Time for a Change?
I don’t know how 2023 was for you. Maybe it was a great year or a year you would rather forget about. Personally, it was one of those years when I knew it was time to eliminate a thing or two that no longer belonged in my life. You see, I tended not to react well when things went differently than planned. I struggled with anger doing the talking for me. For example, when my husband and I spoke to an audience, I preferred that we were focused and stuck to our material. However, my husband has a sense of
The Uninvited Guest
We were at my sister’s house. It was time for our annual extended family holiday get together! Lots of family, lots of food and lots of fun!! My son was playing the piano located near the entryway of their home, and a few of us were gathered around, enjoying the music, waiting for guests to arrive. {THIS is where things get crazy} As the first set of guests walked through the door…so did an unexpected intruder. A BIRD! Yes, I said A BIRD! This uninvited guest darted into the house and flew straight to the top of the chandelier high
Silence
We were not in agreement. And that was okay. In any relationship, there will be a difference of thoughts and opinions. We won’t align every single time. But you know what I’ve learned the hard way? The beauty of silence during a disagreement. There’s a high likelihood I’ll mess up and say something I’ll regret when emotions are high. Yes, I need to get things off my chest, but doing it when I’m calm makes for a peaceful conversation. The Bible gives us some advice: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen,
Christmas
Every year as we enter the Christmas season, I find myself having a hard time with all the pressure that Christmas brings. Did I buy the right gift? Did I buy enough gifts? Did I forget to buy something for someone? Why are people so on edge? Why can’t I find a parking spot at the mall? There's also social media portraying how much better everyone's Christmas looks compared to mine. And then there is also the heartache I feel for those who find the holiday season so difficult. Maybe their loved one is no longer here to celebrate with
Men & Marriage: Part 4 The God of Second Chances
✨God hates divorce, but He doesn’t hate you.✨ In this episode of Men & Marriage- we discuss several heartbreaking and heavy topics surrounding marriage. Extra marital affairs- when the grass looks greener on the other side. Abuse- Is it me? Maybe I trigger him? Finances- #1 reason for divorce. Divorce- Is there life after the “D” word? We are so thankful for the wisdom of our subject matter marriage experts, Joyce and Anu, as they help us to address the following questions: #1 I suspect my husband may be cheating on me…Should I hire a detective or put some sort
Men & Marriage: Part 3 The Early & Latter Years
The honeymoon is over. You and your spouse have started living life together as one!! 👰🏽♀️🤵🏽♂️ Exciting times! You’re buying your first house, expecting your first child. Everything is great…until it’s NOT! It seems EVERYONE has an opinion about EVERYTHING! What do you do with all of this unsolicited advice? 😳 In this third episode of Men and Marriage, we are honored to have our two subject matter marriage experts, Joyce and Anu, join us, as we address 6 real life questions related to the early and latter years of marriage (and a few years in between). We are newly
Men & Marriage Part 2: Before We Tie the Knot
You’ve got the guy…now it’s time to plan the wedding!! Before you turn into Bridezilla, keep in mind, you’ve waited your whole life for this! He’s the one you’ve been praying for! So take a deep breath and ask God to help you keep things in perspective. It’s one day…and it’s going to be a beautiful one, because the two of you are getting married! In Session 2 of “Men & Marriage: Before We Tie the Knot,” Joyce and Anu (our wonderful subject matter experts) address topics like finances💰, conflict 🥊, and how our parents’ marriage might have an influence
Trusting the Lord in My Distress
I am not a Karen. I just wanted to make that clear before I share my story. Knowing that I was going to have a few medical expenses this year, I put money away in a health care spending account. If you don’t know what that is, it’s like having an account that you can withdraw money only for your health care needs. You are given a debit card, with your set amount on it, and you use it for your medical expenses that are not paid for by insurance. My account and I had been getting along great until
Building Relational Equity
It began over a decade ago. My husband and I had the privilege of meeting a wonderful couple in leadership while we served in marriage ministry - Clint and Amarillys. As leaders in ministry, there are countless roles and responsibilities to juggle while balancing with family life. However, what made them unique was how they intentionally formed relationships with our team first. This couple took time to listen to us, pray for us, share in our sorrows, and celebrate our joys. Then, as they observed our leadership styles, they lovingly provided correction where it was necessary. Most importantly, this couple
Practical Advice
The first time my parents dropped me off at college, it was just the three of us in the van. As the oldest of 4 children, it was a sweet and rare opportunity to have both parents to myself. In those final hours before they left me at the dorm, they were handing out last-minute advice. Practical things: wake up early, study hard, stay away from boys, keep your money safe. Things a teenager probably needs to be reminded of multiple times. But, there was one piece of advice that my Dad told me on the way there that has
