Look Up
Living in a machismo culture is a lose-lose situation for my pride. I remember when our little family of three first moved into our humble Central...
Category: Community
Alone in the Wilderness Together
Most often, I am quite content to be alone. I live in what local friends like to say is the ‘wilderness.’ It is common here...
Confident and Safe in Him
“I just want someone I feel safe with.” With every cross-cultural move I have found myself thinking this, saying this, praying for this....
It’s a Party for Patty!
Today we want to honor and celebrate someone who has had a huge impact on Velvet Ashes! Check out these sweet words from women in our community about Patty...
Neighboring in Your Culture + Hulk Muffins {The Grove: Love Your Neighbor}
It was Christmas time several years ago while we were in language school, hunkered down in a bitterly cold northern China city. I had just spent the afternoon baking...
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Last week a neighbor popped over to give my children the toys she had earned through her grocery store purchases. That gesture, entirely mundane and unremarkable...
Open the Gates
I grew to love living behind a fence, barbed wire and broken glass at the top and bars on the windows keeping fear at bay. I craved safety and...
Hi! My Name Is… {The Grove: Introductions}
Hey Friends, And now, introducing... you! Yes, you, you who rarely comment or you who often comment. You who are reading this. In a week when...
The Power of That Little Heart
When it comes to social media, I’ve always been late to the game. The first time I logged on to Facebook was after moving to a new state, and...
They won’t love the attention but…
I have always been really hard to buy gifts for. I like simple things, but they are specific things. This fact means I don’t love to get things that...
