The Poisonous Victim Mentality
“Why me?” I asked the all-too familiar question followed by a bit of wallowing. I shuffled around the house, feeling sorry for myself, blaming my problems on anyone and everyone. It was my parents, my boss, my terrible circumstances—all of it made a list letting me off the hook. For years, I struggled with this [...]
Is God Enough?
Have you ever felt like God just wasn’t enough? That His presence couldn’t solve your problems, nor assuage your deepest fears? I received an email from a reader and, with her permission, here is a portion of her question: “You mentioned in a few of your posts that you have seen a counselor. Given your [...]
Counseling Recommended
“I’ve just come out of a bad relationship and I’m wondering if it’s too early to start dating again?” “I was sexually abused as a child . . . and I didn’t realize until recently how much it affects my life. Do you have any advice?” “My boyfriend pressured me to have sex with him [...]
The Story of Addictions
On Monday, we talked about faking happiness and today I want to discuss how pretending to be happy and have it all together actually keeps us from finding joy. The question for today: Do you want relief more than you want God? And since last night’s kickoff for Impact was such a success (come next week [...]
Achy-Breaky Hearts | On Moving On
I snatched my phone off the bedtime table, silenced the alarm, and slinked back under the covers. I don’t want to be human today. I don’t want to function. I can’t function. My boyfriend Jacob and I broke up the week before and the ending of our relationship made my heart hurt in places I’d [...]
Healing Shame
Lunchtime. 5th grade. {When is middle school ever easy?} My friend Caroline and I carry our lunches in brown paper bags outside to the playground. We talk about what fifth graders talk about: movies, boys, nail polish, and our (insert eye roll) exasperating teachers & parents. Then, we hear it. “Here comes fat big Ruth. [...]
Never Have I Ever : Uncovering Promiscuity
We sat in a circle of 200 college women and played “Never Have I Ever”. It was our sorority pledge retreat back in college. Never have I ever lied and told a guy I was a virgin! Never have I ever only had sex drunk! Never have I ever hooked up with two guys in [...]
Red Light Outreach | Bringing Hope to Chinese Prostitutes
Today’s post is by Shannon Wilson, a co-founder of The Red Light Outreach—a ministry in a major Chinese city to women trapped in prostitution. I met Shannon when I lived in China and I am good friends with many of the women involved. Today, Shannon shares her story of her first encounter with the rampant [...]
Strength and Brokenness
“Perhaps strength doesn’t reside in having never been broken…but in the courage required to grow strong in the broken places.” Are you broken? Or had pain at some point in your life that felt like too much to bare? We’ve all been hurt — broken — at some point, in some way in our lives, [...]
