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God of All Comfort
Who do you trust to keep your precious child? That was my dilemma upon finding out I was pregnant with our first baby after six years of marriage to my high school sweetheart. Everyone in the tiny, one-street-light town of Corrigan, Texas had one and only one suggestion: Shirley C. Talk around town was she and her husband had lost a daughter, Cindy, in a tragic accident, but they had forgiven the driver and decided to have another child, a girl they named Hope. Well-known for her calm and peaceful spirit, Shirley baby-sat one little girl, Lindsay, in her home, while Hope and her older brother, Paul, were at school…
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Worry Like A Raven
I get asked all the time about my tattoos. People want to know why I chose them or what the significance is to me. I wish I could say that every single line of ink on my body had some deep meaning…but they don’t! Sometimes flowers are just pretty and make me happy! However, there are certainly quite a few that do hold meaning. One of my most recent additions is a raven on my wrist. It rests between two pre-existing tattoos. Above is the first tattoo I ever got – the one that started it all – a very small, simple “J14:27” for one of my favorite verses; “Peace…
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Sinful Opportunities
I realized something today. I need to accept my biggest weakness. Accept that the sin that I keep turning to time and time again is something I will continue to struggle with. It’s a cycle really: I repent sincerely and am forgiven, then end up committing the same sin. I tear myself apart. I think this is partially because when I sincerely repent, I have every intention of leaving that struggle behind – cold turkey. The next time I give into that same temptation I feel like a quitter, a failure, or even a traitor. I need to accept – just as we all do – my struggle. If I…
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Fragile Hearts Beat Strong
“Jesus replied, ‘what is impossible with man is possible with God.’” Luke 18:27 You may assume this verse is solely referring to miracles but, in its context, it’s actually referring to matters of the heart. Things that seem difficult or even impossible are made possible with divine intervention. This includes loving the unlovable and forgiving the unforgivable. Society has a way of twisting the truth, don’t you agree? We are taught that being meek automatically makes you weak – and that weakness is something to be ashamed of. One definition of fragile is “delicate and vulnerable.” Delicate is defined as “very fine in structure: of intricate workmanship or quality”. An…
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9 Blessings to Pray Over Your Children
How often do you pray for your children? As parents, our kids are always at the forefront of our thoughts and actions. We are always loving and caring for them, nurturing, teaching, leading, motivating, encouraging, protecting, helping… The list goes on and on.. Countless hours are spent getting involved in their lives, assisting with schoolwork, supporting their dreams and aspirations. Money is spent on music lessons, sports gear, tutors and coaches that will help them grow and achieve their full potential. We do all this because we love them, because we want them to prosper. But we may get caught up in all the planning and forget that the most…
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Bacon With A Side Of Regret
I hadn’t seen my parents in three months – so clearly a celebration was in order when they made it out last week! One of the things I love about Nashville is the food selection. I am surrounded by some pretty awesome spots, each with their own unique flare. I apparently used this visit as an opportunity to completely erase all knowledge of health from my memory. We went out to eat once – sometimes twice – a day. As I’ve mentioned plenty of times before, I’m an all-or-nothing kind of gal so you can imagine the gluttony that took place. If it wasn’t burgers smothered in cheese and bacon…
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Flying Diamonds
Have you ever met those people that seem to have it all together? Not the ones that pretend to have the perfect life to cover up their insecurities, I mean the genuine people. The ones that are kind to others, confident in who they are, and successful in pursuing their passions. Oftentimes we kind of write them off, don’t we? Somehow the fact that they have “it all together” makes them some sort of mystical creature in a class of their own. If we are all born with the same instincts, the same basic needs, and into the same world – what is it that separates us from them? Inhibition.…
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You’re stupid…now go conquer the world.
There are a lot of mixed signals in this world about being unique. When you’re young you’re encouraged to be yourself and to dream big. Parents and teachers reinforce the idea that you can do anything you put your mind to. Then you get to high school. Not to say peer pressure doesn’t occur before this big chapter in life, and not to say that everyone has a negative experience, but generally speaking high school hits you like a bus. All of the sudden your self confidence and control is tested like never before at a time where you are still growing and learning who you are – and it…
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Divorce: Peace For the Future
Divorce is a terrible thing. It does nothing but take from everyone involved. It takes away trust. It damages the heart. It has the ability to affect all aspects of life. Dreams deteriorate and it leaves people hurt and most importantly vulnerable. The enemy thrives in this type of environment. He finds pleasure in our weakness because it gives him an advantage. He wants us to believe that we are defined by our relationships. We are defined by others’ views of us. We are powerless against this. But there’s a problem with that. We are NOT defined by these things. We have something that he can’t take away. Peace.…
