Putting an End to the Shame Cycle

Putting an End to the Shame Cycle

By Hope Van Noppen with Amanda Van Noppen “I define shame as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging—something we’ve experienced, done, or failed to do makes us unworthy of connection.”...
Car Shopping Tips

Car Shopping Tips

By Reb van Noppen The Big Blue Whale—a Dodge Ram full size conversion van—was one of Dave’s bucket-list finds at a local auction. It suited his height, his desire for vehicle space, and fit our family of seven just perfectly, along with dogs. It was our home away from...
Comparing Kills Contentment

Comparing Kills Contentment

Our call, as God’s children, is to be content with what we have. In the book of Hebrews, God tells us to keep ourselves free from the love of money and be content with what we have, for He Himself has promised never to leave us or forsake us. (See Hebrews 13:5) He...
Cisterns That Don’t Hold Water

Cisterns That Don’t Hold Water

It is gently raining this morning and I am sitting on my back deck watching it fall. It has been a hot summer and the first half of it has been very dry. Rain. Water. Without it there is no growth or life. The last few weeks the rain has come. The burn ban is lifted....