Lately, I've felt like all that I have just isn't enough for some big, hard things. But I already know what to do... Remember. This isn't the first time I've not been able to see the way. Today, I'm remembering how God showed up in November 2014, when I wrote this story from a rural village.

Wanna see Jam dance-hike? (Yes. Yes you do.)

Can’t get enough…

More than 30 countries around the world are celebrating Valentine's Day today. Much of humanity holds its breath on the 14th of February (and every other day) for our greatest pursuit: to love and be loved.

My husband pursued me ten Februaries ago in the most un-Valentine's sort of way. In fact, I call it "the business meeting" when we recount our love story.

We called last week "our turning point or breaking point". An autoimmune disorder building in our five-year old's system is wreaking havoc, exacerbating existing autism-related complications. We were losing sleep, and our son woke before 4am, requiring more than we had to give. The worst of us collided as we each found our end points.

I was up late recently, rattled by the twists and turns of parenting a child with special needs. A teething baby demanded comfort just as I started to settle. One hour of sleep later, it was time for a new day to start! There was a redeeming moment in the nauseatingly caffeinated day that followed. All three kids were in the car, and my four-year old was practicing the Bible verse we were learning. My teenager said…

Summer is in FULL SWING in Cape Town. We’ve been sweating for days (and nights), but we relish in forced trips to the beach and pool together.

Seasons have a way of shifting us when we wouldn’t do it on our own. We get less done, linger later, and master cannonballs in this heat that we wouldn’t have chosen if it was up to us. There just might be something for us on every season!

When summer is simmering so hard, we don’t go camping… We go to the air-conditioned camping store and jump around in the “Cold Chamber”. Follow me for more tips on camping in the summer heat!

After six straight days of Benjamin’s persistent begging to go back to the bunnies… He won! (We all won.) A scorching summer morning was well-spent watching my little boys in their elements… Benjamin with animals and Wyatt with chicken and chips.

The dramatic story of a paralyzed man being lowered before Jesus in Mark 2:1-5 always makes me wonder. The crowd was too big to get to Jesus, so his friends just went through the roof. I wonder how the man on the mat felt. He was fully exposed, could do nothing for himself, and the text never said anything about his faith. Did he believe? Was he afraid? What would Jesus say when he got down there? What would happen if He said no? It was a lot easier for his friends to lower him than raise him.

Sunday Funday at Boeretroos_koffiewinkel . Benjamin sat with that bunny for 45 minutes. I had to pull him away!

And the fun just keeps going… Happy Meals, an ocean breeze, a perfect riding ramp and a portable soccer goal. I am not overlooking our blessings for even a single moment.

Blueberry Bar!! A fantastic Saturday morning in the sunshine with my 3 best boys. The blueberry juice was FANTASTIC! 🫐💙

I laid next to my 2-year-old son last night and tried to read bedtime stories. He interrupted every word I said, unable to withhold his enthusiasm. He chattered and grinned, while bobbing a pacifier in his mouth like a cigar. I stopped and savored the moment, completely consumed with love for him.

For an instant, I felt like I was on the outside looking into something extraordinary. Love for my son was pulsing through me, despite his remarkable defiance and destruction that day. I spend days cleaning mess after mess, doing unseen and unappreciated tasks, and exchanging my needs for his. And last night, as that powerful love cascaded over me, I realized that I am the one truly experiencing God's love.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO... I stepped foot on South African soil for the first time with a sparkle in my eye and a six month plan to save the world.

I always knew God made me to strengthen families. The way I see it, strong families make strong churches. Strong churches make strong communities. Strong communities strengthen other communities. And, slowly but surely, the world is transformed for the glory of God.

Grade R (Kindergarten) orientation today.

We are walking in the answer to prayers we never knew we’d pray. Benjamin will start Grade R on Wednesday at a cottage school created for children with special needs. There are two loving teachers to care for the four children in his class - a class he can continue with until he’s 16…

We've heard stories of oceans parting, bones dancing, blind seeing, and the Redeemer resurrecting. Yet I still squirm when I'm the one that needs the miracle. I know God CAN do it... I'd still praise Him if He didn't do it... But having a need there's no way we could ever meet on our own is a very humbling thing.

We asked God and His people for funding for our boys' 2025 school fees. It was not a small ask - almost $13,000…

I don’t always want to be the mom that has to turbo-pack the car and kids, ready to hit the road by 7:30am for an outing I make up on the fly. I don’t always want to pack PBJs and snack boxes on repeat.

I wish I had more compassion and patience. I wish I could stay steadier while trying to operate as my son’s external nervous system because his doesn’t do its job. I wish transitions and life in general were easier for him and, consequentially, for us too.

Recently, a friend asked for prayer as her intense workload was impacting her physically, mentally, and relationally. Soon after, on knees wobbling with insecurity, I shared a huge need and prayer request for our family. My overworked, exhausted friend replied immediately, suddenly overjoyed that God had allowed her project to "go off the rails" and require significant overtime. To her, his meant she could be a contributor to our family's big need.

It's 2025! May God bless you as you walk with Him and worship Him this year! I am beginning the year with grateful reflection. I will be sharing some of my favorite call to worships from the past during the month of January. Today's was originally sent on January 7, 2022.