Another fire
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 40:2) There is a danger in saying that I am writing “after a season of struggle,” because it implies an end to trials. Ha. My current book project has the working title Beyond Surviving. This stems from my observation that when women emerge a safe distance a
Be the friend
At the start of each school year, I ask my daughter what qualities she will seek in a friend that year. The first time I did this, we wrote them on a big dry erase board in my office. She rattled off words like honesty, kindness, sense of humor, and loyalty. "And she needs to keep a secret if I ask her to." I nodded and wrote, "trustworthy" on the board. When she stopped listing the qualities of her ideal friend, we assessed the list together, talking again about each quality
Pain as provision
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its good work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4) When I look back on past pain in my life with 20/20 hindsight, I find that without exception I can connect that pain to a blessing. That high school break-up led me to my current husband. That terrible job p
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