Sometimes the difficult truth of self-acceptance is best learned from the heart of a child. She was about 6 years old with thick, brown ringlets draped across her pillow as she lay with folded hands to begin her nightly prayers. Her prayers were nothing grand. She spoke plain and simply to the God she knew very little of but trusted that He was as real as her best friend sleeping in the trundle next to her. This was her time to thank God for the largest and smallest joys of her day, and nothing was left to chance. Thank you, God, for my friend, for my grilled cheese sandwich, for my bubble bath, and for my new polka-dot socks. Thank you for mommy and daddy, my bubbies, memaw and pappy, and for all of my pets - turtles, beta fish, hamsters, rabbits, and dogs; the order never changed Continue Reading
A Hope-Filled Reminder: You Are Chosen
I love this time of year - pumpkins, bonfires, crisp air, cinnamon and nutmeg...too many soul-refreshers for just one to be chosen. All around us, the world just seems fresher, more alive and vibrant. The best of what can happen seems more possible. And life is filled with reminders of God's love sprinkled through each and every refreshing moment. For me, these love reminders begin with the choosing of a pumpkin...or two. I don’t rush the process because finding the perfect pumpkin takes time. And perfect for me doesn’t mean free of blemishes or uniform in shape and size. I’m looking for the kind that’s going to remind me all season long of one simple, refreshing truth. I’m looking for the kind with scars and bumps and dents. With deep ribs and visible character marks that Continue Reading
Braving Unmet Expectations & Finding Hope – Made for Brave Sisterhood
He left when I was twelve. War, PTSD, and alcoholism left my father a broken man, unable to cope with the responsibilities of family. I visited him summers and weekends, but we never regained the daddy-daughter relationship that my heart yearned for. I so wanted him to acknowledge me, listen to me, and show an interest in my life, but he was overwhelmed trying to survive his own. Then I had my first child. Something about holding my baby and feeling a love so intense I couldn’t breathe caused me to question how my own father could resist loving me. After conversations with my older sister and a couple of visits to Al-Anon, I began to realize that I needed to let go of the expectation that he would be able to show me love in the way I desired. So, instead, I determined to show Him Continue Reading
5 Ways to Brave A Disappointing Marriage
After a long day at work, he walked in through the kitchen door and with urgency came to me as I stood over the stove. He seemed to ignore my busyness and put his arms around me. For a split second, I thought something had changed. Hope welled up inside me, but then in a mocking voice came words that told me I was wrong. “How was your day”, he asked? Before I had a chance to respond he rolled his eyes and walked away. I picked my heart up off the floor and quickly tucked it safely in the back pocket of my jeans like I had done so many times before. Dinner was served and another night of meaningless conversation was etched on the calendar of our marriage. The day before, I went out on a limb and told him we don’t talk anymore. No more sweet conversations about our lives and our Continue Reading