When I was serving as a missionary, my spiritual mentor—who had studied under a Coptic monk—taught me to feed and expand the spirit by proclaiming scripture over every part of my being: body, soul, spirit, and mind. Not abstract theology—embodied practice. Breath and spoken truth. Prayer placed gently on the tissues that were holding old
When I couldn’t run without pain… I knew something deeper was going on. It started as knee pain while I was packing to move to Northern Ireland. My husband had already gone ahead for work after our visas were denied, and I was managing life solo with our three young kids, preparing to reunite after
Back in 2017, I didn’t know I was running on fumes—because I was drinking so much coffee. By afternoon, I’d switch to fizzy homemade water kefir or ginger beer I brewed in my kitchen and handed out to friends like some kind of Middle Ages alewife. I didn’t know the words “adrenal fatigue” yet. I
This recipe started as my easy evolution of the old nutritional therapy trick: eating a whole lemon — peel and all — every day to support bile flow, detox, regulate blood sugar, improve the gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, and promote a healthy intestinal lining. I used to choke down preserved lemons when I was first
When I was a kid on the farm, gardening meant tilling — every spring the soil was turned, turned, and turned again. We did pile on plenty of horse manure, which kept things fertile, but the work was heavy and the weeds always seemed to bounce right back. When I moved to Ireland as an
When I first started gardening, I thought neat rows and wide spaces were the goal. But nature doesn’t grow in straight lines — forests don’t leave bare soil between trees, and weeds are just plants rushing in to fill the gaps. These days, I’ve become a believer in planting close, letting roots and leaves support
In the Spring, my kids know it’s time for our slightly odd tradition: tromping into the woods in gloves and long sleeves to pick a plant that will sting us if we’re careless. Nettles are one of those “why would anyone eat that?” foods until you taste them — earthy, mineral-rich, and a little like
Winter meals are about survival — soups that bubble away for hours, and root vegetables that, if you forget them in the crisper too long, go from crisp to Gumby-flexible. (If you grew up in the ’80s like me, you know exactly what I mean. #IYKYK) But spring? Spring feels like the farmers market is
Every spring, we crave a fresh start — lighter meals, more movement, a clean slate. But too many “reset” programs leave women depleted, not renewed. Here’s how to reset your body without burning out. When “Reset” Means Restriction Every April, the internet fills with challenges: juice cleanses, 7-day detoxes, bootcamps. They sound refreshing, but in