Are you stressed about the idea of planning holidays with your family, your spouse’s family, and also wanting to have your own traditions? Family expectations can lead to quite a bit of frustration. Honestly, I never really understood how holidays could be stressful or difficult until I got married. With the words “I do”, I suddenly had more than myself or my family to think about. I now had to think about my husband’s family, and also the fact that Adam and I were now our own little family, and … [Read more...]
Building a Strong Little House
In amateur theater (based on my very limited middle-school acting experience), the sets are designed to look good from the audience. Nobody will ever be close enough to them that the paint needs to be perfect. Sometimes, props were held together with duct tape on the back, and the front looked great from the audience. The construction was designed to last for about a week longer than the run of the show. Every shortcut was taken that could be. It was all a facade, but it was enough to fulfill … [Read more...]
Shifting Away from Entitled Expectations
Do you ever have big dreams or deep desires that remain unfulfilled no matter what you do? I know I do. What’s funny though is that our plans almost never turn out how we think they should. Through experiencing those unmet expectations, I’ve grown more deeply in my relationship with the Lord and have learned that His ways and timing are always best. What did I think my life would look like after meeting the love of my life? I thought we would get married, Adam would get a great job, we would … [Read more...]
11 Irrevocable Truths about God’s Love for You
Thanksgiving. For many, it brings to mind turkey, pie, and time with family. For me, it brings to mind those things, but also the very opposite--loneliness and a very very empty house. You see, four years ago, on the day before Thanksgiving, my world fell apart. At that point, I was still what many would consider a newlywed, as Jess and I had been married just under five months. She left me the day before Thanksgiving and took all of her stuff with her. Her family had driven to our house to have … [Read more...]
How to Stand for What’s Right in Your Marriage
Just 5 months into our marriage, I had to take a stand. I ended up leaving my husband the day before our first Thanksgiving as a married couple. When I look back on that day that I left, I am beyond thankful for so many things. God orchestrated all of the events and timing in the best way possible. My parents were in town and were there to help me, there was a pastor at our church who had just enough time to talk before he had to get on a flight to his family Thanksgiving. I had a week off from … [Read more...]
A Wife’s Greatest Protector
What does it mean for a husband to be responsible for his wife? Does it mean that it’s his sole responsibility to protect her at every moment of every day from the moment of his wedding vows forward? Does it mean that he needs to go everywhere with her to make sure she’s safe? Or is it something different entirely? I’m a recovering worrier. I’ve always had a tendency to worry about things. If I walk into a situation, I want to have a plan. I prepare for the worst and hope for the best. If I … [Read more...]
Marriage: Our Greatest Mission
When I think about the couples that have been most meaningful in my life, three or four come to mind. These couples have encouraged me to grow deeper in my relationship with the Lord and they’ve been a huge support for me as a wife. There were times when they directly spoke into my life, but I have been more impacted by the way that they live their lives and how their marriages and their love for each other reflect God’s love. When I think of them, I think of how they deeply care for one … [Read more...]
No Exit Strategy: 11 Ways to Be “All-In” In Your Marriage
The year is 1519. Hernán Cortés and a crew of 600 men had just landed on the shores of Mexico. Their mission was simple: To conquer it. Many better-equipped armies had failed before them, but on landing, Cortés gave an order that was brand new. “Burn the boats,” he told his men. As they watched the boats burn, a new resolve was cemented in their minds. They would conquer this new land, or they would die trying. There was no other option. With this resolve, they went on to achieve victory in … [Read more...]
5 Tips to Create Rest in Your Life
What is rest and why is it so important? In Genesis 2, God had just finished creating the earth in six days. On the seventh day, he rested, blessing that seventh day and making it holy, because it was on that day that he rested from all His work (Genesis 2:2-3). Why did God rest? He didn’t rest because He needed it. He took time to rest to show us that we desperately need it in our lives. The idea of rest is a difficult concept for me. I’m a driven person and have trouble when I don’t feel … [Read more...]
3 Dangerous Lies We All Believe
If you’ve ever been a kid, you know that most of us have (or at least had) the tendency to realize that some part of our body hurts, then keep poking it and saying “Ow! It hurts!” over and over, as if it would suddenly stop hurting if we poked it enough. It never worked for me, but that didn’t stop me from trying … [Read more...]