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,…

As you stand at the entrance of a new year, do you ever reflect on a word for the year that could be yours throughout the year? I do this practice every year. For me, choosing a word for the year has never been an exercise such as coming up with a New Year’s Resolution…

The thought of raising teenagers has historically caused dread and prayers for survival. Many parents have said raising teenagers can take the joy out of parenting. But if we enter our season of raising teenagers armed with wisdom, faith, and a good attitude, it can impact our experience as parents and our teenagers’ lives. My…

Since becoming a parent, I have been looking for positive parenting tips. Every stage of a child’s life has highs and lows, but the teenage years can be especially challenging. Although the teenage years are unpredictable and hard to grasp, they are an important growth stage in every person’s life. Finding and developing positive parenting…