One word. This was the challenge. This morning I asked my Facebook friends to describe 2016 in one word. Many were heartwarming and made me smile; others hurt my heart. How would I describe 2016 — complete. In 2016 I completed my dissertation; I completed the PhD program and graduated. I completed the national mental health counseling examination and achieved several longstanding goals. Jorjanne finished…
The holidays bring families together; this can be a joyous time of celebration OR it can be a time of intense conflict and stress. Over the years, I’ve experienced both the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child, and the horror of unfiltered, angry words instigating heart-wrenching pain. If Christmas brings joy and peace in your home, give glory to God and thank…
Panic. Dread. Unprecedented Fear. These emotions describe the turmoil in our car just moments before Jorjanne’s first driving lesson.After a quick prayer, I gently instructed her on keeping it between the lines, knowing when to brake and when to speed up. As I did these feelings slowly began to dissipate. Peace and calm gradually filled the space once filled with anxiety and worry. As I’ve…
You’ve seen it. Someone is upset and they use the internet to “air out” their frustrations with someone else. College students complain about roommates. Individuals air the family’s dirty laundry on Facebook, seeking to shame each other. Ex’s use Instagram to denigrate the person who was once loved. Let’s not even start with how bad this has gotten in political posts. I’m not sure when…
The first day of school can be stressful for everyone — students, parents, teachers, and administrators. However, the anxiety students experience is unique. In an attempt to “fit in” they worry about who will and won’t be in their classes, who they will sit with at lunch, and what to wear (after all they want to look good without drawing too much attention to themselves)….
We all have people in our lives that infuriate us; they know how to push our buttons, and they drive us mad. Some we defriend or unfollow on social media; others we avoid at all costs. I have a dear friend that calls “these people” sand paper people. God often uses “these people” to smooth out our own rough edges, to polish us so that…