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My Life Plan vs God's Life Plan
[Guest Post by Rachel Berry – I met her at the San Diego Christian Writers Fall Conference a few years ago, and it’s been so exciting to watch her take off as a writer and woman of God. If you, like Rachel, have ever experienced the death of a dream — be encouraged today by her story!] I drove home from church on Sunday, a beautifully normal January Sunday, and my sister said, “Rachel–a year ago today you would’ve been competing for Miss America.” I imagine the look on my face involved squinted, pensive eyes and a smirk of disbelief (the kind siblings give one another) as I questioned her statement. Had…
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When You Harbor Bitterness
[Guest Post by Lindsey Meeker – It’s kind of amazing how much bitterness can hinder us from God’s best — even about something as simple as going to the dentist. I hope her story encourages you to let go!] I’ve always thought that to have a real testimony you had to have been set free from alcohol or gone to jail. But. This last year I’ve learned that doesn’t mean anything. A month before I started my freshman year of high school, I visited my local orthodontist to see about getting braces. I wasn’t looking forward to it at all. I went through all of the moldings and x-rays and the…
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Your Pain has a Purpose
[Guest Post by Kate Motaung – We both write for iBelieve.com and it’s always nice to share a fellow writer’s story, especially when they write about one of my favorite Bible verses–Romans 8:28. Be encouraged my friends!] I have a limited threshold for listening to the news. My stomach churns and I swallow hard as I hear story after story of brokenness. Like shards of glass pieced together, the resulting mosaic has very few smooth edges. Shards of large scale calamities. Tsunamis swallowing entire villages. Hurricanes ripping through hearts and homes. Government corruption. Human trafficking. Missile attacks. Economic instability. School shootings. All stemming from the same source — a bite…
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Does it Hurt to Hope?
[Guest Post by Kelli McIntosh – When she asked to share about her son Kyle with special needs and why she’s not losing hope, I realized that I haven’t had anyone else share about that topic yet. If you struggle with being a mom or feel like losing hope–you are not alone!] With the intention of taking my mind off of everything, I settled on the couch for a few minutes to read my current novel. But as soon as I read what one of the characters in my book was thinking, I found myself lost in thought about Kyle. I realized that the book was not going to take my…
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Keep Moving Forward
Guest Post by Jayne Richards – How many of us have made a New Year’s Resolution or goal to lose weight this year? And how many of us have already given up? I am encouraged by this amazing woman who calls herself an old broad who runs, and I hope you are too!] My twenty-four year old daughter was digging around in one of our junk piles recently, and came upon what she thought was a treasure. It was a beautiful hardcover book entitled “Our Christmas Memories”. She very excitedly sat down to reminisce, only to discover that just the first couple of pages had been completed. It had a…
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Walking the Plank
Transition throws me for a loop every time – silly, of course. We all know that the only constant in life is change. But somehow my longing for comfort and control gets me to settle into a place with a deep, satisfying sigh. Close my eyes. Take a break from watchfulness. Then everything tips and I find myself rolling sideways, stumbling down a new ramp of transition. Looking for a new normal. Some transitions are instantaneous. In 2003 my husband collapsed on his favorite street in San Diego, Shelter Island Drive, just outside the bank. From that moment on, he never drove his truck, never wrote a check, dialed a…
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When is it going to be my turn?
[Guest Post by Ashley Ramps – When I asked is something is missing from your life on my new blog, I got this amazing post. I just KNOW she’s not the only one. If you, like Ashley, find yourself scratching your head wondering what’s wrong–you’re not alone!] When is it going to be my turn? Hope. Not even sure what that feels like anymore. How did I get here? When did I become 31? Why am I the only one of my friends not married? Why don’t I have a family? Why am I not in my dream job living out the purpose that God had created me to live? I…
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3 Reasons to Share Your Story
Recently I shared my story about why my dream died. I already wrote that I can’t sugar coat things anymore. And now? The gloves are off. “What kind of God would stand back and watch a dream–a good dream, for ministry and impact–fall apart?” That’s what I just read in Me, Myself, and Bob by Phil Vischer (the creator of VeggieTales®). I devoured his 80,000 word memoir in less than half a day. Seriously couldn’t have come at a better time. (Thanks Brett Burner for the recommendation). Phil continues. “Why would God want us to let go of our dreams? Because anything I am unwilling to let go of is an…
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On Relationships: Don't Settle For Less
[Guest Post by Alice Sullivan – I always appreciate it when a former guest poster asks to write again. This site is only possible by you all, and it is my pleasure to share your stories. Be encouraged.] Fall has always been my favorite time of year. From the beautiful autumn leaves and corn mazes, to campfires and hayrides, there’s nothing I don’t love about the cooler weather that signals the beginning of the holiday season. And this year, I was even more excited about it because after being single for several years, I had a boyfriend to share the season with. (Keyword: had.) We dated for only four months…
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My Christian Boyfriend is Gay
[Guest Post by Brenda Rodgers – I appreciate her honesty on a topic that is super sensitive. I know she’s not the only one who’s broken up with someone only to find out that their ex turned gay. I hope you are encouraged by her honesty.] I found out a year after the four year facade. Overlooking over the railing on the second floor of the mall, right outside of J. Crew, I heard the words on the other end of my cell phone. A friend was telling me my ex-boyfriend was gay. Even though that was the not-so-secret-secret in my mind, a stabbing piercing went through my chest. I…
