“Just Be Quiet.” “Don’t tell anyone.” Many young ladies hear these words in their lifetime. The Center for Family Justice1 reports 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual abuse in the United States. From my experience and research, in those moments of sexual abuse, young ladies and women hear variations of those three terrifying words. These words potentially strike terror in their hearts for years to come. I recently watched the movie Beautifully Broken, and it accurately portrayed the impact … Continue reading →
Poverty, Prisoners of war. Death and destruction. These are the products of war. When the enemy captures someone, they throw their hostage into prison, torture them, and even use them as slave labor. Captors manipulate the hostage with propaganda or lies producing confusion, fear, and uncertainty. As the Allies roll in to vanquish the enemy, the abductors flee, surrender or are killed. They don’t release their prisoners … Continue reading →
I have become a collector of hearts, but I do not collect just any hearts. They are gifts from my daughter, Danielle. Each is like a time capsule, capturing a memory from her youth. One is a foil heart. She added two colors of ink to make it extra pretty. Yet another is a heart-shaped rock she found in the garden. I still remember her squeal of delight with this discovery. She skipped to me, carrying her little rock. … Continue reading →
At twenty-four I went from childlessness to being an instant mother of six. I’d always wanted a large family, but the plan had been to ease into parenthood one child at a time. Through an odd turn of circumstances, my then-husband and I found our home filled with the delights of a mob of tiny humans, ages six months to nine years. I knew it was God’s plan, and my mothering instincts needed no convincing it was the
It was hurricane season again. As a resident of the southeastern United States, I braced for the year’s first major hurricane to hit our shores. I knew the storm was not supposed to be bad where we live. We were forecasted to get a few inches of rain, stronger than normal winds. That is what was “supposed” to be. But as forecasters reminded me, we were living in the “cone of uncertainty” … Continue reading →
Next to the Word of God, I know of few things that comfort and soothe a fearful heart like the words and familiar melodies of the old hymns. No doubt penned under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, many traditional songs of the church usher us into the very presence of God at times when we need Him most. Traditional or contemporary, I enjoy any type of music that honors God and presents the truth … Continue reading →
