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When God Intervenes
[Guest Post by Dabney Hedegard – Her story inspired me and I couldn’t wait to share. Through her story, God showed me how proud I had become towards my future children. If God could allow Dabney to have her first child while battling cancer, what’s my excuse? I hope you enjoy. You can purchase a copy of her new book, When God Intervenes here.] We brought Madison home after a week in the NICU. I finally learned how to cradle and dress her five-pound preemie body without feeling as if I’d break something. I couldn’t kiss and snuggle with her enough. A week and a half after Madison’s birth, she and Jason kept…
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How to Move On With Your Life
One of the toughest questions to answer is how to move on with your life. Why? Because it’s both personal and painful. Unfortunately, it’s a question no one else can answer but you. I’ll never forget a few years back when I sat in my church’s counseling office. I had booked an appointment last minute because my life at that time was in major crisis mode. I never knew when I was going to have a panic attack or how long it would last. But, I remember her vividly. The lady whom I didn’t like or care for much. She was just someone who could see me at the last minute.…
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Forgiving My Molester
[Guest Post by Sarah Miller – When I met Sarah and got to know her I always knew she had a sweet spirit, so when she submitted this piece to me I was shocked to learn about the broken pieces of her past. It just goes to show you of God’s forgiving power and how, no matter what we’ve been through, we can overcome.] If there is one thing in my life that I know a lot about, it is anger. I grew up very angry because of a horrible incident that happened when I was six years old. But even the horrible things in life can teach you valuable…
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My Scarlet Letter
[Guest Post by Kathy Moore – I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Kathy for a few years, and now that we live close to each other she’s become a close friend. I hope you’ll love her redemption from divorce story as much as I’ve enjoyed watching it in real life!] Let’s get real—It’s been an intense three years. It seems that hit (sometimes literally) after hit keep coming. Thankfully it hasn’t been constant and there have been more figurative hits than literal, but the fact remains, it’s been a tough three years since my husband and I got divorced. This is just a fact, nothing more. I have crumbled a…
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My Bucket List
I like to celebrate things. In fact, it’s no secret that I celebrate just about everything! Yesterday I wrote on Facebook, “Praising God for an amazing and way-too-exciting birthday month. Can’t believe I’m about to admit this, but I’m so glad it’s over so I can go back into my writing cave AKA my office and write stuff to encourage others, including myself!!!” With that said, I can’t wait to celebrate a few things this July! (1) I started working out exactly one year ago today. July 2nd means a lot to me because I overcame the fear of exercising while taking anxiety meds (it just feels differently). I used…
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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…
