Have you ever envied the fulfillment of someone’s dream without considering the obstacles in its fulfillment? When a seed is planted, watered, and nourished, the underground growth is hidden. This how dreams are often produced. The one with the dream feels the anguish of being hidden, of breaking through the shell of the seed, of pushing its way toward the surface, and of trying to survive once it peeks its way through.

On the weekend of March 18th and 19th, Clayton and I lead a marriage retreat at Sunday Morning service at Cottage Hill Church in Mobile, Alabama. The Lord is so good. God’s design for marriage preached the gospel and lead people to salvation on March 19, 2023 at Cottage Hill Church in Mobile Alabama. Here is my testimony.

In this blog I explore the human tendency to toss God aside in order to find the very things we are seeking from him, and as a consequence I wonder if we unintentionally use God to worship ourselves. This blog is for all audiences but also specifically addresses how this effects ministers.

Matthew 4:4 says, "But Jesus answered, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” But, how are we to practically live “by every word coming out of the mouth of God?”

…I’ve found that life often teaches us lessons in strange ways. When I was a mom of young kids, I longed for they days they could take care of themselves. And, while I felt relief when those days did come, I am now wishing for those younger days again.

Have you ever wanted to visit Yellowstone? This blog describes a few of the places we visited in Yellowstone: The Prismatic Overlook, Old Faithful, West Thumb Basin and Lake, Yellowstone Lake. I also give you a peak of some elk and bison we got to hang with as the sun set. I also give some pointers for visitation during COVID.

In this blog I talk about our trip to Yellowstone, beginning with Big Sky, Montanana. Upon entering Big Sky I knew this was simply an outdoor wonderland! I provide details about our cabin, the downtown area, our favorite restaurant, and our rafting trip.

You can manage money well in your marriage if you’re not intimidated by it. When Clayton and I got married, it took us a while to buckle down and develop a system which worked for us. Because money is a major tension areas in marriage, Clayton to write this blog in collaboration with a friend of ours, James Myers, in order to provide you with a few steps to reduce the financial anxiety in your marriage.

When we married, we knew good communication was essential for a good relationship, but we underestimated how much time, effort and emotional energy it would require. We’ve fought, cried, laughed, and loved each other through our communication blunders. After 20 years of marriage, we’re still not experts, but I thought I’d share three things I’ve had to overcome to become a better communicator.

A blog by my friend, Shawna Asbell: Have you ever wondered why we are driven to hide when we make mistakes? I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I still make a lot of mistakes. Some mistakes wounded me so deeply that I took years to heal. Others requires less time to heal, but caused pain regret nonetheless. Regardless of the magnitude, each mistake represented an opportunity for me to to hide, deny, or ignore the my choices.

There have been times in our marriage that I have wanted to tap out of the hard situations, thinking that my lack of input would make it easier on my husband to lead, but this has backfired on us. We work better as a team. So I thought it would be useful to give you three things a woman can do to strengthen her man. All of these examples are from scripture, but not all of them are husband and wife relations, but they are male and female interactions.

If God is good, why does suffering exist? If God did not create suffering, and God is good, why doesn’t he stop my suffering? Many people wonder why God allows evil to continue to exist in this world. This blog provides help and perspective on the subject of suffering.

People’s dreams are as diverse as the stars in the sky, but one thing we share is the desire for our dreams to come true. I used to be scared to dream because I was terrified of disappointment. I’ve soon learned that disappointment often accompanies risk, but I’ve learned three secrets to help me dream again which I’d like to share with you.

Meet Parker King. She is Parker King is a writer by day and an English instructor by night with a heart for penning words that connect people to God and each other. Over the last 25 years, her mom has exhibited sacrifice, dedication, friendship, kindness, and a love so faithful and enduring, like a soft light drawing my heart closer to my heavenly Father’s. Today, she shares three reasons my own mom’s work as a mother is worth it.

Clayton is my husband. We have been married and in ministry together for over 20 years. We have two kids, Jacob and Joseph, and I wanted to have him guest blog because he is such a wonderful father. You can also hear more of his fathering advice on the Overcoming Monday Podcast: Parenting From a Dad’s Perspective.

Elizabeth Maxon is an author and speaker. Her family’s dynamics changed when they learned her daughter, Lucy, had some chronic illnesses. I invited Elizabeth to guest blog so she could minister to some of you who might be in a similar situation.

Ginger Hubbard is a bestselling author of Don’t Make Me Count to Three, Wise Words for Moms, and I Can’t Believe You Just Said That and many other books. She speaks at women’s events, parenting conferences and home school conventions across the country. She was a guest on my podcast, Overcoming Monday Episode 27: Getting to the Heart of Your Child’s Behavior, and on The Seeds Blog today, she provides advice on how to cultivate unity among our kids. Parents, this is going to be good, so buckle up!

We don’t own our children. We know we don’t own our kids, but sometimes it can feel like we do. We know we can’t own a person, but our parental responsibility can make us feel a sense of ownership. Our kids share our history, our home and our hearts. We look into their eyes and see ourselves. Sometimes, we even feel a sense of oneness with their weaknesses, likes and dislikes. They look like us. The act like us. They think like us. But, they are not us.

When my kids were little, I constantly uttered the word, “No.” But as they started developing into their own persons, my emotions shifted. When they were little, their safety depended on my warning, but as they grew older I felt a hesitation. At first, I ignored this inclination, but eventually I investigated my heart and discovered the reason; I wanted them to like me. If you have trouble saying no to your kids too, this blog is for you.