When I was in my late teens and early twenties, one of my biggest worries was that I wouldn’t find someone who was willing to love me and commit to be my life partner. I went to a Christian university where many women attended only for their “MRS degree.” Ironically, despite my concern, I balked…
Growing up, I had limited personal experience with people of different abilities. But when our firstborn son was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that explained his developmental delays and health issues, I was abruptly plunged into the world of special needs parenting. As our son— has grown from a curly-topped toddler to a spunky, hilarious…
A few months ago, my five-year-old came home with a scrap of paper. I mean that quite literally: a scrap of paper. She had rolled it into a miniature scroll and presented it to me with great enthusiasm. “Here Mommy,” she said. “I made this for you today!” As I unrolled the scroll, I saw…
“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18 CSB) Like everyone else, I went through some discouraging times in 2020. To understate the obvious, things were a bit difficult last year. It seemed like the general feeling of discouragement bled over into simple, everyday tasks as well….
As an Enneagram 4, I am acutely aware of my own deficiencies. Maybe that explains why I am so incredibly drawn to self-help books. My shelves are lined with them. How to be your best; how to forgive; how to find joy, contentment, peace. I have learned that simply reading these books cannot produce change;…
I had never experienced anything like it. I was in labor with my second child. Naively, I thought that the second labor would be like the first—some pain, a doctor visit to check progress, a trip to the hospital, admittance and assessment, epidural, baby. In my mind, I never entertained the idea that the second…