Intentional Choices
I recently summarized on social media some of the choices I had to make to move forward in the aftermath of the earth shifting beneath my feet. As we end our time together…
Surprised by Restoration
In the midst of all these changes with men in my life, these gentle shifts that were gradually moving me away from my bitter response to trauma, I came to know…
A Witness to Restoration, Part 2
That experience with my ex-fiancé started unraveling my complicated issues with men. Not long after my divorce, the second experience came as a result of a letter from…
A Witness to Restoration
I experienced a specific kind of grace-filled surprise the past few years, following a time of unrelenting trauma in my life. In the process, I believe I’ve gotten a clearer view of…
God Knows What We Need
Over the past few weeks we have unpacked “The Only Psalm”, (Psalm 62) and listened as David declares God as his Rock, Rest, Rescue and Refuge…
Accept the Discipline of Restoration
The truth is, there are times when I’d rather do almost anything than discipline myself to do the work of recovery from a hard time in my life. But the nature of the work required for recovery can be
Give Yourself Time to Heal (But Don’t Stay in Camp Too Long)
Letting go essentially means giving up on getting your own way in life—loosening your grip on the way you thought it was supposed to be. If you insist on dictating the terms of your comfort and your restoration, you…
Lean! Lean! Lean!
No one person can give another a foolproof guide for surviving painful times in our lives. People are just too different—and the God who sees each of us individually deals with us in different ways…
A Vision for Trauma’s Aftermath
I believe with my whole heart that God always sees us, always loves us, and is actively, redemptively involved in our lives at any given point, even when terrible, awful things have turned…
When Trauma Touches Faith
And in the midst of it all is that cry of Who: “Who is this God who has asked me to trust Him, who promises to be with me and care for me and redeem and…
When Bad Things Happen
The phone call came while I was just about to embark on writing this chapter. It concerned my friend Mona—my beautiful colleague and helper who has traveled with me and had my back for endless…
The God Who Sees
David calls back to us, from a life of conflict, war, sin, forgiveness and redemption that he will trust in God alone. As I wrapped up last week’s devotionals I knew we needed to see a practical application of…
Pour Out Your Heart
David does not know who he can trust, except for one. David trusts God. We watch as David’s repeated declaration that God is His Rock, Rest, Rescue, and Refuge steadies him from being “greatly shaken” to….
Who Can You Trust?
When the world shifts beneath your feet, on what or whom do you turn for help? What about in the mundane moments of life? On what do you set your hopes…
When Friends Betray
Many years ago, before cell phones, I couldn’t find my keys so I was stuck home by myself instead of attending Bible study. From my perspective, this was bad news because I was an emotional wreck and…
The Eyes of a Maidservant
In the years after the deaths of our son Mark and his friend Kelly, I was ever on alert for messages, i.e. treasures, sent by God to remind me that He is the Lord my God and He calls me by…
Wait in Silence
Growing up is hard, especially when you tend toward emotions that quickly spiral out of control. Wise parents recognize that the babies in their home are just…