Arise Blog
Category: Everyday Life
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You Are Wonder Woman
Summer arrives with many favorites including blockbusters at the box office. It’s a treat to enjoy a movie on a hot afternoon. Lurking underneath the storyline of many a film lays spiritual truths to be gleaned. Such was the reality as I sat in the theater watching Wonder Woman last week. From the minute the little girl began practicing her kicks, I thought, “This is all about spiritual warfare. This is a representation of how we should be preparing for battle.”
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Small Things Matter
It’s funny how as adults we remember the funniest things about our parents. I remember that when I came home from college, Mother would not take me shopping if I had on jeans. And goodness gracious, she’d tell me I should never marry anyone with a beard or mustache. (Funny…that wish didn’t happen. My first husband had facial hair!) But honestly, my mom was very generous and loved to bless my sister and me with shopping trips to our favorite stores. But one memory about my dad that sticks out to me like it was yesterday was the delight he took over popsicles.
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In Over Your Head
As an avid swimmer, working as a lifeguard at a small neighborhood pool several summers during college was a great blessing. One unexpected result of those years of training might not have been as appreciated by my children. It’s hard to turn the lifeguard “switch” off once you have had it flipped, so the older two could recite the pool rules as if they were etched on the lenses of their goggles!
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3 Tips for Summer Success
The truth is, I’ve never enjoyed the beginning of summer like many moms do. Although some find it liberating and a fantastic change of pace, I find it to be more like fingernails on a chalkboard to my nerves for a couple of days. Suddenly, the population in my house quadruples, and I’m surrounded by more commotion and noise than my coffee can support. The kids are immediately bored, and I feel overwhelmed. The change in routine brings a new wave of bickering, pestering, and fussing among my four sons.
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Questions Asked by Singles
Recently, I sat on a panel where singles could ask questions on any subject. Nothing was off limits. I jotted down some of the questions and thought it might be helpful to share them along with the responses.
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Purposely Flawed and Preserved for a Plan
No, we are not perfect, but God has a simple way of reminding us that we are worth it. His Holy Spirit whispers in our ear and reminds us that God is our Help and source of strength, even on our worst day.
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3 Must-Have Stamps for Your Passport
Those stamps in my heart’s tiny passport book enable me to connect with other women who are experiencing the same ups and downs in life. Although the specifics may differ for each of us, here are three must-have stamps for every woman. Are they in your heart’s passport?
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Single Mom Facts to Know Before Remarrying
Often single moms often let their emotions rule their actions. I know when I was a single mom my first unconscious thought was that I needed to find a man to be the father figure in the home. After all, my family was incomplete (so I thought).
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The Importance of Friendship
When we’re young, we’re more open to making friends and throwing ourselves wholeheartedly into being with them. There was lots of time – hours and hours to spend goofing off at sleepovers, hanging out at the mall, playing sports, and talking about boys. All that activity builds a close relationship.
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Rekindling Your Flame
Do certain thoughtsricochet in your mind? “I can’t be a light toothers. I’m too stressed out, burned out, worn out.” Does your lamp cower under a bowl because you are smothered in sin, extinguished by worry, doused by low self-worth, or suffocated with fear? Multiple reasons cause our flame to grow dim. The lack of fuel manifests through the challenges of work, family, disappointment, sin, and relationships. How do you feel at the end of your day?
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