Marriage surprised me in the worst way. My expectations of marriage set me up for near failure. Here's how it started . . . Tears spilled down my face. But it felt more like my heart was bleeding. I stared even harder at the collage of eggs, pancakes, and...
Friendships
Cinderella Let Me Down but God Did Not: Surrendering My Dreams to His Better Plan
God's plan was better than a Cinderella story. But, sometimes, I get so attached to the way I want things to work out, it's hard for me to see how surrendering my dreams to him works out better for my life. You see, I have an attachment problem. To stuff. To dreams....
Healing Body Image Struggles in Young Women:
Yoga mats, dumbbells and at-home workouts I started working out again recently after a long hiatus and lack of motivation. Senior year of college during a pandemic has not been an easy feat. Like with everything else, working out at college has looked different due to...
My Body Changed & I Hate It: Comparison and Body Dysmorphia
I Was A Celery Stick I used to be that girl. You know, the perfectionist. The girl who acted like she had her life together, who had everything figured out. The goody two shoes rule-follower, the straight A student, the perfect little Christian girl…you name it, I’ve...
Skipping Lunch Is No Big Deal, Right? Restrictive Dieting, Over Exercising & Orthorexia
The Makings of my orthorexia As my body matured and grew through puberty, I found myself in an unhealthy romantic relationship with a boy that was crumbling. I also found myself busier and more stressed than ever between my honors classes, extracurriculars, sports,...
When You Don’t Feel Chosen: Valentine’s Day Encouragement
To celebrate Valentine's Day and raise a little money for the student council, every year our school held a carnation sale. Order forms went home and you could choose to buy a flower in either red, pink, or white for one you loved, liked, or considered a friend. That...
3 Good Reasons to Stop Comparing
Need some reasons to stop comparing yourself to others? Read this. You slip into your brand new one-piece. It looked okay in the store's dressing room. I can do this. You think to yourself. But one accidental glance at the tag's picture of the gorgeous woman wearing...
Can Christians Be Frenemies? How Comparison Kills Christian Friendships
She asks a lot of questions about your personal life, especially your weaknesses, but doesn't share hers. You can't put your finger on it, but for some reason you feel guilty when you spend time with other friends. Somedays she acts like your biggest fan, but, others,...
Why No One Knows I Have Body Image Issues
When I walk into a room full of women, it's hard for me to stop my brain from assessing where I rank in terms of my physical size. On a bad day I can tell you in seconds how many women are thinner and how many women are heavier than I am. I'm not proud of this. But,...
Michael W. Smith Lied: When Friends AREN’T Friends Forever
And friends are friend forever, if the Lord’s the Lord of them . . . The words of this iconic duet buzzed through the gym’s speakers during one of the most painful experiences of my adolescent life—my high school graduation. Of course it wasn’t Michael W. Smith’s...