Roadside Assistance and Rug Making
An odd sound travels up from the back of our Land Cruiser. My husband glances over as he slows the vehicle to a stop. I can’t begin to express my frustration with the lack of stability in our vehicles lately. It’s one thing after another. This may be a made up phrase: “If your car […]
Choosing Well
My life revolves around lists. I live for the momentary euphoria of accomplishment when I check an item off. And it’s probably because I can’t remember as much as I used to after having four kids. But I think I’m failing at “firsts”. Those top-of-the-list tasks. Thirds, elevenths, and thirty-sevenths seem to yell louder than […]
Finding My Footing Again
I made myself roll out of bed this morning. Lately, I’ve made myself roll out of bed every morning. I used to be a morning person. You know, one of those people. The perky, get up and go, “I’m going to crush it today” kind of morning person. Yep, that was me. My rhythm was […]
The Dance
I grew up in a small house that burst at its seams with music and dancing. From ABBA to Bob Marley, Irish worship to South African gospel choirs, Motown classics to The Spice Girls, The Beatles to Tupac, there was something to suit every mood and occasion. The music would begin and, oh so steadily, […]
Watch Me, Work with Me
Grace changes everything. This message was preached at a Sunday service I attended recently. It sounded a little catchy, a little too perfect. Of course, I know that grace changes everything. Why did it hit me weird then? I tuned out of the sermon and began to zero in on the word grace. I wrote […]
The Mentality We Need to Set Life-giving Rhythms
I missed the deadline for this article. Ironic, isn’t it? This week we are talking about life-giving rhythms but I didn’t write my article on time. So now I am in the margin of a really early morning trying to crank out this baby. Maybe I shouldn’t write this article after all. But, maybe I […]
This Month’s Theme: Rhythms
In the messy, chaotic lives we lead, we need space to pause and evaluate the rhythms that guide our goings and comings, our days and months and years. Are we swept along by the tyranny of the urgent, the next big thing? Or do we push hard and then pull back, giving ourselves space for […]
I Suck at Relaxing {The Grove: Rhythms}
I am the worst when it comes to creating margin in my life to slow down and rest. My fiancé lovingly has pointed this out to me several times this past month as we have been on break for Chinese New Year. Typically, my perfectionistic tendency kicks in whenever an opportunity opens to relax as […]
Confirmation of His Care
After thirty-two years on the field I did something I’d never done last year. When I received my 2018 invitation to the Velvet Ashes “Sustain” retreat, I sensed from the Lord that I was to not only participate in this amazing event, but I was to go away for a week, by myself, in order […]
Our Big Announcement
We are thrilled to announce that early bird registration for the 2019 Velvet Ashes Online Retreat is NOW OPEN! It’s the retreat that comes to you, wherever you are. The early bird rate (just $10) is available for one week only, so grab your spot now and save! Get your sneak peak to what this year’s […]
When God Whispers An Idea
Velvet Ashes is thrilled to be opening our early-bird Retreat registration in just two days! Maybe some of you have been considering hosting a Retreat gathering this year. Retreat hosts describe the experience this way: “Velvet Ashes makes it so easy! All you do is push play!” “It’s such a gift to host a retreat […]
The Sacred Rhythm of an Ordinary Life
Our apartment is five stories above a major road in the city. When the windows are open in the spring and fall, the sound of cars zooming by becomes our constant soundtrack. I often close my eyes and imagine the ebb and flow of traffic is really the sound of waves—how they build, collect, and […]