Do We Mourn with Those Who Mourn?

As I’ve walked through the past few months, I’ve experienced the ugly side of miscarriage. Not the ugly side as far as grief, anxiety, or the pure devastation that comes, but the ugliness in my heart. Wanting to stay home and feel bitter. Anger as I see constant pregnancy reminders everywhere I go. Days where…

How I Keep from Flipping Out

I have had a crazy few months. My dad lost half a lung to lung cancer. (I hate that word so much, I can barely type it.) I had a family emergency that left me sitting in the ICU ward praying for my sister’s life. God was so gracious to her. He literally brought her…

What Our Wedding Vows Really Meant

Today marks three years with the incredible man I get to call my husband. It hasn’t been a particular easy three years, but I’m so thankful to have spent them with him. So today I dedicate this blog post to Kyle . . . Dear Kyle, I look back at pictures, at our starry-eyed 16-year-old…

The Silent Suffering of Miscarriage

I’ll never forget that dark, cold ultrasound room. The teary-eyed, compassionate radiologist. The look of pity in her eyes as she told us that our 10-week-old baby was no longer alive. My midwife told me she was so sorry, and hung up the phone. And so began the hardest week of my life. A week…

When the Struggle Is Real

I don’t know about you, but when I am feeling freaked out, I usually spend time reading Psalms. It does two things for me. It reminds me of my human frailty, and it reminds me of God’s great strength. David makes me feel better. If God called him His friend, then I might be okay.…

A Letter to My Daughter-in-Law

I am sitting in a coffee shop right now. A few months ago I sat in this exact chair as I met with a young lady. We were talking about how much she loved my son. She told me she could see herself married to him. I could see the sincerity in her eyes, and…

The Beauty in Giving Up

When I was engaged and newly married, I heard the classic “just wait . . .” statements a lot. “Just wait until you see what it’s really like to be married.” “Just wait until the honeymoon stage ends.” “Just wait until you have kids.” “Just wait until you get sick of each other.” It was…

10 Simple Tips for Communicating Kindly

Proverbs is packed with scripture regarding the tongue. In fact, every time I read it I feel myself sinking a little bit lower in my chair. Instead of flogging myself, I try to rest in the forgiveness I have in Jesus. I know my good behavior isn’t what pleases God. But it inspires me and…

3 Ground Rules for Arguments

After my mom’s recent post on diffusing a fight, I got to thinking about things I’ve learned from our arguments over the past few years. Both Kyle and I tend to get grumpiest when we’re stressed. That’s generally when small things appear big, we make a big deal out of things that aren’t, and arguments are…