The conversation is as vivid as if it happened yesterday. A few high school friends and I were discussing what we wanted to do in life. I surprised myself and everyone else by saying, “I want to be a brain surgeon.” It wasn’t a lifelong goal. It was a spur of the moment boast but it stuck in my head. Those careless words directed much of my life for the next decade.
Read MoreHave you ever been trapped inside of a house with nowhere to go with a raging alcoholic? No, me either, but I don’t want to be. I can imagine it feels much like a poor child would being trapped inside with a raging parent. Not much food. School is gone. What is happening?
Read MoreI used to think bravery meant fighting for victory. I’d push my way forward, take the leap and conquer my fiercest fears. My bold actions were the “proof” of my courage. And while it’s true that bravery can be found in doing these things, the most recent years of my life have revealed a quieter form of courage. It’s a silent strength that comes in the shape of surrender, something I’ve never been great at.
Read MoreThe storms we go through change us. They’re supposed to. Our exterior may or may not remain the same, but our interior will undoubtedly shift. While change is imminent, it’s the condition of our heart that determines HOW the storm changes us.
Read More“Mommy, can you see me? Because I can’t see you,” my three-year old self asked my mother.
“Oh, what a pretty girl, yeah,” she laughed.
My family and I watched some of our old family movies over Christmas. It was so special! We took all our old VHS movies home for the kids to watch and set up the VHS in their room with a tv intended only for retro fun (they had no idea what a VHS was. “What?! It’s STILL not done rewinding?!”).
This video my parents took was stuck in my head.
“Mama, can you see me? Because I can’t see you.”
Read More"I don't know if I even believe in God."
The words out of my husband's mouth shocked me. He had recently returned home from a faith-based rehab that I "just knew" was going to purge his mind of all things addiction, and turn him into the husband I'd always dreamed of having. To be honest, his admittance made me angry.
Read More"You shouldn't even be alive! How have you still not surrendered to God? Really? You got us to where we are now, and you still think you can fix this on your own?!? Ugh."
In my marriage, there have been many ups and downs. I'd love to say there have been more ups than downs but I feel like that may be a lie. But it's not like I have been feeling bad for all these years!
Do you know what I mean?
In addiction circles, they call this, “practicing detachment” which essentially means we aren’t allowing the decisions and actions of others to affect our mood, thoughts and feelings.
I teach a lesson on detachment in my eCourse on how to make good, Godly boundaries. The course, 'UnBound Me', is currently being updated and will be relaunched later in 2018 but today, I’d like to talk more in-depth about detachment.
Read More“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...” -Luke 23:34 (KJV)
If you’ve ever had to suffer the wrath of the anger of an addict, you know the significance of this verse.
There are times that we take the brunt of the anger. We are the punching bag. Verbally beaten down, ridiculed and mocked. We become the enemy of the one we love.
And for what? Because we refused to give up on them? Refused to let them destroy themselves in their sinful squalor?
Read MoreI had a picture in my mind of what I wanted my marriage to look like. I didn’t realize this of course when I was married but rather, down the road when my husband was not meeting my undisclosed requirements for a happy marriage.
Things like sit-down family dinners, who would read the bedtime stories and what movies were appropriate for children were foundational points I assumed everyone felt the same way about. Was that not the typical "American Dream"? Happy, wholesome, "Leave It to Beaver", family-oriented togetherness? I couldn't fathom that seemingly-simple lifestyle would not be as important for someone else as it was for me.
Read MoreWho is the most inspiring woman you know?
Think for a moment about a woman in your life or past who you think of being an absolute inspiration. Now, how would you describe them?
They are/were ____________. They always ____________. When I was ____________, they ____________. I’ll never forget the time they ____________.
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