Today marks fifteen years Andy and I have been married. I think fifteen is significant enough to make a list of lessons learned. Here is a list, in no particular order. Prayer is essential. Although you might want to be right, if it gets in the way of being kind, it’s not worth it. Kind is always better. Forever only works without contingencies.Forever must always remain the only option. Knowing someone loves you as much as you love them is true love. The thing is, sometimes I’m hard to love… Read more 15 Lessons from Being Married →
Jay has never returned to the same school, with the same kids. Never. He has four years under his belt and has never experienced returning. He doesn’t know whether his friends will be there next year. He doesn’t know if he will be there next year. It’s not a stretch for the imagination to realize that the end of a school year might kick up some hard emotions if all previous life experience tells you that you start over again in August. Not just a new teacher, but a new… Read more Breakthroughs →
Bird Watching There’s this robin that’s always having a worm snack on the corner of our deck railing. It’s become the expected view out of the kitchen window. No matter… Read more Show Up →
Click here for the backstory. I’m not sure how I missed a story during Lent – I was surprised when I realized one was missing early last week. I didn’t… Read more Mission Story {40 of 40 Stories} →
Click here for the backstory. I woke up on this Easter morning, with these words of Jesus wrapped around me: “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes… Read more Easter Traditions {39 of 40 Stories} →
Jesus is resurrected and we celebrate on Easter. I imagine the stone rolled away from the entrance of the tomb and how frantic Mary Magdalene must have felt early Sunday… Read more Celebrate Easter {38 of 40 Stories} →
Moses spoke with God through a burning bush.Moses parted the Red Sea and helped the Israelites escape Egypt.Moses received the 10 Commandments. For all of the amazing ways the Lord worked through Moses, it may come as a surprise that Moses didn’t believe he was good enough. It’s true. Standing there in bare feet, because he was on holy ground, beside a burning bush, after God told him it was his duty to lead the Israelites out of slavery, Moses responds, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it”… Read more No More NOT GOOD ENOUGH {37 of 40 Stories} →
Click here for the backstory. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part… Read more Weaving a Story {35 of 40 Stories} →
Click here for the backstory. I take a deep breath before I open her bedroom door to turn out the lights, to say good night, to keep my mouth closed. There are too many words that will be dangerous if they escape. She smiles at me, eyes blue and rimmed with red because she has yelled and screamed and cried too much tonight. Just hug her. Just hug her. Just hug her. And get out before your tongue gets loose. It is in the middle of my self-lecture that my… Read more Believe {34 of 40 Stories} →
Ruth Ayres Writes 