Motherhood wrestles me to the ground and pins me down more days than I care to admit. Insecurity mounts and the feelings of failure rise,like a wave ready to take me completely under and hold me there. Giving in to feelings is futile, and I do so more than I care to admit. But God […]
For When You’re Exposed and Have Lost Your Words
I hear the pitter patter of the rain and see the clouds hang on the mountain, much like the words hang heavy on my heart. Where have they gone? After baring my soul to the world, braving the cold winds of exposure and judgment, what now? January has left me behind… Deadlines to meet and […]
When Your Heart Longs for Healing {An Interview with Shannon Ethridge}
In the years following my affair, God began healing my heart from the self-inflicted wounds that had scarred me. He began to reveal Himself to me in ways I’d never known before, and as I surrendered to Him, He began to use me more than I ever imagined he could. The truth is, our brokenness […]
For When You Dream of a Community of Mercy and Grace
I’m still full of wonder at the mercy of our God—the fact that I don’t receive the punishment I do deserve, but instead am given grace—the gift of His unending and extravagant love I don’t deserve. I wonder what it would be like for every heart to be found by His mercy and transformed by […]
Hope For When You’re Empty {Unglued Finale}
We drove halfway up the mountain in an argument and it didn’t get much better once we arrived. I can’t even remember what it was about. But most likely it was precipitated by a lack of time together lately, the stresses of finances, and the myriad of responsibilities on both of our shoulders. When we […]
Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. He. is. good. Do you believe He is? Even through the job loss The cancer fight The care of an aging parent Or the care of a special needs child? Do you believe He is good? Even through the loneliness and despair of isolation The tension […]
How Understanding Your Fantasies Can Heal You and Set You Free {A Book Review}
I have a passion for open dialogue about the real and raw places we really live. A passion for the places in our minds we’re afraid to share with others—mostly because of fear. Fear that we are the only ones. Fear that we are crazy. Fear that no one would understand. And ultimately fear of […]
For When You Long for the Quiet
The corn stalks are quiet and salute the setting sun as I walk the powdery dirt path I knew as a child. There’s always something about returning home that calms me, and I’m quiet and take it all in. The birds fly overhead and the sunflowers stand tall. The bees work hard to gather water from the […]
To Welcome Suffering is to Say Yes to God
If there’s one thing I’m learning lately, it’s that suffering is inevitable in this life. That no matter who we are, no matter what we have, and no matter where we live, we will have hard things to face. And yet it’s such a challenge to welcome the suffering–to embrace adversity… To look forward to […]
When Our Heart Aches, He Meets Us Even There
I cry the ugly cry and can hardly type through the blur. My heart is aching and I know the ache is nothing compared with what some others may be facing. But my tears only know my ache, the reality of my situation, and there’s nothing more real than my very own heart. I’m alone, yet I know God is here. I’ve heard […]
