"This world is crazy! Do you see what's happening around us?" The Bible is filled with stories of the world being just as crazy (maybe more!) than today's world. In the Old Testament, God responded with mass destruction to wipe away the bad so there could be good again.

Then Jesus came.

My husband looked at my crossed eyes today during the inevitable afternoon slump and asked how I was. We had just squeezed in a meeting with our immigration lawyer before going our separate ways for the day again. I smiled and said, “I am so good!” I was still wearing a COVID screening sticker from the hospital where I’d just been to see Benjamin’s paediatrician after another night of high fevers. (He is fine!)

I had the BEST time this morning during our weekly Facebook live prayer event! Chris’ message to the church this week was on growing your faith through very practical teaching. So, we got down and dirty - and practical this week! Check out the video if you have time.

Here are some highlights!

The dinner table has always been the Ladd family's home base. Seven nights a week, the table is set and placemats are spread. We share our highs and lows, and linger when time allows to chat about the day.

I love to feed people - especially my people. I plan and prepare. I relish in serving creative, healthy meals. That’s why this announcement makes me feel like my own tectonic plates are shifting: We are Taking a Break From Dinner.

You never know what you’re going to get when Chris Ladd opens his mouth. My wife-look has refined him some over the years, but I truly love when he speaks off the cuff.

This week’s message made me blush for a moment, but it also left me feeling closer to God and equipped to reach Him. And the worship was SO FUN! Check it out here! Love you all!

The Israelites were caught between an army and an ocean. Yet they walked through the depths on dry feet. 🌊Jonah was sinking to the bottom of the sea, and God prepared a whale to scoop him up and put his feet back on dry ground. 🐳Peter jumped out of a boat to get to Jesus, and his feet stayed on top of the water. When he lost sight and started to go down, holy hands lifted him back to the surface. 🚣‍♂️

Chris has just started a sermon series at Southpoint Church about big faith.

I have said the phrase “big faith” about 286 times since Sunday. I think of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s song “Baby Got Back” every single time I say it. If you don’t know that song, don’t Google it. My cousin just texted me a revised version of, “I like Big Faith, and I cannot lie"… So, at least know you know who you’re working with here.

(Photo by Peter Conlan on Unsplash)

We’ve had major highs, breakthroughs, wins and worship in the last few weeks - at the same time as debilitating exhaustion, strain and pain. And there’s been some plain old medium stuff.

We cut back on things we didn’t have space for - like blog writing, cooking big dinners, and some late night international meetings. We learned new things - like how to high school, the maximum physical capacities of our people, and how to find God’s sweetness in the medium things. Activities pulled us further apart, but intentionality brought us closer than ever.

Chris just started a new sermon series on Big Faith. It’s a great time to jump in. One of my favorite parts was when he told a story about David (my virtual personal trainer) interrupting our training session to get Chris on the screen and tell him, “Chris, you are not allowed to believe that God is not in control.” Chris just looked at David and said, “You know what. You’re right. I’m going to go think about that.” And then we went back to burpees.

We are so thankful to be a part of a living, breathing, moving, praying, praising Body of Christ! Southpoint Church, we believe in you, and we love you. We love doing life with you!

The only world my 22-month old knows is one where his whole family is at home most of the time. He’s had a small, safe, and secure life. His world is absolutely unraveling as his big brother starts high school.

We have all stood at the edge of the cliff of debilitating fear, frustration or breakdown - or are there now. Whether it’s overworked, overwhelmed, exhaustion, sickness, depression, anxiety, eating disorder, addiction, negative thoughts, bitterness, financial strain, or something else… LOOK UP, AND LOOK OUT.

Here is a very up close and personal article I wrote for Help Club for Moms. It’s a look inside the typically unblogged, un-glamorous realities of daily life. It’s geared toward moms for the ministry, but there’s some real truth and real talk for everyone!

I’m posting this blog a day early because I AM SO EXCITED! I’m learning how to podcast!

Help Club for Moms has an inspiring and relevant podcast that makes it easy for busy moms to understand God’s Word in practical, encouraging ways. Our God is outside of time and space, and now we can reach the ends of the earth with His Good News! You have to be excited about that!

"He has done this so that every person would long for God, feel their way to him, and find him-for he is the God who is easy to discover! It is through him that we live and function and have our identity..." Acts 17:27-28a TPT

It’s easy to talk about “technology fatigue” and issues with church, work and life happening virtually. I’m so proud of my man for pushing boundaries and breaking through barriers. Although he’s currently preaching to an empty room and a camera, he’s calling people into the family of Christ. He’s inviting people to salvation and preaching with passion and power. And it works! Even virtually, people are coming to Christ and being discipled into a deeper relationship with Him!

Benjamin has been socially distanced for 11 of his (almost) 22 months of life. For HALF of his life, he has only interacted with masked adults. We tested the waters at a very small, absolutely wonderful play school for two mornings this week to help him socialize and unlatch from his mama jsut a smidge. (But please, only a smidge.)

I tried to write you a blog about 89 times. Eventually I just sat down on the floor with my kids, and told you what I had to say on video. Today it’s a vlog! If you have about 8 and a 1/2 minutes to spare, check this out!

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

South Africa is back on lockdown, and it’s easy to turn attention toward what we cannot do according to restrictions. But, you know what’s so cool… We can still pray together! This week, I had an opportunity to host a live, international prayer event with Help Club for Moms. Moms from around the world came together to hear encouragement from God’s Word and to pray together. It was so powerful, I realized that our church could still access the power of corporate prayer together. The prayer ministry I’ve been so excited to start… is starting! We don’t need to meet together physically to pray together. God’s power is here. No walls required!

Yesterday was supposed to be Lifa’s first day of high school. South Africa is still on nationwide lockdown, so his much-anticipated high school debut has been postponed.

Our teenage social butterfly is stuck at home with an absolutely crazy toddler and a mom who is still not operating at full speed post-Covid. He has no devices to distract him, and we are spending A LOT of time together. It’s the Lifa and Benjamin show all day, every day. And it’s such a good show.