As young women, many of us are still working through negative thoughts about our bodies, misunderstandings about God and His will, and have dewy-eyed expectations for our lives. We’re not prepared for loss and when it comes, even many years later, we’re left reeling. Several years ago, miscarriage and breast cancer were my twin losses—physical parts of me taken against my will, one right after the other, that left me hollow and disfigured. Then menopause, the surprise triplet, slammed shut the door on my hope of having more children. Miscarriage left me grieving for a life unseen. Cancer brought the fear of death up close and an ugly scar in its stead. And the finality of menopause left me sorrowful for what could no longer be. Oh, the pain of loss!—it weighs down the heart Continue Reading
Made to Brave a Wanting Heart
Wanting. It's a condition of the heart we are all too familiar with. Perhaps you've been wanting something for a very long time. Perhaps in all your waiting, you've experienced great disappointment. The kind that makes you question your faith. If so, you'll find strength and comfort in the words of our guest writer, Koki Oyuke, who shares a bit of her Made for Brave story, all the way from Nairobi, Kenya. There are times you know you should burst out crying. Times when you're fighting tears as they stain the white of your eye because it's not a good time. There are people here. It's not dark yet. There's always a reason to cover, but when tears don't release they dive in deep. And you can feel your heart getting heavy―insides too full, tinged with pain that wants to Continue Reading