We were the least likely couple. And for good reason. In this picture, we walked out double doors thinking we held the future in our hands. Life was a party, and we were its guests. Six years in, I was the first to want to quit. On us, my kids, my life. Reality was hard.... Continue Reading →
I couldn’t get how suffering was actually good for me. Of all the things I do in the name of strong and healthy, suffering never sounded vitally important. Take your vitamins, eat your vegetables, plenty of water, walk, rest, sunlight. But suffering? "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered." Hebrews 5:8 My... Continue Reading →
My kid called from the Mohave Desert. (And I’m not speaking metaphorically.) Tent up, flapping in the desert breeze. Backpack and bottles strewn about like her bedroom used to be. Her skin freckled & parched from trekking 130 miles in the heat. It’s her third leg hiking the 2,650-mile PCT. A photo chirped my phone... Continue Reading →
I’m a surefire pessimist. Just ask my optimist husband. I wasn’t finding one ray of beauty this Illinois 6-below season—but I needed to. Needed a big shot of reality for my declining attitude. With two solid months of wild winds, slippery ice, gray skies ahead it’s already a struggle not to feel depressed. The loss... Continue Reading →
Bright blue sky peeks between pearl white clouds—but more showers are on the way. No breaks in the forecast for days. Windows snap shut. Everything feels heavy and wet. But the trees breathe a sigh of relief. Summer scorched the earth this year. Crops were cut and stored ahead of schedule. I fear the leaves... Continue Reading →
A sweet, soft voice comes from the kitchen echoing up the stairs. My grandson is here. They traveled all day yesterday so he could stay. And we'll delight in the sound of him three whole days. We've enjoyed him before but never by his six-year-old self. Bravely admitting his nervousness, we surround him with familiarness. "Remember when…"... Continue Reading →
We volunteered our marital expertise for a marriage preparation class and fought before every meeting. Tried talking couples out of the clouds. But it couldn’t be done—because there’s something overpowering about becoming one. “The mystery which has been hidden for ages and from all generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them... Continue Reading →
Demons of depression chased me home. Hurrying, I pressed into the door. Before turning the handle, I rushed to Jesus, Whisper Your sweet everythings into my ears. The one way the raised in Christ endure in all this dust and ash is praying in spirit and truth. God knows I want to fight my own fights.... Continue Reading →
Have you seen it in movies as often as I have? A father stands over his kids explaining how he and their mother were in love, But things change, and love wasn’t enough. It breaks my heart how we learn love is merely affection — physical connection. Where our bodies decide whether love thrives. The Righteous... Continue Reading →
JoAnn Downs Alo 