The 5 Senses: Protect Your Heart

The 5 Senses: Protect Your Heart

“Follow your heart” is a phrase we hear often. It seems innocent enough. Many movies and television shows revolve around characters who follow their hearts, and the ending is usually happy. Yet God commands us to do the opposite. “The heart is deceitful above all...
Love’s Cost: Dealing with Grief

Love’s Cost: Dealing with Grief

One of the most beautiful things about humanity is how we connect with others. Through our interactions, we emotionally bond with friends and family. We pull those people close to our hearts, just as they draw us in. And when we lose them, we feel intense pain inside....

When Cookies Demonstrate Forgiveness

Beloved, I’m a strange creature by nature. My body likes to be awake during daylight, but my brain is a stubborn night owl. The darkest hours are when my mind is most active, weaving stories from shadows. Sometimes I give in to the creativity because I frustrate...

When the Raisins Are Stuck

Recently, I had the privilege of watching my grandmother bake. For me, this simple thing offers a rare, deep sense of home and family. My enjoyment doesn’t have much to do with the sweets that come from her oven (tasty as they may be), but it allows me to appreciate...

A Look at Substance Abuse

Neil Young writes a powerful song about heroin use and the damage wrought on people he knew and loved. My own father was a heavy drinker for as long as I can remember. He drank from the time he woke up until he passed out in his armchair at night. It created a very...