I’ll never forget the night I told God, “I want out.” I was Miss Christian. I did it all. Taught the classes. Organized VBS. Took the teens to church camp. Always smiling. Always ready to lend a hand. And I was miserable inside. Depression is a silent cry. Likewise, anxiety is a storm of crippling intensity inside the mind, but can appear like a tranquil lake on the outside. Depression is not always the dark-clad figure hiding in the back of the room. It’s the smiling cheerleader, the teacher, the mother, the pastor, or the successful businessman. It demands perfection.…

In part one, I told you all about how those pesky Disney princess messed me up, as well as diving into how perfectly unhappy I became trying to be, well, perfect. Am I the only recovering perfectionist out there? I left you dangling with this question: now that we recognize the problem, and see what causes it, what will we do about it? 1. First of all, remind yourself that God loves you no matter how well, or how poorly, you perform. "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced…

The Disney princesses messed me up. I confess I had quite a fascination with them when I was growing up (after I finished my Princess Leia phase, that is). I was going to be as beautiful as Aurora and I was going to have a grand adventure like Belle. And I was going to be a singer like Ariel. Or at the very least, a marine biologist. But let's get real for a moment, shall we? There was one big problem with all those Disney beauties. They had no flaws. Don't get me wrong. What made them such great heroines…

Not long ago I was scrolling through social media and found myself disheartened. Photo after photo slapped me awake with immodest images, crude language and innuendo. Worldly philosophies permeated the newsfeed. “Follow your heart.” “Never take no for an answer.” “The best thing we can do for our daughters to show them how to be happy.” The more I saw, and the more I’ve observed in the past year, the more I’ve begun to ask, “Where have all the good girls gone?” ' Standing up for yourself and being a fiery, strong-willing “woman” is the ideal. The result? We’ve created…

Each year I pick a word to meditate on...I know. The whole concept can seem a bit hokey, but for wordsmiths, this concept is an exhilarating gem. It's a way for me to stay focused on God, and His character, throughout the ups and downs and crazy distractions that mark each year. Past words of the year have been bold, peace, presence...you get the idea. After much thought and prayer, 2020's word of the year is follow. This word wasn't chosen lightly. This past season has been the most difficult I've ever walked. It was filled with trauma, rejection, devastation, and…

“I’m dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to---” Eli punched the scan button of the car radio dial with a little more force than necessary before curling his fingers back around the steering wheel. Static mingled with the broken sounds of passing Christmas tunes, news radio, and twangy country ballads. From the backseat, Joshua sighed. Eli glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “What’re you thinking about, buddy?” “Mom.” Joshua’s eyes listlessly roved over the passing scenery. “She loved Christmas music.” A knot lodged in Eli’s throat as he forced himself to focus on the…