month, but it's summer in the Midwest, and we are living life to the fullest while the weather is warm. Maybe it's better, because I have more to say than I did 26 days ago. When you're raising tiny people, a lot can happen …

A White Girl from a Small Town

Laying awake at 4 am trying to grasp for straws. Social media is a whirlwind of people falling on either side of a debate that shouldn't be. There's been violence once again in our country. White cops, black civilians and vice versa. Just a short time ago, it was an Islamic man and homosexuals. In …

May/June 2016 Update

At six weeks after giving birth to my second child, I now understand why bloggers announce their temporary hiatus from blogging at big life changes. The last month and a half has been a whirlwind of emotions, activity, and learning. On May 4th, after only a few hours of labor, Hosanna Lynn Marie was born …

April 2016 Update

Greetings! In the last month, the main focus around here has shifted primarily to preparing for Baby Dummel #2, whose arrival is just around the corner! We've made a lot of progress on the house, making it more functional and cozy. Pictures and artwork have been hung, and we created a pegboard wall for the …

One Day At A Time

Reading through a Bible study workbook today, I read the author's speculation about what Jesus' death must have been like for His mother, Mary. As it often does, my mind trailed off thinking about how this applies to my daily walk. What if Mary was like me? What if when Jesus was born, she questioned the outcome …

March 2016 Update

February passed by like a flash for us! I know a lot of people struggle through February, and a I can generally relate, but we were so busy that it felt like a blur (by our standards...I know a lot of people are far busier!). The random warm days were so uplifting, and we soaked up as much …