Last weekend my sister and I took a quick trip to Seattle to see family and attend a memorial for our Grandma Ries. Rosemary’s story was often a mystery to us. I’ve been told her life was not an easy one. I’ve always wondered why she disliked and avoided having her picture taken. I feel … Continue reading In Loving Memory
Brokenness
Courage for When You Can’t Do It All
The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. Which is why I’m so thankful to have a 48-hour retreat with the staff from our church. Perfect timing to pause the whirlwind, to connect with God and others, to enjoy the fresh mountain air (and rain)! The launch of Mint Thrift on April 8th went incredibly … Continue reading Courage for When You Can’t Do It All
At the Well
Have you ever felt disqualified because of who you are? Or maybe unqualified because of who you aren’t? I’ve felt both! There’s a real struggle between feeling like you’re too much but also not enough. (Jess Connolly & Hayley Morgan have a great devotional on this called Always Enough, Never Too Much.) At Life Group … Continue reading At the Well
Awake + Aware
In recent months, I’ve been learning about awareness and putting it into practice. Where being fully present meets my emotions and feelings head on, where escape and numbing aren’t worth it anymore. Awareness has become a precious companion on this journey. Part fruit, part gift. A result from the heart work that’s hard work, and … Continue reading Awake + Aware
Fear and Love
One of my biggest fears is the fear of abandonment. Loved ones leaving. Being left out or left behind. Being overlooked or forgotten, especially by those closest to me. And that reinforces the fear that I’m not good enough, that I’m not worthy. It’s something that I often come back to in counseling as I … Continue reading Fear and Love
My View From Isolation
Last Friday was a really tough day for me. So that night, I camped out in my room and pulled out my Bible and a fresh Bible study. It was the Habakkuk Study, Even If, from The Daily Grace Co. To help prepare, I wrote out the entire book of Habakkuk into a tiny journal … Continue reading My View From Isolation
Tools for the Journey
This week’s blog is short and sweet… partly because I’m exhausted, and partly because I’m a procrastinator. I’m still in the depths of my journey to process my childhood and beyond, but I’m happy to announce that I have a new counselor! I often take notes during our sessions, and the following has been a … Continue reading Tools for the Journey
My Race to Run 