I was happily preparing for my cooking class last Wednesday night when my husband began sharing with me a conversation he had with our pastor. Among the things discussed, he touched on the fact that I had said something offensive last Sunday in front of the entire congregation.

 I used to resent the fact that I was from a broken home.

Over the years I have become grateful for my blended family and the steps my parents took to find and model happiness.
My parents were not perfect, but they both possess the gift of gratitude. Regardless of the situations, we faced over the years, that attitude of appreciation made painful conditions smoother

How many different diets have you tried?

Many of you know what it is like to work very hard on a diet, deprive yourself, lose weight, feel great and be noticed, just to realize what you did was not sustainable. Within a very short period, the weight comes back and usually finds a little extra to bring with it.

Do you ever take the time you need to get reacquainted with yourself?

Last week’s blog, Accidentally In Love, was my romantic love story with my new husband, Bryan.

People ate it up, and it is clear to me that lots of people are in the market for a love story.
This week I decided to go a step farther and share a glimpse of our romance from Bryan’s point of view, two months after we met. I have permission to share his journal entry enjoy:

“God, do You think I could have a boyfriend?”

It was August 14th, 2015, the night before my book signing at the Christian Bookstore in Frederick, Maryland. I always have an ongoing dialog with God but this was the first time I had ever even mentioned such a thing.
It had been a great summer. I was enjoying the freedom of being out of an emotionally abusive marriage. I was doing tremendous work on my healing journey. I didn’t need a boyfriend, and whoever God had in store for me, would have to be ok with my commitment to sexual purity.
The book signing was an hour away. To be honest, it wasn’t the busiest book singing ever, but suddenly my life changed.

In my head, I was the wildest, most screwed up, stupidest girl in the 9th grade.

After 30 years, however, I put on my big-girl panties and attended a high school reunion. I didn’t graduate from the school where the reunion was. I boarded there in 8th and 9th grade. It is a very rigorous school, academically, and my brain thrives in a more creative environment. Fortunately, I was able to finish high school at a place that was perfectly designed for creative girls like me. I thrived and graduated from there.

Unforgiveness and revenge go hand and hand. They lead the one who encapsulates them into a life of toxicity and physical, emotional and spiritual destruction. Perhaps the ruins in our lives, that ensue from bitterness, is why the Lord cautions against harboring these emotions.
While God warns us against retaliation, He firmly promises He will make things right for us if we trust and obey Him.

With hurricanes swirling, fires burning, and bombs threatened, one’s soul can feel out of balance without some conscious care and nurture.

The news does not display the day-to-day personal crises like painful relationships, chronic or severe health problems, financial fears, addiction, ailing parents or veering children, and political chaos that can feel all consuming.

Be Still

“Girl, you should be ashamed of yourself showing up here in that!”

I had finally made it to my first exercise class. Evidently, I was in the wrong outfit.
I am white. The rest of the girls in the class were not white. Let me help you visualize what I’m talking about. I am the only white girl at a dance class. I showed up in the exercise skirt that I feel most comfortable in and was greeted with “You should be ashamed of yourself!”