In our family, food is the way to everyone’s heart. Full bellies create happy people, especially in children. There is nothing better than sharing a meal with someone you love and enjoying good company and conversation, no matter your age. For me, that was brought to light when my...

When the pandemic started, my baby was 5 months old. I felt like I had finally gotten through the worst of my anxiety about being a new mother and felt ready to return to work. I was a nurse. My first two weeks back at work were filled with...

“Close your eyes. Imagine you are sitting at a table with Jesus, him in one chair, you in another across from him. Can you picture it? How does that feel?”  This is the conversation that took place in therapy yesterday when we were talking about me losing my daddy...

This story is about a dinner table. But it’s not about a particular table, or two or three or four. It’s about eight different dinner tables. I’m talking about the dinner group table. The story starts on Valentine’s weekend 25 years ago at our church’s Sweetheart Dance. There may...

I was sitting at my writing desk attempting to knock out my social media posts for the next week when my phone rang, showing my father-in-law’s name on the screen. I thought it was odd because we aren’t the “call each other regularly” kind of family. In fact, in...

I wasn’t just an only child; I was an army brat as well. We moved nearly every three years from the time I was a few weeks old until well into high school. Visiting my grandparents and cousins was limited to just a few holidays throughout the year, and...

Being married to a chef and having grown up around talented bakers and cooks in my family, seeing special meals and treats bring people together through the years, it took a while to decide on a topic to write this piece about. Ultimately, a recent event that my husband...

I have a confession to make. The year is 2023 and over dinner, I had a realization. In the 15 years since I flew away from the bird’s nest. I never once owned my own kitchen table. But Steph, where have you been eating at all this time? After...

I was 24. I was getting married in just a couple of weeks. I was so excited to start my married life and build a home for my husband and future family. Somehow, my fiancé, my mom, and I ended up at the furniture store one day. I saw...