We sat in our basement as the strong winds blew outside. Like most Americans we were homebound due to the pandemic, and now we were relegated to an even smaller part of our house due to a tornado watch. While we waited out the storm, it was as if a blaring warning siren went off in my head. “What in the world is going on, and why is all of this happening?” I began to think about the current situation of the world right now. The US is facing high unemployment rates. The stock market is extremely volatile. As of today, over one million people have contracted Covid -19 with the numbers increasing daily. Swarms of locust have been ... read more
3 Gifts To Give Your children
Raising children is one of the most rewarding and the most difficult tasks one can take on. To raise children who are more than just polite and productive members of society takes even more intentional training. Here are three lessons, that are truly gifts, which you can give your children to serve them well for their entire life. The Gift of Boredom- Boredom is often avoided at all costs these days, especially in the age of iphones, tablets, and on demand TV. However, letting your child be “bored” may be one of the best things you can let happen to them. Psychologists say that a bored state causes the mind to begin daydreaming. It is ... read more
When God says “Go” – the Battle of Faith and Obedience
My family sat quietly listening to each performance during a master class a few weeks ago. At one point during the class, it became time for 2 of my girls to leave and go to their own class. At the end of one of the songs I whispered to my daughter "Pick up your shoes, grab your backpack, and go to daddy." He was standing a few feet away waiting for her. My daughter looked at me confused. I repeated my instructions a second time, only this time a little more sternly. She still didn't get it. I needed my daughter's quick obedience so that she could slip out of the row before the next person took their place on the stage. There was a small window of time, and if she missed it, she ... read more
An Act of Kindness I’ll Always Remember
We loaded up the kids and instruments, made sure we had our clothes for the night and headed to Lexington Kentucky. The Borders Band had been asked to play on WoodSongs, an old-time radio show. A show that is broadcast all around the world on 515 stations from Australia to Boston to Dublin, Ireland. It also airs on American Forces Radio Network twice each weekend in 173 nations, and on every military base and US Naval ship in the world! That same day Rhonda Vincent and the Rage were making their way to Lexington Kentucky to play on the same stage during the program. Rhonda Vincent and her band are amazing performers. In fact, they are the most awarded band in bluegrass history. To ... read more
What Are You Waiting For?
I can still remember the preacher asking, “If you feel that God is calling you to the mission field, I want you to stand up.” I didn't wait. Quickly I rose to my feet, an awkward teenager, confident in my calling. I knew with all my heart that one day I would be a missionary. Years passed. I graduated from college with a degree in nursing and moved back home to begin my career as an oncology nurse. It wasn’t the mission field I had dreamed about, but I hoped to gain some experience while waiting on God’s direction. That same summer, a young man moved to our city to start medical school and started attending my church. He was clean-cut, polite, and spoke with a southern accent. I ... read more
Motherhood – Learning to Love the Dishes
Motherhood is a wild journey. Just when you think you know everything about being a great mom, something always happens, and you quickly realize you don't know nearly as much as you think. About 11 years in, you realize you know absolutely nothing. The younger years of motherhood can be especially challenging. Some days you find yourself calm and loving, soaking up every hug and kiss. You bask in every ray of sunshine, trying to hold onto every moment. Then there are the other days of motherhood. The days you want to hide in the bathroom, wondering how boys ever become world leaders, and how long it is until bedtime. You think you will never get to the bottom of the laundry pile, ... read more
The House that Humbled Me
As I walked our dog down our gravel driveway I felt the sweetest peace I think I have ever had in my adult life. The trees were beginning to take bloom, and my kid’s laughter filled the beautiful evening sky. In front of me was our new house that will forever be the sweetest reminder of God's plans. If you know anything about our story, you may remember that several years ago God asked us to sell our home and move to Nashville. That decision was one of the hardest ones we have had to make. I absolutely loved our old house. I still remember the day Trent and I were house hunting, and I spotted it as we made our way past a lot of trees beside it. The thing that made moving even harder ... read more
A View of the Cross for the Weary Heart
One of the things I love about Easter is that it invites us to stop and reflect on the cross. Some years my reflection turns inward to my own sin. Other years I become burdened for all of those who haven’t made Jesus their Lord. This year my eyes were turned to those who were closest to Jesus while on earth - His disciples. I identify with their confusion about His teachings, their fear when He was killed, and the hope they must have felt when He arose from the grave. As I began to think about them, I noticed two things I had never seen before. We Don’t Always Understand What God Says As I read the gospels, I can imagine the disciples following Jesus with a confused look on their faces. I ... read more
Fear – 4 Lessons We Can Learn From Psalm 18
"Momma, will you do something for me?" She whispered making sure no one else could hear her request. "I forgot something in the basement and I am too scared to go by myself. Will you go with me?" I smiled and told her, "of course." As I took her little hand, I could visibly see all of her fears melt away. She smiled, and without a sense of hesitation or fear, we set off to retrieve her favorite stuffed animal. That moment stuck with me for the next few days. The confidence my daughter walked in once she knew I was with her was drastically different than her fearful and embarrassed state before. All fear was gone the moment I took her by the hand. What a reflection of Christ and ... read more
The Double Bar Line
"Think past the double bar line." That is one of the rules my children have to follow when performing a song. If you have ever looked at a piece of music, you know there is a double bar line that the arranger or composer places at the end of the musical score. It signals to the musician that the end of the song has occurred. When my children don't maintain their focus through the entire song they can ruin a song they have worked hard to perfect. If they follow the rule and think”past the double bar line” they provide beautiful moments in which the listener is caught up in the song. Time will seem to stand still as the listener focuses on every note, every beat, and on every word ... read more
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