ob·lit·er·ate

/əˈblidəˌrāt/

verb

destroy utterly; wipe out.

While I've shared this news on my social media platforms, I have yet to officially announce on this space that we are expecting our 4th child...another boy! I am now entering my 5th month of pregnancy and we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our final member of Team Schrader!

If you've followed this blog for some time, you know I have been very open about my previous...

Over the past few months I have been preparing to teach on the life of a remarkable woman in church history - Susannah Spurgeon, wife of the "Prince of Preachers," Charles Spurgeon. (If you'd like to hear this message, entitled "Wisdom for Excellence," click here.)  As I prepared to teach about her life, I was reminded yet again of the incredible responsibilities and sacrifice that are often required of the pastor's wife.

I hav...

The months of January and February have been in a word: HARD. 2019 came in like a tornado and I feel I haven't completely had the chance to recover from the onslaught of the storms that have come our way. In these first 2 months of the new year we've had lice in our home, 4 different bouts with illnesses, medical hardships with a family member, news that some of our plans and hopes for this year were not in God's timing, long...

As the clock begins to tick-down the final days of 2018 many adults around the world will begin the process of creating resolutions for the new year. Lists might include everything from weight loss, to organization, to places to travel. Yet one important category that I fear is getting overlooked by American adults as they sit down to create their resolutions each year is reading.

We often hear about the countless benefits ther...

Stressed. So much to do. Overwhelmed. In a hurry. Not enough hours in the day. Fighting illness. Exhausted. Crazy.

These are just a handful of words I’ve heard used in the last week to describe the lives of those around me. "The most wonderful time of the year" certainly comes with an overwhelmingly long To Do List. The incredible volume of things to do, from the trivial to the super important, is so very high at this time of y...

The Turkey has been eaten, the pumpkin pie has been devoured, the left-overs have been boxed up along with all the fall decor. And just like that, the Christmas season is upon us! The season labeled "the most wonderful time of the year" is often filled with packed parking lots, full weekends, and Christmas pageants. But for many Christians throughout the ages, the month of December has been a time to pause in the midst of the...

If your home is anything like mine, by the first week of September you are knee-deep in the fall routine. The kids have been back in school for 3 weeks now and we are all settling into the rhythm of a new year around here. 

For myself and many other Christian women the new school year also means the beginning of a new ministry year and thus, the return of small groups.  Whether it's a couples small group, a women only small gro...

Last Thursday night I was so blessed to gather with many women from my home church as we spent some time looking at the incredible statements the Bible makes about itself in Psalm 19:7-11.  As we unpacked the beautiful poetry of this passage of Scripture, given to us by the Holy Spirit through King David, we beheld the incredible nature of the Bible and it's life-giving, sustaining and all-sufficient qualities.  

Psalm 19:...

This is the third post in the series "Memoirs of Fostering, Adoption, and Safe Surrender."  If you haven't read why I'm doing this series, I encourage you to click on the above link and read through that post, as well as the previous 2 in the series.  Also, please remember that some small details and names have been changed in order to keep confidentiality.  However, the main points and overall account is truthful and accurate...

This is the second post in the series "Memoirs of Fostering, Adoption, and Safe Surrender."  If you haven't read why I'm doing this series, I encourage you to click on the above link and read through that post, and then the first post in the series.  Also, please remember that some small details and names have been changed in order to keep confidentiality.  However, the main points and overall account is truthful and accu...