(For the audio recording of this post, click on the bar above) How I ended up in women’s shoes at Walmart, I’ll never know. I didn’t even need shoes. I was just meandering. I had dropped off my fourth son at a Father-Son campout and honestly, I was a bit lost. No good reason […]
And I Thought I Was Just Meandering… Read More »
As we continue through Breast Cancer Awareness month this October, we turn the pages of my new devotional, The Faith to Free-Fall, past the first chapter, “Shock,” to the second chapter- “Anger.” Though I wrote this devo specifically for women anticipating undergoing a mastectomy, I believe we’ve all been angry at times when things haven’t turned out the
My trunk is full of groceries as I pull up to the corner and turn on my blinker. Out of the corner of my eye I see a man standing near me, leaning on a cane, wearing a black coat and a hat to ward off the cold wind. He’s selling newspapers for $1. I
My Interview with “Red”- a Corner Newspaper Salesman Read More »
(Let’s pretend we’re sitting down for coffee and I’m telling you this story 🙂 Click the audio link above.) Every one of us is a storyteller. We tell stories to friends over a cup of coffee, stories to our kids while we’re tucking them into bed, stories to co-workers, relatives, neighbors. Some stories make us wince
Derrick: Former Inmate Starts New Chapter Read More »
“Don’t worry, I’ll walk you to your class,” I reassure my almost-kindergartener. But he shakes his head. “Nah, I got this, Mom. I know where my class is.” Really? Now, I realize he has the same teacher his 3 older brothers had and he’s been to her class a hundred times. But still, I “fake
What Every Mom Needs to Hear on the First Day of Kindergarten Read More »
(to hear me read this post, click on the audio bar above) It’s 7:15 am. Too early for a drama rehearsal. But this isn’t drama. This is life. “Let me hear you say ‘No,’” I direct my kids at the breakfast table. One says a sheepish, ”No,” while looking down at his cereal. Another
4 Steps to Teach Your Kids to Say “No” to Protect Themselves from Harm Read More »
It’s my Faithful to Speak workshop and we’re talking about emotion in the context of public speaking. Joanne raises her hand, “But how do you know when you’re being manipulative? Using emotion because you know it will get to your audience?” Her question makes me dig deep. And it takes me back to a late
“Zoom in on the Tears”- 3 Safeguards Against Using Emotion to Manipulate Your Audience Read More »
(To hear the audio recording of this blog post, click on the white triangle in the black line above) “I’m not really a speaker; I’m more of a writer,” Jordan, a participant in my public speaking workshop, explains. Her dark brown hair frames her pretty face. “What do you write?” I ask. “My blog. It’s trustingadventure.com.”
The Place Between Panic and Rock Star Read More »
“Ben is trying to steal Jackson from me!” My son was distraught. The friend he thought was his “best friend” was spending a lot of time with another friend. “I know. It’s hard when it looks that way,” I said. Then I asked, “So what’s the scariest thing about that for you?” Big tears welled
“Let it Go”- Jealousy in Friendship Read More »
It’s April 27, 2001, 7:30pm. In an old theater, a hope-filled boyfriend kneels on a stage floor and offers his girlfriend a ring and life together. She smiles, “Yes!” Happy tears. He pours juice into the cup, bought especially for this occasion. He breaks the bread. They share communion. Community. Communication. They share. Wedding day.