My shoulders stiffened as the preacher began a sermon on love covering some of the most famous verses in the Bible. I sat among friends. No one knew I cried myself to sleep the night before over a Facebook thread between the boy I liked and another girl. Instead they saw my pursed lips and […]

A SHEPHERD-LESS SHEEP For five years, a single sheep survived alone in an Australian forest. He had almost 80 pounds of dirty, overgrown fleece hanging on his slight frame and covering his eyes. He resembled a giant boulder. No one knew how he survived on his own, but his unbearable burden lifted as rescuers sheared […]

Preparing for Motherhood “Antenatal what?” I scratched my head, trying to make sense of my therapist’s words. “Antenatal depression.” She continued. “It’s depression that some moms experience before the baby comes.” I let her words sink in. And after a quiet moment, nodded my head in agreement. “I think that sounds about right.” The name […]

A Deeper Gratitude Every Thanksgiving, the tradition of going around the table and proclaiming thanks one by one leaves me feeling frustrated. Why does this practice feel empty and insufficient to me? I think it’s because thankfulness, as a sinner-made-saint, demands an understanding of gratitude far beyond a last-minute toss-up. And so I search my […]

The Fear of Anxiety As I lie on my bed, an onslaught of thoughts and worries barrage my mind like a broken dam. These thoughts are like water rushing without caution, and it is impossible to catch them. Instead, I watch them slip right through my fingers. When the powerhouse of my mind is running, […]