Chad and Erin

If I could choose a phrase to remind myself of every single day, it would be “I am a servant of all.” Everywhere I turn, I find people who are searching for popularity, success in a career, or happiness through financial gain. They’re trying to appeal to a bigger audience, or gain the most likes on their social media accounts. It seems that the focus is always about promoting “me.” Yet Scripture states the exact opposite: “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant, and...

About a month ago, we had some sickness pass through our little family. It’s the hardest when you see your little ones with a fever or cough and you know they feel miserable. Between wiping the runny noses, pushing the fluids, and making sure everyone is on track with their medicine, you just want to do more! Our little Everly was particularly pitiful. All she wanted was for me to stay next to her side as she lay on the couch. Every time I would get up to grab something she would cry “Pl...

As I sit on the couch, watching my children play together on the floor, I’m thinking about the gift of friendship. Friendship is such a vital part of humanity, but so often people feel alone in this world. I ponder the question, How many friends do I really have? I’m talking about the kind of friends that I am vulnerable with. The kind of friends that ask me the hard questions. The kind of friend it talks about in Proverbs 27:17:“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance ...

A few weeks ago, I randomly started thinking about “genuine leather.” I know it sounds a little weird, but I guess I have always appreciated genuine leather. The feel, the smell. (Oh . . . The smell!) I love boots, work gloves, and a genuine leather belt beats a faux/synthetic who-knows-what belt any day of the year. I thought about why those words, “genuine leather,” were engraved somewhere on most genuine leather products. There are many types of manufactured and created leathers that look ...

I’ll be honest, the past year has brought so much anxiety in my heart – something I’ve never really dealt with before, but with everything that is happening in the world around us, it seems almost impossible not to be filled with worry and fear. I have found myself constantly asking “what if this happens?”, and “what about my children and their future?” and the list of questions could go on, but I’m going to take a minute to share a few things that have brought such a peace to my heart in the...

I love the different seasons in nature. The cold, icy grip of winter, the fresh start of spring, the heat and longer days of summer, and the falling leaves of autumn. All these are according to God’s plan for our good and the cycle of life that He set in place. I have come to realize that there are and will continue to be seasons of life that each of us experience personally. Whether it be raising kids, various employment opportunities, friendships, or surroundings, seasons have one thin...

I’m not sure if you’re like me, but I am a perfectionist, which means I constantly have to battle the pull to be the “perfect” Christian, wife, mother, and friend. After having two kids, I felt overwhelmed by trying to make every meal from scratch, attempt to have every closet organized, and find time to talk to every friend. (Not to mention, getting ready every. Single. Day) It was at that moment that God started speaking to my heart through His word.“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek th...

“Always Be Kind”This little phrase has been our family motto ever since we started raising kids. Whenever a little spat comes up between the kids or that “crisis” moment that always pops up in different relationships, we try to remind ourselves of this theme and apply it to every situation. I was reminded of this important truth as I was driving from looking at a job in eager pursuit of home.I stopped at a Taco Bell to grab some lunch, only to notice that my oil pressure gauge dropped. My tru...

As a mom to five little ones, I have those days when everything seems to go smoothly, and hearts stay happy throughout the day, and yes, those little hugs and kisses seem almost endless. But I also have the days where I am just trying to get ahead and make a dent in the workload, and it is like everybody “woke up on the wrong side of the bed” . . . today was one of those days. As I sat on the ground folding laundry — a mountain that towered over my head — I heard a tiny voice yelling to the t...