Hold Fast, My Sisters

Hold Fast, My Sisters

It wasn’t long ago that when the word “Lent” was spoken, all that came to my mind was the tiny bits of string or fabric that I use a roller to pull off my clothes. Much to my confusion, it wasn’t lint my new church was talking about, but instead it was the beautiful time of fasting leading up to Easter… Lent. As an evangelical, I found it an adjustment to…

How Lent Changed Me

How Lent Changed Me

I grew up in a home and church that did not observe the Lent season. Easter was a fun and festive day of worship, a delicious meal, Easter egg hunting and family photos with my cousins in our new “Easter outfits,” but I honestly hadn’t given much thought to Lent until several years ago when our pastor introduced it as a season to be observed and celebrated. I didn’t have a context…

Mommas, Put Your Oxygen Masks On First

Mommas, Put Your Oxygen Masks On First

“Please secure your own oxygen mask first.” Virtually every time I hear a flight attendant voice those words, I have one thought: Could any piece of advice be harder for a Mom to follow? As intentional Moms, our first inclination is to care for others. So what happens when Mommas care and care and care for everyone else, without first breathing in the help they need?

How To Love Toxic People Well

How To Love Toxic People Well

Who comes to mind when you hear the words “toxic person?” Is it your friend from college, your mom, your brother-in-law, a coworker? I bet your shoulders feel a little bit tenser and your blood pressure a little bit higher just thinking about them. Take a deep breath. And another. You’re going to need it. This is not a how-to about breaking up with friends and family members. Unlike conventional wisdom, we’re going to talk about loving your person well.

Singles Are Sick of the Jingles: Dos & Don’ts of Talking to Single Women

Singles Are Sick of the Jingles: Dos & Don’ts of Talking to Single Women

“You don’t have to be lonely, at FarmersOnly.com.” The jingle rang out over my parents tv. We all laughed as my ranch-owner dad threatened to set up an account for his single daughter…me. As I remember how we joked about the catchy jingle every time it came on, I recall other not-so-catchy…

Oh, how he loves: Receiving God’s Love

Oh, how he loves: Receiving God’s Love

It’s what we are all searching for: love. Much of our lives are spent on that very task, seeking love - in a mate, friendships, or in the approval of others. Yet when we do find that love, we are continually disappointed. People can’t seem to love us as perfectly as we’d like them to.

Loving the Vulnerable: An Interview with Carisa Wilsie

Loving the Vulnerable: An Interview with Carisa Wilsie

In February, on the Council Road Women blog we are chatting about several different ways we can show love. Of course we talk about the love that naturally come to mind, like our spouse, but we are also looking at ways to show love to some of the most vulnerable around us. When I think of loving the vulnerable, my friend, Carisa Wilsie immediately comes to mind.