It’s been asked a million times, a million ways: What’s the meaning of life?

What’s the point? What’s the purpose? What is life on this earth all about?

Fruit and joy.

We are to be fruitful and full of joy. Not happiness, although happiness is wonderful and fun and absolutely a gift from God. But happiness is circumstantial. Joy comes from knowing you are loved; so joy can be full and complete, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.

Fruit and joy come from being connected to the source of life - from remaining connected to Jesus.

Remain is my word for 2025 - the lens through which I am looking at this new year - and I’m excited to see what fruit and joy come from it.

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Purposely awful audio quality (you’ll understand within the first couple minutes) to kick off the new year!

I’m excited, y’all. I don’t know what it is about this year, but I feel that buzz. After a year of hell and a year of healing, I’m feeling good in a way I haven’t in a while.

As promised, *show notes* re: The Special Green Couch™ and my love letter to counseling.

I’m so grateful for you and so glad you’re here and so very excited to head into 2025 together. Whatever hell, healing, and holding heads our way.

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We celebrate the cradle because of the cross. We celebrate the birth because of the death, because of the resurrection and death’s defeat. We celebrate the baby born to become the man who would shed his blood to forever reconnect creation to Creator.

Joy to the world, indeed.

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Keeping this super short because I know you’re doing and remembering a million things right now. But in the midst of the hustle and bustle, I hope you’ll grab a hot beverage or take a quick walk and let this invitation and reminder soothe your soul for six and a half minutes.

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Jesus’ birth and first visitors proclaim perhaps the most mysterious miracle of all: God chooses us to be the carriers of his presence.

Us. With our messy hearts and broken bodies. Us. Carriers of the presence of God, which means carriers of true hope, joy, and peace. God invites us to carry his presence… with great joy… to all people.

Mary is the only human to ever carry his physical presence, but we can carry God’s spirit with the same tenderness and care, awe and wonder.

The shepherds were the first people on earth, outside of that sacred stable, to see God’s physical presence and accept the invitation to carry it, but we can carry God’s spirit with the same excitement and joy, humility and hustle.

When we hear, believe, and receive the good news, we become carriers of Christ.

Carriers of God’s presence. Carriers of grace and glory. Carriers of hope, joy, and peace. Mysterious and miraculous gift of all gifts… God with us.

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Adoption is an easy decision for some and a very difficult decision for others. It was very difficult for me.

God used 58 months of infertility to soften my heart to adoption - more like meat-tenderize my heart to adoption. And even then, I had so much fear. So much fear about mothering a child I did not birth and having a relationship with the woman who did.

The truth is, adoption is not natural, intended, or ideal. But it is perfect.

It’s a triad - birth family, adoptive family, and child - of imperfect beings stepping into God’s perfect plan to redeem brokenness in families.

Listen in for the honest, messy truth.

For the full story of our journey to our son — every heartbreaking, hope-filled detail, straight from my heart and my journals to yours — find This Hope: A Journey of Getting to Know God on Amazon, Audible, and Apple Books.

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Soul rest that sustains and strengthens no matter our circumstances is real and possible. Soul rest in the midst of the unknown. Soul rest in knowing what we are and are not responsible for. Soul rest when life is not physically, mentally, or emotionally restful.

This is an invitation to freedom, joy, and peace. This is an invitation to flourishing. This is an invitation to take hold of what you are actually meant to carry and an invitation to let go of what you’re not.

I believe this invitation is what your soul is waiting for.

What an honor and a joy it was to first share this message with the ladies of Hillcrest Church’s MomLife. It was truly a special morning.

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Coming to you this week with one of the sweetest revelations I’ve come across in quite some time. It’s setting the tone for my 37th year of life, and I’m so grateful.

I spent the final weeks of my 36th year feeling hardened, and now I know why. I promise you this 13 minutes is worth your time. And might possibly set a new tone for you too.

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Putting on my tennies and taking a jog down memory lane. Because did I even run the race if I don’t tell you about it? And can I even call myself a writer if I don’t mine meaning and metaphor from every moment?

Praying this encourages you to see the ways your previous seasons have prepared you for this one and to trust that this season is preparing you for ones to come.

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Short and sweet real-life story about the first time anyone has ever actually been encouraged by someone standing on a street corner with a sign.

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