The Hardness of Life. The Goodness of God.

It’s impossible to REALLY know God if you’ve only known good.

This is the phrase that keeps running through my head these days. Hard days, for more reasons than one. I’ve found myself increasingly attune lately to the hardness of life. My dear friend, probably my best friend, Caroline, has lost two friends in six months. One to disease, another to addiction. Another friend of mine is facing a huge life challenge and spiritual battle that » Read More

One Year Ago Today

I woke up this morning with snapshots from one year ago today running through my mind.

The phone call on that fateful Monday morning. My mom’s voice, tearful and frantic, on the other end. “Kevin has been in an accident and we don’t know how bad it is. Cher and Daddy are on the way to him at Vanderbilt. Mandy…pray.”

Trying to throw on clothes while intermittently throwing myself on the floor before God to beg, to beseech, » Read More

Love is Messy

I was reading this well-known and beloved quote from The Velveteen Rabbit today that popped up in my Timehop and something occurred to me that I’m not sure has ever occurred to me before.

Love is messy.

We always talk about life being messy, and it is. But love…LOVE…real love, true love, life-changing love…is impolite. It’s untamed. It’s not always pretty. It knows no boundaries and lives by no rules.

Love is messy.

Look no further than a grandmother’s » Read More

Dash of Sass: 40 Days to Feeling Good

I’ve realized over these past few weeks (as I’ve been dealing with some challenges) that I’m not very nice to myself. I am kind to others, supportive of others, encouraging to others…but when it comes to myself, I can be really harsh and unforgiving and completely lacking in grace. Examples of negative self talk:
“You look terrible today.””You’re so weak. Why does something so stupid bother you?””You’re never going to be normal and happy, like everyone » Read More

Make Friends with Your Singleness: A Lesson in Grace from the GE Ideas Monster

I’ve been haunted by the General Electric “Ideas Monster” since I first saw him (her?) in a commercial a few months ago. If you haven’t seen this commercial and you have no idea what I’m talking about, click here. (You really need to see it before you read the rest of the blog.)

The commercial has stuck with me so powerfully, I can’t seem to shake it. Today I started wondering why. So I watched the » Read More

My Top Five Favorite Devotionals (Right Now)

I’m such a lover of devotionals. And though I am NOT a lover of early mornings (the struggle is SO real)…there is honestly nothing I love more on this earth than those mornings that I wake up super early and snuggle up in front of my fireplace for my quiet time with a cup of coffee and my trusty stack of devotionals. I say “stack” of devotionals because I’m a bit of a hoarder in » Read More

Ten Lessons You Learn in Your 30’s

As most of you know, 2014 saw the release of my second book, I’ve Never Been to Vegas But My Luggage Has…which is essentially my life story.

As much as I love my first book, The Single Woman, (and I do love that book, with all my heart) #NeverBeenToVegas is and will always be particularly special to me. It is essentially my heart, my LIFE…poured out on pages for the world to see. And I never dreamed » Read More

Dash of Sass: Patience & Grace in an Unexpected Place

There’s a ranch kitty, Effie, who I have bonded with who sort of seems to consider my deck her unofficial home. Because she’s out there so much, I’ve put a bowl out just for her and have started feeding her. Effie has taught me such a lesson in patience. I will often wake up and see her sitting so still and quiet in front of my front door, obviously hoping I am coming to feed » Read More

Dash of Sass: Maybe Today…

What if today we remember to be a little kinder? Speak a little softer? Show people a little more grace? Remember that the waitress who forgot to refill our tea glass might be preoccupied with her struggle to make ends meet and provide Christmas for her kids? Remember that the clerk who doesn’t crack a smile in the checkout line might not be rude, but perhaps just got a call from the doctor with some » Read More

I Told You I Was Strong & Independent. I Lied.

It hit me yesterday that I talk regularly about how strong and independent I am as a single (and fabulous) woman…

…and yet, it’s all a big, gigantic LIE.

The message in church yesterday was about singleness and how our contentment can only be found in God, not in the safety of marriage or the independence of single life (Thank you, Pastor Trevor Atwood, for BRINGING IT). And as I sat there and listened and let the » Read More

Something wonderful is on the horizon
Life doesn’t always look the way we want it to look. In Mandy’s upcoming book, Turn Toward the Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is, you’ll find encouragement to live in the moment, sit with your experiences, and trust God with the unknown.
Preorder from Baker Book House for 40% off and free shipping!*
*US shipping only
Something wonderful is on the horizon
Turn Toward the Sun CoverLife doesn’t always look the way we want it to look. In Mandy’s upcoming book, Turn Toward the Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is, you’ll find encouragement to live in the moment, sit with your experiences, and trust God with the unknown.
Preorder from Baker Book House for 40% off and free shipping!*
*US shipping only