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Forgiveness is Letting Go
[Guest Post by Suzie Eller – We met through a mutual friend of ours and found out we both wrote books on forgiveness. It is my pleasure to introduce you to my new friend Suzie. To win a copy of her book, simply leave a comment below!!!] My granddaughter Elle didn’t walk for nearly eighteen months. She held on to the wall, the coffee table, or someone’s hand. The moment that she had nothing to hang onto, she fell to her diapered bottom with a plop and cried in frustration. Just moments before she had experienced freedom. It was limited, but it worked for her, at least until her safety…
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Choose to Forgive
[Guest Post by Mara Rose – I always love it when I meet new friends through other sites I write for. Please let me introduce you to a beautiful soul with a beautiful story. Be encouraged.] “I need you to know that I forgive you. I forgive you for allowing this baggage to carry over into my marriage and mental health. I won’t let our past dictate my future–a future that is so much brighter without a man like you.” These were the words that I wrote in a “no-send letter” to a verbally abusive ex-boyfriend, as recommended by my biblical counselor. It took me 8 years to realize that…
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Church is
[Guest Post by Laura – When we were first introduced, her story startled me. Not only has she experienced the joy of serving God and the church overseas, but overwhelming heartbreak. If you want to read her previous guest post on anxiety, rape, and kidnapping please click here. I’m encouraged to learn that she is now safe in Ireland and still serving God. Let’s praise God with Laura today!] Church is the body of Christ–it’s about His people. Currently I’m serving in my third country, which means it’s also the third time I’ve been involved in a church in a foreign country. Each church has looked different, yet each church…
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A Barren Wife
[Guest Post by Jessica Quinn – I had the pleasure of being introduced to her through Tyndale House Publishers. She is an amazing godly woman with a husband and a thriving PR career. I can’t wait for you to read her story about being a barren wife. And I have to wonder–if any of you can relate? Be encouraged today by her story!] Cinderella is my favorite princess. I think it has something to do with the fact that she rose up from feeling unwanted and unseen to meet her prince charming, and then went on to live happily ever after. That is the answer, right? Meet prince charming and…
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Your Love Can't Change Him
[Guest Post by Teryn O’Brien – Want to know why I appreciate her so much? She writes things I swear I could have written. It just makes me want to fly to Colorado Springs, CO and give her a big, BIG hug. If you didn’t already read her previous post, Follow God’s Heart–you should read that immediately after reading this post!] In many chick flicks and romance novels today, there is a common storyline. It goes like this: Bad boy meets awkward, shy girl. Girl’s innocent charm completely captivates boy. Her love heals him. Boy changes and they live happily ever after. As females, this dream is close to our…
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Single Mom by Choice
[Guest Post by Krista Pettiford – We met each other through the San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild. She is a gifted and talented writer, and I am absolutely thrilled to have Krista share her story about her family. If you know of any broken families who might need encouragement, please pass this one along!] I was married and had four children when I became a Christian. Before that, I was very worldly. Though I had been raised by religious parents and even went to Catholic school for my early education I never had a real example of godly living. When I met my husband I was an unwed mother of…
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Forgiving My Rapist
[Guest Post by Amanda Espinoza – I can’t say thanks enough to those who are willing to share about something so deeply personal and painful. I want to personally thank Laura, the first person to share her story of rape on my blog. You can read her story here. Also, my friend Carla who shared her story of rape, and you can read her story here. If any of you are struggling on this topic I encourage you to reach out and get help. Jesus cares and He wants to help you process this painful event.] It is easy to forgive someone when they sincerely apologize and ask for that forgiveness.…
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Forgive a Murderer
[Guest Post by Laurie Coombs – I met my new sweet friend through our mutual friend Sarah Francis Martin. Her story on forgiveness rocked my world. Could I forgive a murderer and not only that but–without ruining her story–please keep reading!] What do you do when your world comes crashing down upon you? What do you do when tragedy strikes? When relationships fail? When trust has been broken? When your cheated on, lied to, abandoned, and just downright sinned against? I can tell you this much. Everything inside you will want to hold onto the anger you feel. You’ll be drawn toward bitterness. Yet, even though you may be just…
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Forgiveness: The F Word
[Guest Post by Nicole Reyes – I can’t wait for you to hear her later this month as one of the speakers for Quarter Life Conference. She is an advocate for the local church, and I can’t wait for you to hear why. In the mean time, read her powerful story about forgiveness.] Forgiveness, also known as the F word, can be a hard pill to swallow. Archbishop Desmond Tutu knows what he’s talking about. He said, “Without forgiveness, there’s no future.” Many of you are thinking… “Well, you don’t know the pain I’ve been through.” I don’t know your past pain, but I do know what’s even worse than…
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My Relationship Idols
[Guest Post by Alyx Vergara – I’m pretty sure we met for five seconds at my former roommate bridal shower years ago, but have stayed connected via Facebook ever since. It’s been fun to watch her journey over to Hawaii and become the person God wants her to be. Today, if you’re struggling to let go of any relationship idols, be encouraged by Alyx’s story.] My name is Alyx, I am 22 and I live in Hawaii. My journey here started with heartbreak. Three months before my first semester of Bible college, my world was turned upside down when my best friend/ex-boyfriend decided to move on without me. Living without…
