Last night, my daughter wanted to make a Greek meal. Like most ideas, I don’t know where the thought originated, but if it comes to her mind, it tries to find a way to materialize tangibly. My husband and I love gyros, hummus, olives, and all things bread and olive oil, so of course, I […]
Emotions
Navigating our feelings
20/20 Vision
The last two months, I’ve been asking God, “what do you want me to learn through this time? How do I need to reset my life? What areas need to grow/change/develop?” Hillary Clinton recently said that COVID-19 would be a terrible crisis to waste, asserting an agenda to gain further control and push Americans further […]
Three Things the Spirit of God Casts Out
I’m a part of a group on Facebook that includes a variety of people from the state (different backgrounds, beliefs, and boundaries). The discussion circulating the COVID-19 situation in our state brought this man to share: “You know since I was a kid my religious neighbors were always going on about the rapture. Always saying […]
Don’t Worry, I’m Not All I Seem Either
Right before Christmas, I wrote down the top 19 memories from 2019, but truthfully, they weren’t necessarily my top memories: they were just the ones I wanted to remember. After all, sometimes we just want to forget the painful events that pushed us over or left us gasping for air. Social media has deluded us […]
Paralyzed by Indecision
“Too many options can flood someone, yet their inability to choose may be directly tied to their fear of making a mistake. This is exponentially increased if they have had a history of being corrected when they were making a choice—or always being told what to do and what to want. Both extremes create self-doubt and the […]
Holding Onto Unwavering Love Even When You Don’t Feel It
Last week, I stood in my kitchen, doing dishes while listening to a John Piper message on Romans 5. His opening prayer prompted a volcano of tears and the mountain kept gushing over the next 38 minutes. Despite all my training and rational understanding, my heart doesn’t always incline itself toward the love of God. […]
When the Future Freaks Me Out: What about ‘What if’?
Several years ago, when our children were still preschool age, a spring storm assaulted our town. The tornado alarm on our weather radio erupted with abrupt concern and we knew a twister was coming close to our subdivision. Having no basement, my husband and I deliberated. Do we drive the five minutes to my folks’ […]
- Depression
- ...
Depression: Back By Unpopular Demand
Wouldn’t it be great if healing from depression was as easy as swiping your finger across a screen. Sad face? No worries. Now you are happy! Ironically, most people that struggle with depression have no trouble putting on a smile. They may even appear–to most people–as content and joyful. The shame or fear of judgement […]
Facing Death
Through my teen years and into college, I loved going to weddings. Not only did I revel in the romance and celebration of the day, but I also eagerly anticipated my own special day with my future spouse. What aspects did I like? What would I implement in my own ceremony? Etc. Weddings were enjoyable […]
If You Put Your Mind to It…
“Left to my own direction, my heart is a compass that guides me toward passions and pleasures. But God is the true compass, guiding me along His ultimate path for me, changing my heart and renewing my mind in the process. My heart is a broken instrument, so how can I possibly trust its direction? […]