Conquer Your Mountains
“But something went wrong. For some reason, the surgeons had gotten pulled away from [my mother], mid-surgery, and left her open on the operating table for hours. A blood clot formed, causing her to have a stroke, which paralyzed the right half of her body. Everything had changed in an instant, and she wasn’t to blame for…
The way you treat yourself is often the way you see others treat you, too. I have a friend (I’ll call him ‘Kevin’) who doesn’t understand why he always seems to strike out on love, get walked all over by his ‘friends,’ or end up in the most unpleasant of challenges in life. He complains…
I’d like to tell you a true story about love. When I was a teenager, I was terrified of marriage. How could I ever find one person who I wouldn’t get bored of, who I would care about so much that I would put his needs before my own, and who I could trust in…
My husband and I have only been married for 3 and a half years (and we’ve been best friends for over 7 years). But I’m pretty sure we have already figured out one of many not-so-secretive secrets to keeping a strong and happy marriage. We go through cycles of being entirely thrilled about our marriage,…
My road to coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been a difficult one. I didn’t even know that I needed any help or that I really had a problem until someone else gently helped me to realize it. I was 23 before I ever stepped foot into a therapist’s office. Bob and I were…
This is a paid review of Spark: A Creative Anthology (Volume III). Regardless of the amount paid, the review is my own honest and true opinion of the book, be it positive or negative. As I read Spark: A Creative Anthology (Volume III), I was excited to release my inner artist as I let the words permeate my…
Stephanie was 21 years old and engaged to a man she was crazy about. Everything but the gown was planned–the date, the colors, the venue. Announcements were out, the vendors were selected, and the bridesmaid dresses were picked out. It was her future, and she was thrilled about all of it. The lucky man was…
Six years ago, I was serving as a Mormon missionary. It’s something I did full-time for a year and a half of my life before getting married or finishing school. I learned some of my most valuable life-lessons in those short, cherished 18 months. I made friendships that will last forever and came to know…
Janene was a nanny for a married couple who didn’t seem to have any interest in raising their child. The mom wanted a career, and the father didn’t want anything to do with rearing his son. Janene worked 21 hours a day, seven days a week, caring for and teaching their son from the time…