Unfortunately, we all make mistakes. I have made my fair share of mistakes, which has fueled my determination to figure out how to learn from mistakes. When you believe God redeems mistakes and you are committed to learning from mistakes, it eases the discomfort mistakes cause. You can get past feelings of disappointment and disillusionment…

Learning the importance of forgiveness changes us and our relationships. Forgiving ourselves and others is like watering parched, dry soil; forgiveness softens and renews your spirit and brings you back to life. Forgiveness is vital to spiritual, emotional, and mental health and the foundation for long-lasting, healthy relationships. Offense happens in every relationship because we…

Learning how to develop healthy boundaries is an investment that impacts every area of our lives. Boundaries allow us to function freely within the guides we set for ourselves. Understanding how to develop healthy boundaries in relationships is difficult, especially with people we love. The boundary lines in our closest relationships often get blurred and…

Almost every day we have opportunities to learn how to get over disappointment. Because I am an optimist by nature, I don’t enjoy feeling disappointed–who does? But disappointment comes just like dirty laundry, toothaches, and other disruptions and changes. One story reminds me of the importance of learning how to get over disappointment. My daughter…

Sitting in my car crying, feeling somewhat hopeless, a thought hit me. I did not have positive, healthy relationships in my life. My relationships were shallow and a little self-serving. Realizing you need more positive relationships is hard to accept, but at 22 with the excitement of life in front of me, it was an…

The importance of human connection was often modeled for me when I was a kid. I recall my grandparents connecting with family and friends who they knew for decades. These were friends through the depression era, the World War II period, and into the 1950s and 60’s. These friendships had a deep history, shared struggles,…