Stephani Cook12 hours ago3 minI Was So EmbarassedOn a recent weekend camping trip, my husband and I set out on a relatively long E-bike ride. As is common practice, he used All Trails to...
Stephani CookSep 2, 20214 minAre You There God, It's Me...StephaniAs a child growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, Judy Blume was a favorite author of mine. She wrote dozens of books, but perhaps the most...
Stephani CookJul 8, 20213 minLetting Out a Big SighMy husband and I will celebrate our 30-year wedding anniversary next month. It is so hard for me to believe that 30 years have passed...
Stephani CookJun 7, 20214 minI Didn't Know the Test was Today!Have you ever failed a test? I don’t mean like a low C or a high D, I mean like a for real F? My sophomore year of college, I took two...
Stephani CookMay 22, 20213 minSometimes the Grass IS GreenerBack in my graduate school days, I earned a little extra money working as a special education bus assistant. Our route was a rural one so...
Stephani CookMay 13, 20215 minWould Jesus Engage in Cancel Culture? If you’ve spent any time at all on social media, you are probably familiar with cancel culture. If not, let me explain it to you. The...
Stephani CookMay 7, 20212 minWhen Mother's Day Isn't HappyHappy Mother’s Day! A simple phrase around a day to celebrate all of the women who give freely of themselves to love their children with...
Stephani CookApr 20, 20214 minUse the Dang China!!I have a confession to make. I am probably the least risky person I know. In fact, taking risks feels terrifying to me. I like the...
Stephani CookApr 15, 20214 minQuieting the VoicesI made a big mistake this week. In fact, I’ve reminded you repeatedly not to do it…and still did it. And I know better. Mark and I had a...
Stephani CookApr 5, 20215 minA Bird, a Boy and a Happy EndingAs an Enneagram 2, I often become invested in stories and problems that really aren’t mine to fix. That was certainly the case in my...
Stephani CookMar 29, 20214 minWhat Are You Planting in Your Garden? The Spring time of year is so refreshing. The trees and grass take on a vibrant shade of green. The spring flowers (which are absolutely...
Stephani CookMar 24, 20215 minCoffee, Water and a Dollar General Store A few years ago, our family was returning home from a Florida vacation. As we typically do for lengthy car trips, we packed in cozily...
Stephani CookMar 18, 20214 minLet's Get Some Rest It seems that as we grow older, many of us struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep – so we may go through many days not completely rested....
Stephani CookMar 9, 20212 minUgh...I dread it!!Have you ever really dreaded something? Maybe it was a difficult conversation you knew you had to have. Or maybe a medical appointment...
Stephani CookMar 2, 20213 minWhat's in Your Basket?I bet you’re familiar with the story. In fact, it’s the only one of Jesus’s miracles that is recounted in all four gospels. You may be...
Stephani CookFeb 25, 20214 minWhat the Stages of Reading Taught Me About the Heart of WorshipIn my work as a school psychologist, I spent many years assessing reading skills in children, as well as providing recommendations to...
Stephani CookFeb 10, 20215 minHow Much Does the Thought Count? Over the past several weeks, we have been giving thought to overall health and considering our “heart, soul, mind and strength.” If you...
Stephani CookFeb 5, 20216 minHow Can I Develop Strong Spiritual Disciplines?Over the past two weeks, we have been giving thought to the “soul” quadrant as we more closely consider our overall health in the areas...
Stephani CookJan 29, 20216 minHow Do I Know God's Purpose for My Life? Over the past few weeks, we’ve considered overall health in the areas of heart, soul, mind and strength. If you missed any of the...
Stephani CookJan 21, 20218 minDo I Have to go to Church to be a Christian? If the answer is “NO”, one doesn’t have to go to church to be a Christian – then why would anyone ever attend church?