As busy moms who are on the go, it’s sometimes easier for us to toss an endearment or command back to our children than to pause our steps, help them with their needs, or show them we care. But have you ever noticed it’s when we do something that they truly take notice?
My husband, Scott, and I love taking hikes in the woods behind our house in the White Mountains, which, if you know me at all, is kind of funny. My not-so-secret secret? I’m terrified of nature.
We may know the hymn I Surrender All and proudly sing it in church on Sunday. But do we really want to surrender all, or are there areas of our lives we are hesitant to release to God?
As adults, we often find it challenging to find quality friends. Cultivating a friendship built on the principles of loving and praying for our neighbors and friends is what God calls us to do. He wants us to be good stewards of our friendships. Respectful, giving, helpful, trusted confidant, understanding, and loyalty are some qualities that we want to have in a friend. We long for meaningful relationships and crave the aspect of a peaceful and loving friendship.
My world came crashing down when my first and only daughter was born into this world already in the arms of Jesus. Without breath in her lungs, the delivery room fell silent—void of her newborn cries. This painful experience split my life into a new before and after: before Bridget and after. My life would never be the same. As God walked me (and sometimes carried me) through my grief, I witnessed His heart for the brokenhearted. On one hand, I saw the Body of Christ display how to hold the hearts of those who are hurting in deep and personal ways. But on the other hand, I felt the painful stings of friendships demonstrating how not to care for someone in grief.