Life Stories/Lessons
Wrestling Through: The Inconvenient Timing of the Hard, Painful Things
By Marnie Hammar I sat there, my hands tucked under my thighs with restraint, as my preschooler studied the three colorful story cards in front of us. Each card depicted a simple scene, and his task was to put them…
Wrestling Through Loss
By: Terri Prahl Even though I am no stranger to loss, watching the grief unfold in others still shocks me, dredging up deep, lingering questions. Why, Lord? How long, God? At some level, I already know. “In this world you…
Wrestling Through: Living in the Tension of Pain and Hope
Guest post by Pamela Henkelman The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7 Lingering Pain I rose…
From Pack Mule to Reluctant Rider
Guest post excerpt from thesoftnever.com shared on September 15, 2021. For years, I had one rule when I went to amusement parks: NEVER go on the thrill-seeking, height-defying rides. Personally, I don’t like to feel terrified for the “fun” of it. Also, I have a propensity…
Wrestling Through: Moving through Fear and Anxiety Toward Greater Freedom and Faith in God
by Kelly Ann Snyder I have spent years struggling with generalized anxiety. From early childhood, well into adulthood. It wasn’t until shortly after turning 30 years old, after hitting rock bottom with anxiety and fear, that I finally surrendered my…
Wrestling Through: Clinging to Who God is When Life Leaves us Hanging
Guest Post by Rachel Schelb God is good, and He is able. I’ve heard this sentiment my entire life. I believe this to be true, but how do I have faith when things go wrong? I remember several years ago…
Wrestling Through: Even Mature Believers Face Struggles in their Faith
Wrestling Through Deep Loss and Grief My name is John Cox. I’m 73 years old and just happen to be Terri’s father. Terri asked me to write a short article on a time in my life when I was struggling. …
Wrestling Through the Waiting
By Alex Fly Topics: Infertility, patient endurance, abiding in Christ, reading Scripture. I’m really familiar with waiting. Like up-close-and-personal kind of familiar. Like you’ve-seen-all-the-worst-parts-of-me kind of familiar. Waiting and I—we’re not exactly friends, but I don’t think we’re enemies either.…
When Distraction Derails Our Best Intentions
(And maybe even our wardrobes…) When my children were young, there was a time when money was tight as a one-income family. I had been wanting new furniture for our growing family, so I decided to get a part-time job…
Holding the Gaze as an Act of Love
As Shakespeare once penned, the eyes are the window to the soul. Earlier still, the Bible calls the eyes the lamp of the body in Matthew 6:22-23. Our inner man peers out through our eyes, revealing the light we claim…