This story is told by Jaylene Johnson, written by Gail Rodgers Fourteen year-old Jaylene flung herself onto her bed crying. It was only then, while “girl talking” about the new world of periods and pregnancies, that she did the math. The new realization hit her in the pit of her stomach. Her parents had married [...]

I was the lone female at a men’s conference… a rare opportunity to speak. As I stood at the podium I saw the faces of some men whom I knew, whose wives and kids I also knew. I was aware of some of the challenges in their homes. Yet as I looked out I saw [...]

Why is it we are drawn to some people more than others? What makes us want to maintain a friendship? Friendship can be a life-line. Connecting with like minded people who genuinely care about one another is a gift we take for granted all too often. Friends are people we feel good with. Some make [...]

They were good people. They had made it known that divorce was not an option for them. Yet here they were, going their separate ways and leaving a path of confusion and chaos behind them. There was no love affair to blame, no abuse that had been hidden. Just a slow erosion, a drifting apart, [...]

The story is told of a couple that grew to find little to appreciate in one another. The daily tally of things one did that annoyed and aggravated the other was a growing list. More and more they did less and less together. In desperation the woman visited a counselor and took along her journal [...]

New life is always a celebration! When a new baby arrives in your circle of influence welcome that little one with open arms. Don’t respond with disapproval if the circumstances around the birth have not been what you consider ideal. You have an opportunity to begin speaking into the heritage that little child will have. [...]

Grieving is a unique experience. It’s a process that is as individual as the people it affects. Oh yes, there are predictable stages … but the experience of loosing someone  dear to you is truly a very personal journey. Recently I said goodbye to my dear Dad. It’s hard to believe it was only a couple [...]

He stood at my kitchen counter drinking a cup of coffee. Our overnight guest casually spoke about summer plans he made with his wife. It sounded nice  –  a few picnics, a couple of quick weekend trips, kids sports events to take in, maybe a holiday that they had talked about for a long time.  [...]

What does the Christmas season promise you this year? We all have an expectation even if we rarely pull it out to look at it. For some it’s the expectation of a credit card bill that takes too long to pay. Others dream of just the perfect gift to buy. Some dread to go shopping. [...]

Our shock has subsided. The sad images of the despair in Haiti move into the daily routine of our newscasts. The heart -wrenching photos that keep coming are in danger of becoming the “wallpaper” of our day- to -day awareness. Wallpaper catches the eye as we enter a room. Its color and design grab our [...]