It’s Father’s Day and I can’t think of anything mushy to write in the card I bought for my husband. My kids are four and two years old, so they probably aren’t going to speak the prolific words of appreciation and love he needs to hear. In fact, they just scribbled all over the card, so it’s definitely up to me. Why is it so hard sometimes to muster up some encouragement for him? Is it maybe because I don’t think he deserves it? I’m reminded of the verse in Ephesians that reads, “The wife must respect her husband,” and I think, “Are you serious, Lord? Do you remember who my husband is? Did ... Read the Post
It's Only Money
It was May and God had been doing some amazing things at my my church, Bay Area Fellowship. My husband and I felt compelled to take $1000 out of our savings account and donate it to our church. This was a big deal for us. We are avid savers and have always liked the cushion of our savings account. Little did we know that God was soon going to ask much more of us. I was driving home one day and saw a woman carrying a newborn in a carrier walking down Staples Street. It was hot and there were mosquitoes everywhere. I felt like God was calling me to give her a ride. I picked her up and learned ... Read the Post
The Other Woman
I love my husband. We’ve been married almost thirty years, and I still enjoy spending time with him and giggling when he teases me. Like most marriages, we’ve endured some tough times: parenting challenges, financial difficulties, job insecurities and death of friends and family members. But the toughest time came just before our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was quite possibly the most painful yet beautiful time in our marriage. We were in the midst of a lot of change. My husband was unemployed; I was in between jobs. Money was tight and parents were terminally ill, and my husband’s ... Read the Post
Redeemed Ruins
I am a practicing Christian; a work in progress. I attend church, go to Bible studies, pray, tithe and talk about God and His impact on my life. I don’t pretend to have it all figured out, but I do acknowledge that I am on the right path. Life is wonderful, but my thoughts sometimes drift to my past self. I don’t think about her much because she abused drugs and disregarded her sexual boundaries. I wonder if she will ever have a part in my current life – the life I have managed to scrape up from her ruins and have allowed God to make beautiful. Will she embarrass and shame me again, or ... Read the Post
Surviving Adultery
I have been married eight years now. In our second year, our marriage fell prey to adultery. The painful and unforgettable truth was unveiled by God's hand. We were done, I was sure. As I looked down into my arms at our ten month old son, I was surrounded by a whirlwind of emotions. This is not fair God! I stand here with so many heavy weights upon me, and I did nothing. I was angry, hurt, frustrated, and scared. Even though I was badly hurt, my husband didn't want me to leave. I didn't know what to do because I truly didn't want to hurt him or our son by taking his daddy away. But how ... Read the Post