To any reading this who are victims, to those who have faced impossible circumstances and devastating trials: I just want to say how proud I am of you. You are so brave. You did whatever you could to survive. What happened to you is not okay. That friend should not have betrayed you. That family … Continue reading To Whom It May Concern
life
Secrets + Shame
“The Secrets of Hillsong” + “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets”... Wow. Two documentaries that have more in common than you think. So many secrets; so much shame. Have you watched them yet? What are your thoughts? I avoided both of them at first, but afterward I was honestly glad I watched them. Hear me: … Continue reading Secrets + Shame
Dear Church
Dear Church, It’s time we do better. Pastors, leaders, elders, deacons, congregants, volunteers, givers. Collectively. It’s time. Let’s. Do. Better. The church is meant to be a place of restoration, reconciliation, and redemption. It’s supposed to be a safe place. Instead, we’ve experienced retaliation and rejection. Again. I grieve for the bitter tastes of organized … Continue reading Dear Church
A Consequence of Curiosity
Curiosity killed the cat. It also eliminated the church member. I wasn’t offended or spreading gossip. I was asking questions so I could understand and try to heal. Distance, process, heal, return. That was my honest goal. Instead, my curiosity offended them. In their eyes, I was a problem that must be isolated. A liability … Continue reading A Consequence of Curiosity
Church Hurt
“Familiarity breeds contempt.” The pain is recognizable. The parallels are shocking. The red flags became clearer much quicker this time. It’s hard not to filter this experience through the previous one. There must be more to learn here. “Familiarity breeds contempt.” But maybe there’s another way forward this time. Maybe the familiarity can instead spark … Continue reading Church Hurt
Finding My Voice
It’s an odd thing: to be in a space that feels all too familiar, but you’re not the same person you were back then. You’ve grown, you’ve picked up some tools along the way, but here you are again. Same pain, similar story, different location. But this ending will be different than the last … Continue reading Finding My Voice
Anchor
It’s been a long 6 months… and I have missed sharing in this space. Originally I took a break from blogging to focus on motherhood; the work-home balance had pushed me to my limits. Instead, parenting a child with special needs took some unexpectedly hard twists and turns. Add in some stress and overwhelm (and … Continue reading Anchor
My Race to Run 