Michelle Flaningan

Identity

Knowing Who We Are

I never dreamed I would actually meet them, yet here we were on our way to do just that. The scenery went by in a blur as my mind anxiously played out every scenario possible. My parents offered encouraging words from the front seat, and we even came up with a code word in case…
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Gratitude

The Surprise Gift

Armed with a cup of coffee, a notebook and my laptop I found a comfortable seat at the kitchen table and settled in. We had an all day team meeting on the agenda and I hoped to get a few things done before it began. I carefully reviewed a few records keeping in delicate balance…
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Feeling Overwhelmed

When Change Leaves You Exhausted

The other night at 3am I heard whimpers and whines along with a gentle rattling of our new puppy’s crate. Maverick was excited to see me, but more excited to encounter the big back yard. As I stood in the yard waiting for him to finish marking his territory, my mind instinctively wandered back in…
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Identity

Dead Leaves

The other day I noticed that my dahlia Plant had been scorched by the heat.  As I grabbed the garden shears to trim back the dead leaves, I started thinking about how Jesus is a much better Gardner than me. I nearly let this plant die!  I did a little trimming and then set the…
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Loss

When Expectation Turns to Devastation

Out of nowhere a momma bird began building a nest on top of our outdoor lights. Our family tried to move the nest several times, but she came back and built the nest in the same spot. We watched in amazement as the twigs became a solid round nest complete with mud for a solid…
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Adoption

Always Included

  How do I describe the man who made an indelible mark on my life? How do I honor the man who, with my mother, chose me for adoption?  It’s hard to find the words to paint an accurate picture for you. So first I’ll tell you a little bit about him.  My dad is…
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Adoption

From the Heart of My Mother

If you know my family, you know that we did not come together in the typical fashion. As I give you a brief overview of how we came together, please understand I feel the weight of knowing there are not enough words to honor the love and sacrifice this family is built on. Our family…
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Feeling Overwhelmed

When You Feel Heavy Hearted

We are now finishing up the 8th week of shelter in place and our kids being sent home to complete school work through distance learning. Eight weeks sounds like such a long time, doesn’t it? Yesterday, it was announced that stay at home orders will remain in place until the end of May for many…
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Parenting

Are My Kids Getting the Message?

Have you ever wondered if your parental messages are getting through to your kids? Sometimes I’m not sure if my sound motherly advice like, “grab a jacket, it’s cold outside” is hitting home with them when I see them run right past me with no jacket.  I often wonder the same thing  about sharing Biblical truth…
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Following God

Hope! Plant, Sow & Reap

The other day my husband and I decided to go for an evening walk. As we made our way down the driveway I glanced back toward our house and behold! Our front flower bed was full of lovely daffodils! What a refreshing site during this pandemic that has us all social distancing and staying at…
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Michelle Flaningan
Hello, friend!

I’m so glad you stopped by!

I know life can be crazy sometimes, and it is my prayer that you find comfort, encouragement and hope here.

If we could get together in person I would offer you a cup of coffee and a cookie while we chat in our living room. There is a strong chance we would hear “Bruh” about 6,000 times in the background while my teenage sons battle it out in a video game! But since time and space aren’t always on our side, please grab a free resource, subscribe to my monthly newsletter, or enjoy clicking through some of my blog posts.

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