Last week the Boundless team pulled together their first-ever live webcast. The goal: to raise money for the ministry of Boundless. The means: amazing real-time technology. The result: a powerful look at the "life-on-life" ministries of Focus on the Family, including their Wait No More initiative to place foster kids in forever-families, Adventures in Odyssey, Screwtape Letters audio drama featuring Andy Serkis (voice of Gollum in LOTR) and a lightning-fast round of Q&As with yours truly. When I wasn't in front of the camera answering as many questions as I could in five minutes, I was behind my own Canon,... Continue reading

Today is big. Not only is the sun back out, melting the ice from our still-vibrant autumn trees, but also Focus on the Family is airing the first of three days of broadcasts just for single women. Last spring Carolyn McCulley, John Fuller, Dr. Dobson and I met in the studio to talk about hope for marriage and practical ways women can help the process. And to try to explain Twitter to Dr. Dobson. True. Today, the recordings are on air and online. (Though being on the show is still short of my life goal to have Dr. Dobson over... Continue reading

The question in Monday's Boundless Answers was possibly the most heartbreaking to land in my inbox. I changed some of the details to protect the author's identity, but the gist of what she said was that the man she loves isn't interested in anything more than uncommitted friendship with her. Even though they're having sex. And even though she conceived a child with him and he asked her to have an abortion. She did. Still she can't seem to leave him. Her situation sounds extreme, and it is. But how many of us have stayed in a relationship that's more... Continue reading

I was working on Monday's Q&A column yesterday—a question from a woman who says the man she loves wants nothing more than sex from her. Still she's finding it hard to leave him, even though he asked to have an abortion. Today's Daily Light was full of Scriptures that are a help in desperate circumstances. The Lord is for me. Psalm 118:7 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you; may He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion. We will rejoice in... Continue reading

My newly-married friend Ashley emailed me yesterday in search of a good carrot raisin recipe. She of the I don't use cookbooks school of cooking was finally convinced that you really can't find everything you need for good cooking for free on the internet. "What's a good all-purpose cookbook?" she wanted to know. Better Homes and Gardens, I said. I've had my copy—a paperback—so long that I honestly can't remember when I got it. Not surprisingly, it's really dog-eared. And since many of the pages have actually fallen out of the book, they're usually out of order. No matter. I... Continue reading

Here's a way to kick off the season (not football, Autumn!) and use up all that leftover corn on the cob: Corn and Green Chili Chowder 2 cups corn off the cob (you'll have to cut it off with a sharp knife, carefully) 2 & 1/2 cups chicken broth 3/4 cup whipping cream (Julia would approve) 1 4oz. can diced mild green chilis 1/2 tsp ground cumin 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro oops, I forgot the salt: salt to taste Combine all ingredients and simmer over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Puree 2 cups soup (in blender or food processor)... Continue reading

I've always thought of Labor Day as the official end of summer and a great reason to have friends over for a cookout. But this year, in addition to all that, as I was trying to explain to Harrison and Zoe the purpose of the holiday (and cutting out leaves for a garland), I was reminded of how blessed we are to live in a land where unions did their best work decades ago, ridding us of child labor and sweatshop working environments. Not wanting to leave it at that, I read from Dickens' A Christmas Carol (the part of... Continue reading

Gary Chapman is famously known for his best selling book The Five Love Languages. Now he's adapted that message to the unique challenges of having a love language without the benefit of a significant other. The good people at Moody are giving away some free copies of The Five Love Languages Singles Edition in exchange for a little word of mouth. They're looking for readers to review it either on their own blog or on Amazon. Interested? All you have to do is send an email to garychapman@moody.edu. Put "Free Singles Book" in the subject line and your name and... Continue reading

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Almost every Saturday, my walking partner and I meet at the local river walk and hike our way through its twists and turns for about an hour. It goes rapidly because we use it as a time to talk and catch up with each other’s life. When she’s not there, I usually opt for something less involved, or worse, no exercise at all. There’s something about partnering that helps me. On this long and often difficult walk of singleness, I’ve found that the same principle applies. A few years ago God laid it on my heart to seek a prayer... Continue reading

Yesterday, Albert Mohler talked on his radio show about "The Case for (Early) Marriage," the Mark Regnerus cover story in this month's Christianity Today magazine. It's an exceptional article that, while sobering, offers much hope in the way of exposing the problem of extended singleness in such a visible and influencial place. Being an avid Twitter user, I saw Dr. Mohler's tweet asking for callers so I figured it was worth a try to get through. And I did, on the first try. It was fun to talk to him on-air about the challenges facing single women in their desire... Continue reading

I know a lot of single women who'd like to be married. I hear from them by email and at Boundless and my heart breaks for them—and if that describes you, for you. I wish it were easier to get married in this culture. But just because it isn't easy, doesn't mean it's impossible. I'm often wowed by the stories of God working in unlikely circumstances to bring redemption. The following is just one example of a marriage long desired and prayed for. I asked the author, Carmen, if I could share it with you. And so, with Carmen's blessing,... Continue reading

Last week I received an email from a man who is considering having his eyelids done. He is of Asian descent and is pondering the procedure, wondering if it might make him more attractive and thereby, more marriageable. That's the tough question I answer in today's Boundless Answers column. He asks, In my younger years, I often dismissed any type of cosmetic surgery (for both men and women). But then I kept hearing stories about how some (mainly women) were "much happier" after having cosmetic surgery done. For example, this one lady at my church had a stomach staple done... Continue reading