Win a signed copy of Forgiven and Restored. Contest ends August 12, 2019.
Win a signed copy of Forgiven and Restored
Building community, one garden at a time
From the age of 9 when I planted a tiny bean in an old milk carton filled with dirt and watched in awe as that green shoot sprouted and grew, I have loved the satisfaction of getting my hands dirty and seeing God’s creation come alive. While I’m not a particularly talented, or even dedicated gardener, over the years I have spent many hours selecting the right plants or seeds, and relished feeling the moist dirt crumble through my fingers
Today is the day
Today’s the big day. It’s the day I’ve been preparing and praying for since I wrote the first words on July 25, 2014. Almost five years to the day and my book Forgiven and Restored is published. It’s real, it’s out there for the world to buy and read. Five years of writing and rejections and praying and giving up and trying again and more rejections and working hard and crying and saying “thank you God”. And then there was
Beauty from the ashes: A look at marriage after infidelity
We were married five years when I found out my husband had been unfaithful. He had also been hiding an addiction to pornography that he’d secretly struggled with for many years, before we even met, which had led to a night that would change our marriage forever. Although I thought I knew what I would do if ever faced with that situation, the truth is none of us really knows until we are knee deep in the pain and brokenness
Not everyone likes me, and that’s OK
“I don’t think she likes me,” my daughter stated matter-of-factly. It was the third time that week she’d made a similar statement, each time about someone different. “Why would you say that?” I asked, yet again. And before she even finished her answer I was formulating my rebuttal. Because for some reason I feel like I have to disagree with my daughter whenever she declares someone doesn’t like her. I have to try to find a reason that person may
Family honors son by giving special needs children adapted toys
When I was a new parent Baby Einstein was just becoming a “thing” and there was a lot of hype around educational and developmental toys. I sought out stores and websites that sold these toys, even if there was a heavty price tag attached to them because I wanted to give my children every opportunity to thrive. But I never stopped to think about the parents whose children weren’t able to play with these toys. Or how difficult and expensive
I don’t belong here
When I was 13 years old I was molested by my then-step-father. There are really no words to adequately describe the fear I felt that night. While my short-term memory fails me every day, I can still remember that night in vivid detail. What I remember most are the thoughts going through my head “How do I get out of this? How can I get away without making him angry? I should not be here. I don’t belong here.” Somehow, God
She didn’t know He loves her, even though
Last week we had some hard days in the Ballon household. It was an especially hard week for my 16-year-old. And of course for dear old mom and dad. I’ve written frequently about the joys of raising teenagers, and for the most part, it is a joy. It’s really so much better than people tell you. But then, sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes the problems feel so enormous and grown-up that it’s hard to reconcile the fact that this is your
Guest post: My first contact with the racism virus
At 9, I had an up-close and personal look at the racial divide. It happened during my family’s trip to a suburban Chicago shopping mall. As we exited a large department store, another child got my attention. He was with his family, too. I wondered if he was just as amazed by being in the 1970s megastructure. But he was amazed by something else. He yelled, “Mommy, look at all the Black people!” I looked to see the people he
When children with special needs can’t get the help they need
We knew from the time my son was in pre-school that he was not like the other kids. He was only five the first time we took him in for testing. Over the years my sweet boy has been tested and evaluated for everything from ADHD to Bi-Polar to Autism. After a few misdiagnoses and false starts, I’m so grateful that with the help of a wonderful doctor and supportive school we now have proper diagnoses and treatment in place,