As a child growing up with a father who had temper issues, “I'm sorry” was something often heard coming from his mouth in the aftermath of a tirade. He was a follower of Christ, but often times he would repeat the same offense he'd just apologized for, sometimes in a matter of minutes! So, I grew up with the feeling that apologies were meaningless – mere ways to get ones self off the hook of guilt. I couldn't believe that after twenty-seven years of life, it finally clicked. I'd been stuck in a dark place for a few days and my attitude towards my husband and kids confirmed it. One night ... Read the Post
Gentle Spirit
"If you spill that juice you will get NOTHING else to drink for the rest of the day," I bark at my two year old. He smiles and proceeds to tip the glass. Time seems to stand still as I watch this sticky liquid roll over the table, down its legs and splash onto the floor and nearby walls. "That is it! NO MORE DRINKS FOR YOU TODAY," I yell with my trademark scrunched eyebrows and clenched jaw. His chocolate-brown eyes meet mine, and his bottom lip begins to tremble as he runs off with heartfelt sobs. This time something finally clicks in my sleep-deprived brain. God lovingly convicts me of ... Read the Post
Fresh Fruit
I've used every reason imaginable to excuse a negative attitude towards my husband: I'm tired; it's that time of the month; I'm pregnant; I was pregnant and now there's more hormonal stuff going on; I'm a stressed out mom and wife, etc. Basically, I exist; therefore, I act this way. To me, I wasn't sinning because I couldn't possibly control the way I was behaving. After all, why would God make me capable of these types of emotions and attitudes if they weren't okay in His eyes? One day He gently reminded me of the power of free will and our human desire to choose sin. I seemed ... Read the Post