Living in the Here and Now

Living in the Here and Now

As most of you know, I am working on my PhD in Counseling. I spent two weeks last month on campus in class, all day every day. During this intense week, I not only learned a lot about counseling others, but I also did a tremendous amount of introspection. One of the things that resonated with me was the challenge to live in the “here…

Still I Will Trust

OK, so I’ve felt like I needed to blog on suffering for some time now, but I keep putting it off. Even now, I don’t really want to write about it but I feel it in my bones that I’m supposed to … so here goes! Life hurts! There are times in life when the pain is so intense that even breathing seems a chore….

A Day of Remembrance:  Rwanda Part III

A Day of Remembrance: Rwanda Part III

Seventeen years ago today, evil descended over a nation with a horrifying intensity. Neighbors betrayed neighbors. Friends brutally murdered friends. Children hid in terror as feared for their lives. As I listened to the stories of those who survived the genocide, I found myself heartbroken, time and time again. We visited the National Genocide Museum in Kigali. The sights and images I saw will forever…

Oh the Horrors! Rwanda Part II

Oh the Horrors! Rwanda Part II

Its just another ordinary day as you go about your tasks getting ready for the day. Imagine your surprise when you hear quite a commotion outside. You look out the window to see soldiers making their way towards your home. Quickly and quietly, you grab your younger sister and run out of the house into the field along with your parents and two other siblings….

Afraid of the Stigma

Recently a friend blogged about Michael’s death (read her blog here). In her post, she shared about how shocked she was to learn that the vivacious man she remembered had died by suicide. As I read her thoughts, I remembered doing whatever I could to help Michael cover up his struggles with bipolar disorder. We simlply didn’t want others to know about his mental illness….