by Mary Ellen Collins How do we face fear living in this pandemic crisis? The Coronavirus lurks and waits to attack. The last four and a half months have been fear driven. We cannot turn on the TV without hearing gloom and doom. Many of us have lost loved ones....
by Danielle Ilacqua Patience doesn’t just land on your lap because you pray for it. God allows a situation to manifest in your life to exercise patience. Same with faith. The Bible says, “Without faith, it’s impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6). My mom went to heaven after a battle...
by Angela Bergmann I found a lump in my breast on January 1, 2019. Surely this isn’t serious, I thought. I breastfed five babies and breastfeeding was supposed to reduce my chance of getting breast cancer. Plus, my doctor told me that my breast tissue was not dense or fibrous,...
by Cathy DiBella After going out for dinner one evening with my husband, I had no desire to go back home to isolation. We decided to drive around the neighborhood that we hope to eventually live in. After going from house to house, we decided on the one we liked....
by Gina Ellis My childhood sanctuary was my grandparents’ home. I walked their land exploring nature. I danced under the weeping willow tree. In the kitchen, Grandma’s eyes twinkled as we chattered across the table or indulged in a game of cards. In Grandpa’s workshop, his tools filled the space...
By Cathy DiBella Did I have a good father? No. Was he emotionally absent, narcissistic? Yes. Did he spend time with me putting himself into me so I could function through life? No. For these reasons, I’ve been storing my dad’s camcorder in a closet for 17 years. It still...
by Dottie Menkhaus Living through the coronavirus pandemic among pieces of our shattered world has been difficult and exhausting. I have often struggled to make sense of our new way of life. I have felt angry, depressed, fearful, hopeless, and frustrated. I often wonder if the pandemic will ever end....
by Dottie Menkhaus One day, a small lump appeared in the middle of the living room carpet. It was about the size of a golf ball. We had to be careful to not trip over it as we walked through the house. As the days passed it grew larger and...
by Gina Ellis Not a morning person, I arose earlier than usual. In the bathroom half asleep, I looked at the sign on my bathroom wall, “Rise Up”, and prayed for the day. It was not a long prayer with fancy words, just a grateful heart with a simple request...
by Kristin Mitchener In response to me talking about my depression, a dear and wise friend told me, “Anger is depression turned inward. So I encourage you to explore that. What are you angry about?” Anger…I never considered myself an angry person. I’m a depressed person. I’ve been depressed since...
