Each year, the Lord gives me a word to meditate on and learn about. It always comes paired with a scripture to discover too. In 2019, my word for the year was Generosity and the accompanying scripture was “Give away your life; you’ll find given back, but not merely given back- given back with bonus … Continue reading My 2019 Journey with Generosity
Putting on My Oxygen Mask First
Yesterday, as I sat across the table from Brett, I welled with tears of regret as I apologized for a decade of anxiety, tension, and fear I’d caused in our home. I sought forgiveness for ways I hadn’t trusted him in our parenting partnership and owned that my grappling for control has hurt our family. … Continue reading Putting on My Oxygen Mask First
Overcoming Perfection
A date that once represented some of our greatest pain has been redeemed and reclaimed as a day of celebration.
Explaining Abortion to My Kids
Yesterday, the topic of abortion came up in conversation with our two oldest children, ages ten and nine. I’ve mildly dreaded discussing this topic because our children remember two of our late miscarriages and how traumatic it was to have our babies die. I didn’t know how it would go for them to find out … Continue reading Explaining Abortion to My Kids
What do we need more: grit or help? For me it was both.
When I was pregnant with our last child, I would fantasize about what it would feel like to be fit and strong again. I remember feeling genuine envy when a thinner friend of mine bent down so quickly to grab a pen for me while I was 38 weeks pregnant and felt like a walrus. … Continue reading What do we need more: grit or help? For me it was both.
Remembering Breakthroughs
Two years ago today, we purchased our first home. This was a dream we waited eleven years for. Emilia is two months old today. She was our only baby that took a while to conceive. As I reflected on these promised fulfilled today, it got me thinking about how important it is to remember our … Continue reading Remembering Breakthroughs
Reasons We Date Our Children
Years ago, I had the idea of not only regularly dating and pursuing our kids (which we do) but annually taking them on a fancy date. The kind where you get dressed up, go out to a nice sit-down restaurant and treat them to a lovely time. I do not love celebrating Valentine’s Day between … Continue reading Reasons We Date Our Children
Disappointment
Early last year, Brett and I prayed and decided to have one more child. It took us months to conceive (which has never happened before) and I found myself processing with the Lord a lot about why. One day, in early June, the Lord spoke clearly to me and said a word that I wasn’t … Continue reading Disappointment
New Season, New Do 💇🏻♀️
When my hair gets heavy enough that I’m getting headaches, I cut it. Otherwise, I let it grow because I love having it long. Last week, out of nowhere, the Lord gave me a vision of chopping my hair. It was clear, short, and the message was simple. I waited for a few hours to … Continue reading New Season, New Do 💇🏻♀️
Tiger: Our Beautiful, Painful Sacred Goodbye
Last night, my kids got to experience a right of passage most kids do, and few ever forget. They said goodbye to their beloved pet. Tiger died in my arms as Elle, Johnny, and Brett circled around us and spoke love, adoration, thanksgiving, and blessings over him. It was sacred, it was painful and it … Continue reading Tiger: Our Beautiful, Painful Sacred Goodbye
shailey ratliff 