by Nel Stephenson Did I ruin my life? It’s a demonic thought, really, but one that gripped my mind in the first few years of my marriage. I had a thorn in my flesh—a problem of portions larger and greater than I could have imagined. I had a mother-in-law conflict. The situation I walked through is the most painful trial I have ever faced. The self blame I felt was due to seeing the red flags of pending conflict while my husband and I ... Read More about hope for your marriage when you have a difficult mother-in-law
When Your Mother-in-Law Rejects You
It’s been more than 27 years since I received the letter from my future mother-in-law that almost severed all ties of friendship and family before they had a chance to grow. I sat on my bed, looking out the open window at the beauty of the setting sun, listening to singing birds mocking me as the door of hope of a friendship with my future mother-in-law dashed, like a door slammed in my face. The beauty and joy of knowing the woman who had raised ... Read More about When Your Mother-in-Law Rejects You
the power of sisterhood: together we can defeat armies
by Anika Ryan Ortiz I signed up for a women’s retreat for our church, and the nerves of my introverted side made me anxious for the weekend. After I arrived and settled in the Southern California mountain retreat, the rhythm of the weekend allowed for depth and friendships to form. On the final night of the retreat, the speaker shared the value of vulnerability in community, organically leading to beautiful moments with six new friends that ... Read More about the power of sisterhood: together we can defeat armies
How to Cultivate Trust in Friendships
by Elizabeth Grace Saunders “Elizabeth, I trust that you’ll make a good decision,” said my friend as we tromped through the woods on a long hike where we had been discussing a difficult situation I was in at the time. Not only was the decision tricky but also it involved a personally emotionally charged issue from my friend’s past. Instead of telling me what I should do, recommending five books for me to read, and then praying for me in ... Read More about How to Cultivate Trust in Friendships
Diligent Faith Amidst Loss
by Anika Ryan Ortiz The serrated knife in my shaking hand cuts through the heart of the pear while a ringing trumpet blasts downstairs, singing songs of Christmas. Hope. Joy. Peace. Love. I can't help but feel as if the knife is piercing deep into the recesses of my heart. My hero, Grandpa Ted, should be downstairs playing a duet with my dad on the piano’s ivory keys. Seven months have passed since Grandpa exhaled one last breath on earth and ... Read More about Diligent Faith Amidst Loss
Understanding Miscarriage and Infant Loss
by Pam Vredevelt Miscarriage. Stillbirth. Infant death. They all rock your world. I'll never forget hearing these words from my doctor: "I'm not picking up a heartbeat, Pam. There doesn't appear to be any fetal movement. I think the baby is dead." In disbelief, my emotions began to run wild and unchecked. Engulfed in a jumble of scrambled thoughts I wanted desperately to hear the doctor say, "Wait a minute – I'm wrong. I've made ... Read More about Understanding Miscarriage and Infant Loss
3 Truths for the Mom Who Has Had a Miscarriage
by Ashleigh Slater Our fourth baby was due in late October. By the time this fall due date arrived, though, my husband Ted and I had already said goodbye to our preborn child, without ever saying hello first. It happened in my tenth week of pregnancy. After a Doppler failed to detect a heartbeat, an ultrasound was ordered. There, we were met with the black-and-white image of a tiny, yet fearfully and wonderfully made form, which measured ... Read More about 3 Truths for the Mom Who Has Had a Miscarriage
My Own Kitchen Window
by Celeste Engell My kitchen window isn’t very big and it’s nothing fancy. Just a little kitchen window above my sink with some pretty fabric draped across the top. But it is my kitchen window. The one my dear husband put in just for me. When we first got married I became homesick for everything familiar that I had left behind, and for the view from my mom’s kitchen window. I had a lot to learn about life and love, along with some growing up ... Read More about My Own Kitchen Window
My Kitchen: A Place of Hope, Help, and Healing
by Lindsay Lea It took me 26 years to get into the kitchen, and when I finally did it was not by choice, but rather necessity. I was raised on Bisquick, Top Ramen, and “homemade” meals that mostly came from a box or a can. My mother was a product of her generation, and the daughter of an absent single mother, so she was doing the best she could with what little she’d been taught. My parents divorced when I turned 12 and I spent the remainder ... Read More about My Kitchen: A Place of Hope, Help, and Healing
A Letter to the Undocumented Mother
by Charlotte Gray Hey you, Yes, you, the one who is a mother without documentation to prove it. The one who has given mother-love to those who didn't come from your body. The one who wipes snotty noses at a daycare. The one who dries tears at the playground. The one who babysits for free so a child can experience a stable home. The one who cares for younger siblings full-time. The one who prays for the teenager racing down the street ... Read More about A Letter to the Undocumented Mother
5 Reasons Why Every Serious Writer Should Read Classic Literature
by Denise J. Hughes My grandma’s TV sat on the floor, with me right in front of it. As a kid, I flipped channels for hours. And every so often, an old movie channel would show a stiff-legged monster with outstretched arms, staggering toward a screaming woman. Flip. Not interested. For whatever reason, the story of Frankenstein has never held much allure for me, even as an adult. The same is true for most Gothic literature. Stormy ... Read More about 5 Reasons Why Every Serious Writer Should Read Classic Literature
3 Reasons to Read Old Books
by Mystie Winckler Have you ever taken one of those online quizzes that will supposedly prove how educated or well-read you are based on how many books on their list you’ve read? Often we want to be able to check off those classic titles simply to be able to say we read them, to have them on our reading resume, proving we are sophisticated readers or educated individuals. But the real reason to read classics is not so that we can prove ... Read More about 3 Reasons to Read Old Books
