I have often told people who are contemplating marriage that you can read books, listen to others’ anecdotes, and ask for advice, but you’ll never know exactly what it’s like until you’re married. Everybody wants a successful marriage. Nobody sets a goal to fail. But what are the elements of a successful marriage? And how…

I am a goal-oriented person and I tend to get wrapped up in achieving those goals.  My kids are used to my focus and drive and often jump on board with me (or get out of the way!) but something happened yesterday that caused me to pause and contemplate how to be present in the…

The importance of forgiveness can not be overstated. 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 your spiritual, emotional, and mental health, and the foundation for long-lasting healthy relationships. Offense happens in every relationship because we are…

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,…

The saying ‘a good friend is hard to find’ doesn’t seem true when surrounded by good friends; we don’t think about what makes a good friend. But during seasons when friendships are hollow or nonexistent, the saying feels especially painful and true. We have to grow and change to become the kind of people who…

Recovering from the loss of a friendship is difficult and painful. When a friend holds a special place in your life and you share secrets, hopes, and dreams, a loss affects every part of you spiritually, physically, and emotionally. In my experience, I have found there is no shortcut to healing from the loss of…

Friendships are valuable, and it is helpful to recognize and understand, “what are the 3 types of friendships”. When we understand the adage, 3 types of friendships–reason, season, and lifetime–it explains why we meet friends, how we keep friends, and why we lose friends through change or conflict. As I journey through life my friends…