As I was checking out at one of my favorite shops, Homegoods, I could sense a breakdown coming on. I just kept holding in my tears as best as I could but my hands were shaking and I felt exhausted and weak. Why had I come? What was I doing anyway? I mean, it had only been the day before that I was with my daddy when he drew his final breath on this earth. So, what was I thinking driving to Homegoods and trying to look just like any of the other shoppers in there? My world was

A BOOK REVIEW OF BEYOND TECHNIQUE IN SOLUTION-FOCUSED THERAPY: WORKING WITH EMOTIONS AND THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP BY EVE LIPCHIK (by Misty Reynolds) If you have interest in learning more about the concept and process of providing solution focused therapy to clients, it is my pleasure to recommend Beyond Technique in Solution Focused Therapy: Working with Emotions and the Therapeutic Relationship by Eve Lipchik. This book is filled not only with instruction regarding the c

What do you see when you look at 2024? Thoughts of a new year are often filled with hope, excitement, or sometimes apprehension. Maybe you are expecting big changes such as having a child or a new job search or a move. Sometimes we are filled with apprehension about our own or a loved one’s health issues. Many people make resolutions, New Year’s resolutions which cause the gym to be crowded in January and February and that type of thing. Weight Watchers probably has its highe

The gift of hearing is incredible. I love to sit and listen to music, especially Christian hymns. On Sunday mornings, my husband and I enjoy listening and singing along to acapella gospel songs in preparation for worship just a couple of hours later. It is also a wonderful thing to be able to learn and gain wisdom from presentations in church, Bible classes, education, podcasts, and work. Our ears no doubt perform important service to us. Jesus said “ He who has ears to hear,

Have you ever stopped and looked around you? Have you ever inventoried your life and actually taken note of the people whom you spend most of your time talking and dining and hanging out together? We all know they say that raising kids takes a village, and believe me, as a single parent of twins for over a decade, I can attest to this. But I am here to tell you that “adulting” also requires people around you who support and encourage you and are there for you when life goes r

Hey there my long lost friends! Sorry for the late release of this blog, but life has been super busy these past few weeks. As most of you know, because I might have mentioned it a few (dozen or so) times, the last few weeks in our house have felt somewhat like a rollercoaster with emotional, financial, and even physical strains and challenges as we have worked really hard at getting two college freshmen settled in new environments. The boys and Ray have handled the process a

The word “Hope” will be used frequently on this page and in these blogs. Why? We want to encourage people who have experienced despair....

I walked to the back of the church building where that obviously broken gentleman stood. I did not know him but I had learned enough. He was going through a divorce, was missing his children, his job was in flux, and his world was rapidly changing. I do not have any idea why, though now I do believe it was the Holy Spirit, but I felt compelled to assure him that he would be okay. He would not just be okay, but I told him that he would smile again. That he would be happy again

Memories are wonderful, often bittersweet reflections on past experiences and events. Now, as I am growing older, when I am walking through a significant life experience like Ray’s marriage proposal to me in 2020, our subsequent wedding, and most recently, the twins’ graduations from high school, I try very hard to “hyper focus” on the things I see, smell and mostly feel. I want to be as present as possible because I know that beginning the very next day, these important even

Do you ever stop and think about the way you treat others – strangers – out and about in the “real” world? Sometimes the closest a person will come to learning about God’s plan and promise for us for an eternity in heaven is simply the way that you treat them. You might need to read that again. Do we fully appreciate the magnitude of our everyday interactions? You are at the bank. At the grocery store. The nail or hair salon. The doctor’s office. How we treat others whether s

We are all broken and bruised and imperfect but trying our best every day to keep it all together. Serving our God. Nurturing our marriages. Raising our children. Honoring our parents. Maintaining our friendships. Loving our people. Mending our bodies and resting when possible. Working jobs. Furthering careers. Running households. Managing finances. We.are.busy! And yet, so often, we make it look so easy, don’t we? We work diligently to camouflage our messiness. Many times it

This morning I have been thinking about how life can be so frustrating when events do not unfold how we want or plan for them to. I don’t know about you, but there are times when I seem to just sit in that frustration and disappointment. Is that helpful? Not for me. Is it necessary? Nope. I would even venture to say that it is unhealthy in that it can bring about feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. None of that feels good. And even worse, sometimes we feel like God may