Each of us has a life story as unique and varied as personal DNA. Some life stories are filled with pain and hardship; others are stories of blessing and ease. But most of our life stories are filled with ups and downs, seasons of goodness and seasons of struggle. What story is your life telling? […]
Understanding Conflict
I once met a man who hadn’t spoken to his brother in a decade or longer. I was surprised to learn his brother lived just up the street from the man. When I asked what precipitated their estrangement, he said, “I don’t even remember what made us stop talking to each other.” How sad these […]
Uncovering Blessings in Hard Things
In recent months, I have spent lots of time sorting, cleaning out, and throwing away at my maternal grandparents’ home, where two of my aunts also lived. It’s been an arduous task going through the remnants of multiple lives. Sifting through photos and other memorabilia has also been emotionally overwhelming at times. But as I’ve […]
3 Keys to Emotional Healing
Most of us like for unpleasant or painful situations to resolve quickly. If we have surgery or an injury, we often chafe at the slowness of the healing process, wanting to hurry everything back to normal. We want the same rapidity with emotional healing, often stuffing hurts into a protected corner of mind and heart […]
Personal Freedom Thieves
With the approach of the 4th of July, liberty, freedom, and independence are the watchwords uppermost in our minds. We enjoy many forms of freedom in America, yet often take those freedoms for granted. While we associate this July holiday with national independence, in a broader sense, freedom also includes personal liberty. Sometimes, we allow […]
When Looking Back is a Catalyst for Moving Forward
My father was born January 19, 1919, during the Spanish flu pandemic that claimed over 500,000 lives. A few days following his birth, my father, and his mother, contracted flu. Both were extremely ill, but survived. My grandmother had two children before daddy’s birth and six more children after. My grandfather, father, and his two […]
5 Reasons to Reconnect with Friends from Your Past
In recent weeks, several people I had close friendships with 30-40 years ago contacted me for various reasons. It was good to hear from them and made me wish miles, busy lives and challenging situations hadn’t pulled us apart. In each case, we are in the process of making plans to get together and catch […]