Are you a fan of Valentine’s Day? I’m all for celebrating love any time of the year with romantic trips (hello PARIS!), special dinners, and sentimental gifts… but what about love on a regular Tuesday morning? How are we doing in real life rather than on the social media highlight reel? How do we love our spouse well on the daily? Friend, grab something warm to drink on this chilly winter’s day and let’s chat about what happens after the Valentine’s candy is devoured and the sweet card is in the recycling bin…

“This was such a good idea!” I smile and nod to my husband. Yes, yes I have to admit—Paris was one of my better suggestions. As recent empty nesters heading to the UK in January for a long-overdue visit with both our families, I casually tossed around the notion of...

So, I’m starting to believe what they say—that the older you get, the faster time flies. 2018 just evaporated into a vapor of celebrations, challenges, and changes galore. And now it’s time to look ahead, to claim my #oneword365, that one word to cling to, ponder, and...

I know, friends, it's the week before Christmas and most of us are all kinds of crazy. Our jingle bells are jangling in a frenzy and there’s not much calm and bright happening. If you're anything like me, you are currently living by your “lists” as if your very...

Can you feel it? The countdown to Christmas is in full swing and we find ourselves glancing over our shoulders just a little, biting a lower lip as we consider the year now in its final exhale. Something within yearns to slow, even as the pace ramps up with festive frivolity. We all have our ritual for rest— for many of us, reading is a balm to the soul. Give us a beautiful book and a cozy corner. And so, in my glancing back, I’ve selected six sweet reads to share with you. Perhaps one will catch your eye and slow you down for half a minute…

Who doesn’t want the joyful life? Joy is something we all crave, seek, and relish. We love to experience the deepest, richest joy and long for those seasons to stretch out before us like a never-ending yellow brick road. But in real life, that road is peppered with sorrow and stress and storms along the way, and yet we are still called to count it all joy. Finding joy in the everyday. Together. Welcome to THE JOYFUL LIFE…

It was just another ordinary trip to Costco. You know the routine—you pop in for Greek yogurt and dog food and come out with a freestanding magnifying mirror. With LED light for “greater definition”. And 10x magnification. It sounded like a good idea at the time—at my age, I need all the help I can get with seeing “greater definition” when applying makeup. On reflection (pun intended), I’m learning much from my magnifying mirror…

Do you have a dream? Is it currently on your radar, or has it been buried under responsibilities and reality? Last week, I had the privilege of speaking to various audiences on the subject “Dare to Dream”, and as I shared my own story, it caused me to wonder if maybe YOU have an unfulfilled dream. Because, friend, I am the poster child for “it’s never too late” …

Remember how our grandmothers’ generation always had an “open door” policy and never broke a sweat prepping a meal? How a shared pot of tea was the answer to every world problem and neighbors literally popped over for a cup of sugar and a chat? In this latest edition of iola Magazine, I share my thoughts on the horrors of hospitality we experience today—plus, there’s my chocolate cake recipe… 

September, you are a bittersweet one, aren’t you? You lull us with your promises of comforting routine and cute back-to-school clothes and no more sand in the car when our kiddos are young. And then when it comes to letting the offspring loose into the world of college and university, you are a scary season. One where goodbyes make us physically ache and we start counting down the weeks until our babies are home for Christmas break. Letting go is never easy on a momma-heart—can we really trust God with our kids?