Laura’s children are home for the holidays! It feels nice to have everyone under one roof. She hopes for lots of family time, especially now that the Christmas frenzy is over....

29 December, 2011

The capacity to invite is an essential part of our makeup as Ezers. We can’t move into a nurturing or partnering relationship with someone we don’t invite into our lives....

26 December, 2011

Anna likes her in-laws, she really does. But the thought of this first Christmas away from her parents’ house and their treasured traditions is more than she can stand to think about sometimes....

22 December, 2011

Going “home” for the holidays has been a different experience for her ever since God made her face the past. In college God drew her to Himself which began a sweet mountaintop experience. However, this quickly passed as God opened her heart to the pain...

19 December, 2011

She wants to find the perfect gifts for her children for Christmas. She asks them to make lists; she tries to tune in to each child and learn what will make them happy....

01 December, 2011

Sherry longs to have an inviting home, especially over the holidays. Yet it seems that each holiday season her perfectionism gets in the way. She wants the home she sees in a magazine so she spends more than the budget allows, causing tension in her...

25 November, 2011

Have you ever had a friend who is clearly taking the wrong path in life? She is a believer in Jesus but she seems to have lost her way. You see a train wreck ahead but you hesitate to say anything. ...

14 November, 2011

It started when she began to complain that her husband disappeared without telling her. That was when we began to “know” Alzheimer’s—the enemy of a complete life. The anger is amazing, the guilt is deep, and the sadness is deeper. These feelings haunt our minds...

03 November, 2011

Diane, a woman with responsibility in her workplace, was working on a project that required approval from her boss, Mark. Each step along the way, Mark had given his approval. Diane was busy and procrastinated sending Mark the final portion for his review....

24 October, 2011

Lacey has a friend who has recently faced troubling times. She cares deeply for this friend and has tried to be supportive and available. In fact, it makes her feel important when a friend calls her for help, and she frequently drops everything...

10 October, 2011

front porch is a gathering place for neighbors and friends, a place to slow down. It is open, inclusive, safe and welcoming. It is a place where stories are shared, walls come down, laughter is heard, and memories are made....

03 October, 2011

Our God is an inviting God! In Revelation 3:8, Jesus says, “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close.” He knows everything we do, the good, the bad, and the ugly....

19 September, 2011

Partnering assists another in advancing a mutual cause. Women were created with a unique ability to come alongside others and help carry their burdens. We can also further the cause of another by contributing strength, support and assistance....

01 September, 2011

Most college students spend their summers taking extra classes, working or just relaxing. Hannah decided months before school ended that she would spend her summer in Allendale, SC, partnering with leaders from Grace and Allendale to minister to children in the community there....

11 August, 2011

“We’re only here for a limited time. We need to serve God with that time.” As Mary reflected on the last few years of her life, an overarching theme emerged: intentional influence through obedience. ...

28 July, 2011

A woman traveling in a foreign country partners with the Holy Spirit and invites someone to learn about Jesus. In her current season of life, Susan planned a trip to visit her college age daughter who was studying abroad for a semester. For...

14 July, 2011

An older widow serves the Lord with her heart, soul and mind. Guydana, a widow who is more than seventy years old, is now living alone after having raised four children who are scattered all over the country....

30 June, 2011

Over the past several years, Chris and Kelly each found themselves in a new season of life. With children in high school and beyond, these two women were looking to invest their time in the lives of others....

16 June, 2011

At the suggestion of a friend, I recently read StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. This short book emphasizes how much time we spend trying to improve our weaknesses rather than building on our strengths. Think about it. ...

24 May, 2011

It’s funny that I am writing about partnering today because after the last hour in my home, my behavior has been anything but partnering. Real, yes, but partnering? Not even close. I will get back to that later....

27 April, 2011

Call me a slow learner; I don’t process new ideas quickly. It takes a while for things to sink in and take root. So even though I sat through seven weeks of powerful in-depth teaching on Ezer last fall, the impact on my thinking and...

19 April, 2011

I have a lot to learn about being an Ezer. God has recently given me clarity about an area I was not lending strength....

10 March, 2011

When I think of the challenges of being an ezer, the Holy Spirit has shown me that my attitude in certain relationships is completely rebellious to His calling and design. These are the relationships that leave me with feelings of anger, frustration and entitlement....

13 February, 2011