Years ago, when I was still a bit naive about love and marriage, I sat in my friend’s living room and listened to her confess her relationship fears. “What if we don’t make it?” Quickly, I replied, “Oh, you will make it!” My response was partially selfish because I wanted them to stay together so badly and partially due to my blind faith in love and people. Though technically an adult, I still had a lot of growing up to do. I had yet to realize life is messy – sometimes chaotic – and simply cheering marriages on is not always enough. Thankfully, my friend’s relationship did make it, and she … [Read more...]

Comedians everywhere have become wealthy due to one simple fact: men and women communicate in exasperatingly different ways! “Early on in our marriage, when we’d be in the same room for a half hour, and she didn’t say a word to me, I would make the mistake of looking at her and saying, ‘What’s wrong?’ hoping it was something other than me. Now, I have learned if we’re in the same room for a half hour and she doesn’t say a word to me; it’s me! I just go up to her and say, ‘Baby, I realize I have done or said something stupid and insensitive, and while I don’t yet know what it is, I would … [Read more...]

Happy birthday to my sweetheart, Eric! This past year has flown by and... simultaneously crawled. A year ago today, Eric enjoyed his birthday strapped to a medical device following his twelve-day stay in our local hospital. Though I hated to see him hurting on his big day, I was so desperately thankful to have him home, alive and well! God is good, and He showed us just how good during that uncertain time. “The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Nahum 1:7, ESV) When I think about Eric’s attributes, the first words which come to … [Read more...]

In the months leading up to college, my anxiety heightened. I had questions, such as: What if I do not make friends? What if the classes are tough? What if I make a fool of myself in public speaking class? What if I do not pass the computer test? What if I cannot handle college life? Do you know which questions did not cause me worry? Will my roommate shower? Will my roommate do laundry? Will my roommate keep her side of the room clean? Will I ever have to confront my roommate about excessive body odor? Thankfully, I knew my roommate before leaving for college, and she always smelled … [Read more...]

This week, a year ago, my world fell apart when Eric went into the hospital to undergo three surgeries. When they admitted him for what started out as a relatively small problem, we had no idea the fear and uncertainty we would face in the coming weeks. As I sat by his bed weeping one night, I remember thinking, “All of our fights have been so stupid. None of that matters now.” My tears finally dried, and before we knew it, we were home. Eric was on the road to recovery. Our world has not been perfect since that tear-filled day by his hospital bed, but I sometimes return to that moment in … [Read more...]