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Dreams Change
[Guest Post by Shannon Roy – I met her through StartMarriageRight.com an amazing site for building godly relationships. She and I have stayed in close contact ever since, and I can’t wait to meet her in person when I travel to Chicago later on this year. Also, I am excited for her and her upcoming marriage!!] A riddle for you to ponder: What is better than experiencing your greatest dream come true? Before–my answer would be a “few” dreams, but dreams change. The clouds darkened overhead the bright green fields spread out before us. Our SUV radio buzzed as we listened to the coordinates of the brewing storm. Our entourage…
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When Your Dreams Change
[Guest Post by Amanda Casanova – I’m excited to introduce you to a new voice today. I’m sure everyone, like Amanda, has experienced the every day changes life can bring including shifting dreams. If you aren’t sure what dream to pursue and how–be encouraged by her story.] What happens when your dreams change? I was in the news business. That meant you probably didn’t like me. That meant I was either too liberal or too conservative. It meant I asked a lot of questions that were probably none of my business. It meant I couldn’t tell you I loved Jesus. Now, I had wanted to be a newspaper woman for a…
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The Dream of Motherhood
[Guest post by Elora Nicole Ramirez – If I would have attended last year’s Story Conference in Chicago, I would have had the pleasure of meeting Elora in person, but alas–I’ll have to wait until this year. I’m already connected to Elora through numerous people, and couldn’t wait to introduce you to her as well!] The dream of motherhood snuck up on me. When we got married, my husband and I made a quiet resolution to wait at least five years before having kids. We wanted to get to know each other. We wanted to be able to talk without tiny adorable fingers poking themselves in between us. And for…
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Follow God's Heart
[Guest Post by Teryn O’Brien. I always appreciate it when people ask me if they can guest post, especially when they know they want to write about. I am encouraged to get to know Teryn and hope you will appreciate her piece. I can totally relate, by the way.] Growing up, I believed if I followed my heart and believed in myself, all my dreams would come true. Even in Christian circles, the thought persisted. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” The context of Philippians 4:13 was often overlooked. I could do anything I dreamed; Christ would always help me. In high school and early college,…
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New Theme for April: Pursuing Dreams
This April I am introducing a new theme on pursuing dreams. When I was in my early 20’s, I had a dream about my future. I was at a concert and I had a brochure of people’s pictures and where they would end up in 20 years based on the choices they were making today. I hoped to see my picture, and when I did I was immediately excited. In my picture, I saw that I was married and we had a daughter. I couldn’t wait for this dream to come true. I became very frustrated when the years 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 went by with no…
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Living Together As A Step Family
[Guest Post by Jeanne Cesena. I’ve known Jeanne now for many years through our mentor Pam Farrel. She and her husband have an incredible ministry to step/blended families. If you are the person who thought you’d always marry a pastor–you have to read her article!] In a Step Family, there is at least one spouse that has gone through a divorce. It’s like throwing everyone in a microwave and turning it on high. Divorce was a very hard season in my life. My ex husband and I were on staff at a church as worship leaders and youth pastors. My ex began to do drugs and sleep with women. Pastors…
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Becoming a Stay At Home Dad
[Guest Post by Sonny Lemmons. One of the most humble and equally funny writers I’ve (never) met. Can’t wait to meet Sonny, an amazing stay at home dad/writer at Story Chicago Conference this Fall. I hope more people stop judging SAHD’s after reading this article.] I wish I could say that when Ashley and I got married there was a period of adjustment that was difficult. Because drama and tension always make great stories, right? I’d heard tales of horror from male friends who talked about the unbalanced selection of decorations in their now joint living situation (saying goodbye to exposed stereo wiring and unframed posters on the wall), the…
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An Introvert Living In An Extrovert World
[Monthly Columnist- Rebekah Synder. I appreciate the fact that I am able to challenge Rebekah without even realizing it. I just simply ask her to post on something I think she would be great at, and then before I know it she’s tweeting me about how it’s the one thing she never wanted to write on. I say it’s all God. Enjoy her piece.] During my teen years, my parents called me the hermit. Whenever I would surface from spending hours alone in my room, they would make a big deal about the hermit coming out of her cave, and I would simply roll my eyes, polish off a peanut…
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Living By Myself
[Guest Post by Jessica Baumgardner. Jessica and I connected on Facebook and I asked her to write a piece on living together by herself. She thought I was crazy, but I’m so glad she did! She has a big heart and has been through a lot. I think we could all learn a lot from her, actually!] I have always believed in God my entire life, but I never had a relationship with Him or even knew what that meant. I was forced to go to church when I was younger and I did not understand anything about it. My parents finally stopped making us go once I got to…
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Living Together Through The Worst
[Guest Post by Sarah Markley. I met Sarah a few years ago at a Starbucks in Orange County. She and I both graduated from Biola University and have been blogging for many years. I finally got her to write a piece on community (a topic she is definitely passionate about). I hope you are encouraged!!] I’ve lived with my husband for almost seventeen years. He’s seen me at my worst (and best) and I have seen him at his. If you really want a good example of community, look at any married couple. Or any family for that matter. In any nuclear family there are three, four or ten individuals…
