• LEADERS OF LIGHT – Part 1

    Me and Derek were sitting at a coffee house in Huntsville before going to our leadership conference classes. We noticed a poster on the wall with all the tags missing that said: Depression Study. He asked me what “De” pression means and I said that it means to be pressed down and not running over. I thought about how long it had been since I felt that dreaded, deep, and intolerable spirit. It made us think about the answers we have. It made us think of people specifically but also in general. It made us think about the heaviness in the world and recent deaths of some very special friends.  In…

  • The Bottomline

    Years ago when we were student ministry pastors, my husband named the youth group “Bottomline” Ministries. We wanted youth to know and to think about the things that are truly important. We wanted to be sure they were taught that they matter to Jesus. We wanted to make it a habit for them to define Christ as the most valued relationship point in their life, to understand why He gives us meaning, and to believe He can bring them to a final fulfilled result one day- A hopeful outcome of living and being. What Jesus said and did is still greatly impactful to the degree that we must focus our…

  • The Most Beautiful Disaster

    How God makes miracles out of our mistakes – Hope Carpenter. “I was a preacher’s wife, after all. I wasn’t allowed to have problems.” Pressures grow. Small mistakes can become big mistakes. Certain habits need to break. Some tones need to go. Unhealthy relationships need to stop. Little rebellions can’t be entertained. Values need to be valued. Have you ever thought and felt this way? This isn’t how I expected things to turn out. I don’t know if I can do this anymore. This book is about honesty- especially within the church. Hope writes: “Thankfully, by the time my fiftieth birthday party rolled around– the first time I had actually…

  • THE SUM OF OUR WORDS

    I don’t want to exaggerate my difficulties or my good qualities. I don’t want to care so much that I overextend me without ever mentioning or pointing to You– the expert- The Christ! Looking for the “balance” is how we can resolve this issue. There’s so much that life offers. Proper balance is Him first. When cement foundations are poured and dried, everything built on them can be steady, secure, and in balance. He is that Rock for us. We build our thoughts, words, beliefs, and plans from His stability and strength beneath us. Bedrock withstands the weight of all life’s layers. He tips the scale of our hearts to be all out for Him…