31 days of What I Learned and What You Should Know Before an Affair (With a podcast introduction) Scroll down to read Day 1. Click HERE to read the all the other days. (I’ll be adding a link there each day once it goes live) Welcome to episode 061 of Mud Stories! This is Day 1 in […]
Our Mercy Story {VIDEO} : How God Can Redeem and Restore All Things
Exactly one year ago, with trembling hands and a hopeful heart, I shared my story with you. A story of messes and mud. Of failure and finding. A story of how mercy found me. And why I champion God’s grace and believe in second chances. I told you of my struggle with perfectionism, sin, and guilt […]
Because of His Great Mercy {Link-up!}
I shared my story with you in December, of how mercy found me, with the hope that you would know mercy could find you too… Because God’s mercy and grace change everything. And then I began to dream of a community, where we share our mercy-stories and declare how His grace meets us in our […]
A Mercy-Found-Me Community {My God-Sized Dream}
This year I’m joining a group of sisters over at Holley’s place, as we pursue our God-sized dreams—dreams placed within our hearts by the One who created us, and guess what? You’re invited! “And while our dreams may not be about something big, our God-sized dreams perfectly fit who we are, what we’re called to […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 12} Redeemed :: Part 2
{Click here to read Part 1} God uses even the most broken vessels to shine His light through their cracks, reflecting His love to the world. As I returned to my cabin, my steps felt lighter. And it’s amazing how three hours alone with God can begin to set a heart free! I met up […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 11} Redeemed :: Part 1
Being found by mercy doesn’t always mean we’re merciful toward our own heart. In fact, we are usually hardest on ourselves. For the next couple years I grew in intimacy with God, with profound gratitude for His goodness and grace. But because of the enormity of my guilt and shame, my intimacy with Him was hindered. […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 10} Forgiven
Over the next five years, we walked through a long restoration process. After having an affair with each other, getting divorced, and then marrying one another, the failure seemed to bury us. We had few friends. We shared custody of Matthew. Thad lost his career, and returned to college to pursue a new one. And […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 9} A New Beginning
Just over a year after my surrender, I stood before the judge in my lavender suit. There was no church, no pastor, and no aisle to walk–no white dress, no flowers, and no organ music. And there were never invitations sent, as I could count the number attending on my two hands. In the presence […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 8} The Surrender
The shame and guilt that followed the divorce almost buried me. I never imagined this level of brokenness, this depth of loneliness, or this amount of pain. I lost everything–my church, my community, and all my relationships, with the exception of one friend. Even my parents were unsure what to do with me. I had always […]
When Mercy Found Me {Day 7} A Hardened Heart
The moment was here. And how do you possibly speak words that will change all of life? Alter relationships? And shatter everything? I never intended to hurt anyone, but my actions screamed otherwise. And the awkward formality of my seriousness caught us both off guard, “I need to talk to you…” I had no idea what would […]