The Dented Fender

08/21/2026

Friends, I am stepping away from The Dented Fender for two weeks following the unexpected passing of my niece. She was 34 years old and so dearly loved, and I want to give this time the space it deserves.

I will be back on September 8th, rested and ready to continue the work we do together here. Thank you for your grace, your kindness, and your prayers for my family during this time.

See you soon,
Barb

08/13/2026

“The invitation of Jesus has never been to run faster, but to remain closer.”
That line from this week’s blog is worth sitting with.

Our lives can become so full of responsibilities, noise, goals, and even good things that we slowly lose the quiet spaces where our souls remember how to abide.

A few minutes of silence before the day begins.
A walk without the phone.
Lingering over Scripture instead of rushing through it.
Simply sitting with God without needing to accomplish anything.

These aren’t just ways to slow down. They are ways of making room for relationship.
Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you.” — John 15:4

What might change if, instead of trying harder to produce fruit, we focused more intentionally on staying connected to the Vine?
Read Eliminate the Hurry, Part 2 of our two-part series:https://www.thedentedfender.com/post/eliminate-the-hurry

08/13/2026

Do you ever finish one thing—and immediately feel the pressure to move on to the next?

Another task. Another goal. Another thing that needs your attention.

Somewhere along the way, many of us have started equating being busy with being productive—and being productive with being faithful.

But what if constantly hurrying is actually keeping us from the very thing our souls need most?

Jesus didn’t tell us to run faster. He told us to abide.

In Eliminate the Hurry, the second and final blog in this two-part series, Marla Waldron shares what she’s learning about slowing down, creating rhythms that make room for God, and staying connected to the Vine rather than constantly trying to produce more fruit.

Maybe the next faithful step isn’t doing more. Maybe it’s remaining closer.
Read Eliminate the Hurry: https://www.thedentedfender.com/post/eliminate-the-hurry

08/08/2026

Sometimes showing up is an act of courage. You don’t have to arrive with everything figured out. You don’t have to feel completely ready. You simply have to take the next step.

Maybe this August, that step is joining us at Fill My Cup—a place to breathe, be encouraged, connect with other women, and make room for God to meet you right where you are.

August 14–15 | Bergamo Center
There’s still time to join us. 💜
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/fill-my-cup

08/04/2026

Even the speaker needs to fill her cup. Susan Cordrey gets real about why she's coming — and what she can't wait to share with you.

08/03/2026

Maybe this is for the woman who keeps pushing her own soul to the bottom of the list.

Fill My Cup is a weekend to pause, breathe, worship, and receive what your heart may not even know how to ask for yet.

Come as you are. There’s room for you.

August 14–15 | Bergamo Center | Centerville
thedentedfender.com/events

08/01/2026

How do scaffolding and metacognition relate to your faith? Barb Lownsbury connects these ideas to Ephesians - showing how God provides support through Scripture, prayer, and community while teaching us to monitor our thinking. Read the full devotional and try the reflection questions this week: https://wix.to/gL56QLR

What one practice helps you grow spiritually? Share below. 🙏📘🗣️


https://wix.to/6Jm4W9B

07/31/2026

What if the fruit you’ve been praying for isn’t waiting on you to work harder—but to stay closer to God?

Read this week's reflection:
https://www.thedentedfender.com/post/learning-to-live-unhurried

What if the fruit you’ve been praying for isn’t waiting on you to work harder—but to stay closer to God?

07/31/2026

There is something so special about creating the lessons for Fill My Cup. I’m excited—but even more than that, I feel deeply prayerful and Spirit-led as each message takes shape.

My hope is that every word meets women right where they are and reminds them that they are seen, known, and lovingly held by God—even in their most vulnerable places.

I can’t wait to share this time together. 💜 Visit www.thedentedfender.com/events to register or learn more.

07/28/2026