Covering topics that impact today's Christian: family, marriage, raising kids, spiritual growth, forgiveness, etc.
It was January 2013, almost seven years to the day, when I first set foot in Sydney, Australia. I had found out only weeks before that I would need to travel to Sydney for work and, after 21 hours of travel, I was quite thrilled to finally set foot on this continent on the other side of the world. I spent the week working only a few blocks from Sydney Harbor and enjoyed the clean, friendly, metropolitan city. But I
I don’t really do resolutions…I tend to be a pretty goal-oriented person to begin with and have no problem setting goals throughout the year. But the last few years I have selected a word or phrase to kind of be my mantra for the year. Something I need to work on or want to strive for. In 2018 it was “Qualified” and I spent the year working to believe that it was God who did the qualifying and whatever He
Sometimes it seems easy to lose Hope. There is so much to cause doubt and question. There is pain and suffering, injustice and hatred. We wonder how God could let that child die? How could He allow that girl to be raped? How could He do nothing to protect the innocent, the hurting, the faithful? We wrestle with these questions, and the doubters — the unbelievers — toss them at our feet to scatter on the ground as proof that
My parents passed along a variety of cool and quirky personality traits and interests to me, not the least of which is a love of folk music. Maybe it’s the writer in me, but I’m a sucker for a good story-telling song and an acoustic guitar. I grew up listening to James Taylor, Jim Croche, Simon & Garfunkel, John Denver, and others. I remember that my dad, in particular, was very fond of John Denver. My earliest memories of hearing
From the time I was a little girl, writing has been more than just a creative outlet, it’s been a way for me to process my thoughts and feelings. Whether it was through short stories, poetry, song lyrics, or just writing in a journal — words helped me deal with overwhelming feelings of fear, hurt, sadness, and anger, as well as express love and joy. In college, I battle with debilitating depression. I had a severe reaction to the Prozac
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I tried so hard for so long not to become her. The woman in this picture. My first real job out of college was working in the digital design department of a big name consulting firm. All of my coworkers were so much cooler than me, with their mid-century modern homes, designer clothes, and trendy haircuts. I tried to be like them, but neither my budget or plus-sized frame allowed for it. I was good at my job, though, so
It’s been a heck of a week. Complete with a stomach virus, five hours sitting at the ER with my Grandma, parenting challenges, major work deadlines, and an injured husband. By Wednesday afternoon I found myself in the drive-through line at McDonald’s getting ready to drown my sorrows in a quarter pounder with cheese, and having a very real conversation with God while hot tears slid down my face. In the midst of my prayer, I suddenly interrupted my own
“How do I talk to my kids about sexual abuse?” my friend asked. It isn’t the first time a friend has asked me this question and, as a mother of three, I completely sympathize with the fear and worry that come with discussing such a difficult topic with young children. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I began talking to my children about appropriate touch at a young age. We had many conversations about safe adults, privacy, personal space,
Why didn’t you leave? It’s a question that I get asked every now and again –more often than I would like — from people who learn the story of my marriage. My initial reaction is to get defensive, angry even. Especially when the question comes from friends who know my husband and me intimately. But then I think, “maybe they don’t know because my reasons are not the world’s reasons.” So here it is. To set the record straight. To