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Winter’s Here, But Spring is Coming
Like other parts of the Midwest, Spring is coming late this year on the Back Forty. As I write, the calendar says Spring has arrived, but snow is pelting the window. I'm a whiner about March anyway, so the late spring has made me a Champion Whiner. {Trophy, please.}...
Parenting Series: The Curse of The Supermom
It's a privilege to have blogger Amanda Hostetler from Raspberry Beige as a guest writer for the Wednesday parenting series. Thank you, Amanda, for sharing this! No, I am not writing a comic book series. Although I do think my title is pretty clever. I am surrounded...
March Madness and MVP’s: It’s All in the Assists
It's March Madness and I'm a Hoosier. Every stereotype about Hoosier Hysteria lives in my hometown, in my own house. I married Mr. MVP, who comes from a family of basketball MVPs. My babygirl received a basketball hoop for her first birthday. No pressure. My...
How Barnyard Therapy Beats Freud Hands-Down
I live on a family farm. Though we sold the family dairy herd a few years ago, my diary-farmer husband keeps a dairy goat on our little stead. When he's gone, I often find myself counselor by day and dairy maid by night. This makes for a new brand of psychology -...
Spring Cleaning, Barnyard Therapy and A Giveaway
The calendar says it's Spring, though it's only 20 degrees here in Indiana. But I'm ready for spring, so I'm hoping to share some pick-me-ups with you today for a change. First, I'm posting today at Not Alone Mom on Practical Steps for Keeping Order Without Losing...
Parenting Series: Improving the Relationship with Your Son – The Power of Positive Words
by contributing writer Josh Kissee of Manbuilders.com “You have more than got this, and I love you. Be brave!” said the Father to his son just before he stepped into the batters box at the baseball game. He could hear his dad in the background cheering for him as the...
How to Fight A Lion and Other Principalities
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil...
The Resurrection:Real Victory for Real Life
A similar article was first published in The Purpose Magazine in March, 2013 The life-giving power of God’s word became real to me at seventeen. As a young girl with an eating disorder, I felt powerless in attempts at getting out of the cycle of starving myself,...
Balancing Priorities: Weekly Post
Every Friday I post at Not Alone Mom, a ministry of encouragement for mothers. This month we are focusing on "Spring Cleaning" - rest and renewal. Visit my post here about the age old struggle women have in balancing priorities - and the spiritual dilemma of Mary...
The Sound of Silence
And there was silence in Heaven. Revelation 8:1 I don't feel right writing, but in my selfishness, I do. The tears roll down my face today. My heart is broken. Broken for a childhood friend who lost his son today. For a best friend whose lost a nephew, for the...
Running Away, Giving Up and the Benefits of Being Caught
This week, I'll be speaking in Western Michigan for two women's groups on Hope Beyond the Picket Fence. I'll be sharing what I call "my angry mom story." It's the hope and truth our family has lived through when the storybook image came crashing down and my faith...
Retreats
Brenda is a popular speaker for women's retreats, ministry events, and youth retreats. See the "Retreat" and "Speaking Topics" tab for full details.