The Other Brother

faith, freedom, grace, Life Lessons

I can pinpoint the exact season(s) in my life when I have been the prodigal. The rest of the time, I have been really, really good at being the other brother. Feeling like I deserve things because I’m “the good one”, the responsible one; I follow the rules, I make good grades, I make good decisions. I’m REALLY good at being good. But notice the character for whom the story is written. The reason it’s recorded in history. It’s called “the parable of the lost son”, not “the parable of the really good son”. God LOVES the prodigals. They bring Him so much joy! He loves to celebrate them!  It’s not that He…

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Things to Remember When You’re Feeling Unwanted

Life Lessons

Saturday was Clayton’s first football game. Clayton is the 9 year old boy who currently lives at my house with his mom, Jenny.  I forgot my pom-poms but dressed in team colors with Nikon in hand, my husband and I walked into the ballpark ready to cheer on our little friend. Jenny met us at the gate and pointed, “We are under that green tent, I left something in my car, be right back.”  We found Clayton’s grandparents and I sat in the chair Jenny brought from our house.  Jenny never sits, she’s too excited. The sun was bright but dark storm clouds were gathering, it was about to be a drencher! The…

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Unwanted

Life Lessons

Saturday was Clayton’s first football game. Clayton is the 9 year old boy who currently lives at my house with his mom, Jenny.  I forgot my pom-poms but dressed in team colors with Nikon in hand, my husband and I walked into the ballpark ready to cheer on our little friend. Jenny met us at the gate and pointed, “We are under that green tent, I left something in my car, be right back.”  We found Clayton’s grandparents and I sat in the chair Jenny brought from our house.  Jenny never sits, she’s too excited. The sun was bright but dark storm clouds were gathering, it was about to be a drencher! The…

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Unqualified

freedom, grace, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

Three Summers ago my stomach was in knots as I hit the send button emailing in my application to work as a camp counselor. I was afraid I wouldn’t be accepted because of what I had been through. I doubted I was worthy or qualified. I wondered if my divorce would make me appear as a negative role model that the staff wouldn’t want around their teenagers or own kids. Thankfully, I was graciously accepted and blessed with the opportunity to serve at Camp Northward’s high school week for the last two years. This year my church, Crossroads, started their own senior high camp and I had a familiar flutter of insecurity when…

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LANES, PAINS, AND PLAYDOUGH SALONS

faith, freedom, Guest Blogs, Life Lessons, Success & Motivation

Hi, my name is Meagan. I am a songwriter/nanny/blogger in Nashville, Tennessee. I love Jesus and I love Taco Bell gorditas. I believe the invention of Crocs initiated the American decline. I regularly tell waiters I am allergic to cilantro when really I just don’t like the taste. I have watched Gossip Girl to its seasonal entirety 4 times in the past 10 years (#TeamLonelyBoy). I absolutely adore my friendships, think my family might actually change the world, and applaud any sign of grace over judgement. So now that we’ve become a little more acquainted, allow me to share one of my most daunting personal issues. I mean, we’re there right? If I…

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Things I Learned in 2015

Life Lessons

2015 was a pretty rough year.  If you want more details, I get right into the thick of it in my blog called “The Year God Stopped Talking to Me”.  The last year I had that was as rough as this was 2009, the year my marriage absolutely fell apart.  But what I’ve learned is the hardest years are the years you learn the most.  About yourself, about other people, about the world.  I wrote another blog on New Year’s Day of 2010 called “Things I learned in 2009”.  The things I learned that year were very different, although no less significant, than the things I learned this past year. These are the…

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Little Sister, Please Remember

Life Lessons

A Response to “Big Brother, Don’t You See….” Little sister, please remember big brother isn’t perfect nor will he ever be if you put him on a pedestal one day he’ll let you down, you see. Little sister, please remember He’s a human being just like you You need to let him be Give him room to grow and grace To make mistakes, he’s free. Little sister, please remember if you adhere him to your standards he will never measure up always falling short of filling your half-empty cup. Expecting him to be perfect So critical we are But who are we to judge? Or to be setting the bar? So little sister,…

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Big Brother, Don’t You See

Life Lessons, relationships

A few weeks ago, I sat watching my niece and nephew play together.  I smiled and felt a sting of pain simultaneously as I watched the way she looked at him.  She never left his side; she needed to be everywhere he was, doing everything he was doing, at every moment.  And to use an antiquated expression, you would think he hung the moon by the look in her eyes. “It starts that young”, I marveled aloud to my husband. At 20 months she already idolizes her almost 3 year old brother.  I wondered at what age he would become cognizant of it, and how he would take to that responsibility – knowing…

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A Billion Dollar Lesson In Disobedience

faith, Guest Blogs, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

“When I talk to you….listen.” – God So we all have lessons to learn in life, but we don’t always learn our lessons the first time, or the second time, or the easy way.   I was recently reminded of an important lesson – again – and I’m pretty sure I won’t be forgetting it this time. Most people have those, “if only I had thought of that…” moments in life, after the fact.  Let me tell you about mine. Rachel, (it’s her blog…she’s my wife….on with my story) started traveling for work quite a few years ago, and would end up in questionable parts of town in different cities around North America.  It…

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Woman Camp

faith, freedom, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

Recently, my church held a camping weekend woman’s retreat, they called it “Woman Camp”. Ten years ago, if you had told me I would be signing up for a camping trip for 500 women only – voluntarily – I would have thought you were crazy. Sure I had attended plenty of women-only events… out of sheer obligation, but not excitedly. And I didn’t really feel like I fit in when I was there, I just didn’t relate. In case you don’t know me, I am exactly equal parts fashionista and tomboy; which means you’re just as likely to catch me barefoot as you are in AWESOME stilettos. My best friends had almost exclusively…

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