Pity or Compassion

Pity or feeling sorry for someone who is suffering tends to focus on the horror. It can blind us to the person behind the barrier. It can look like you don’t believe they can ever overcome the trauma. Compassion focuses on the victim’s capabilities rather than brokenness. Helping a victim isn’t about reaching down, but…

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How Abuse Skews Our Identity

Abuse skews our identity, but doesn’t change it. We can choose to stay in the muck of the pain and anguish or we can choose to own our lives and discover nurture our true identities.

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Behind the Fortress

Opening the gate allows the healing of my heart. It allows the kindnesses, compassion, and even good intentions of others to permeate my walls of protection. It strengthens my foundation. Life behind the fortress is no longer dark and lonely.

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Giving It Forward–An invitation

In loving memory of my sister, Jerri Lynn, who fought many life battles, I am starting a Giving It Forward campaign. This is not a fundraiser, it’s more of an awareness-raiser. It is about connection, reaching out, and believing. It’s about being real and being open-hearted. There are as many ways of giving it forward…

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The Gift: Peace

Peace on Earth has more to do with the heart than with the circumstances of our lives. Sometimes the peace comes after the trial.

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Moving from “Why?” to “What now?”

Growing up, I was the shaky sort—not sure of myself and often feeling the outcast. A dark cloud hung in my heart, keeping my true self somewhere beyond the shadows of fear and anxiety. I searched for a light strong enough to counter the dark. Relief came in the Light I found in Jesus Christ.…

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In My Arms

The joys of being a mom can be dimmed by heartache and the wounding loss of a baby before he is ever held in your arms. My daughter-in-law, Krista, shared this story with me— My husband and I were overjoyed when we discovered we were pregnant with our third child. After almost a year long…

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Lessons from a Second Father

A father’s influence is something that can be felt for generations. For good or bad we carry with us the lessons learned by their actions and how they lived their life. While my biological father’s influence was not a good one, I was fortunate to have lessons from a second father, Lane.  Lane was my…

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