Have you ever had to make a major decision in your life? In the midst of these decisions, it can be so easy to try to make them on our own. I’ve had many conversations with people where they talk a lot about what they’re going to do, but don’t bring God to the center of their decision process. At some point along the way, I usually ask, “Have you thought that God might be leading you in a specific direction? Are you willing to follow Him even if it’s in a different direction than where you want … [Read more...]
The Myth of Oneness
A s I was preparing for marriage, there were many people who came to me to tell me that when we got married we would become ‘one’. I was given a ton of advice about what oneness looked like and how wonderful it would be. I remember someone telling me that when you are married, you are like two completely overlapping circles, absolutely one being. I honestly felt a little sick to my stomach at the thought of it. While I wanted to be married, I didn’t want to lose my individuality; the thought of … [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...]
Taking a Stand Against Abuse 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...]
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...]
5 Important Steps to Protect Your Family
Did you know that on average women live longer than men? This is true for most countries around the world. Most people just dismiss this as a statistic, but there’s actually wisdom here worth acting on … [Read more...]
From the Brink of Divorce: A Story of Hope
Author's note: Abuse is never acceptable. If you're in an abusive situation (or even think you might be) please read Taking a Stand Against Abuse in Your Marriage for steps on how to get help. Numb. That is the best word to describe what I (Jess) was feeling. The couple of days before had been a whirlwind. I had, over the course of 48 hours, come to grips with my marriage situation and admitted we were in trouble, talked with a pastor, taken money out of our bank account, packed my stuff, and … [Read more...]