Heartache. It hits at unexpected times, and one can ever be prepared for it. No matter what preparation one attempts, the pain, when it accrues, is always a shock. Though you might not be enveloped in it at this moment, at one time or another, you will have pain. Sadly, it is a fact that […]

Sometimes I feel I’ve lost my voice. Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to say, no encouragement to give—like I’m in a stuck place and can’t free myself, let alone help someone else find their way. And I wonder why God has called me to this: to be a writer, encourager, empathizer, counselor. To be […]

Dear friend, You do not have to hide. I see you there, hiding yourself, hiding from the people around you, hiding from God. And I know what it’s like to hide. I lived in hiding for a long time. See, I hid for the same reason that Adam and Eve did in the garden: I […]

There is a reason why I don’t talk about God very much when I talk about mental illness. I think it’s because I’ve felt its sting myself. On hard days—days where panic rose in surges like a loose wire inside my chest, where I felt as though something inside my head had caved in and […]

I met this girl many years ago, although I don’t really remember how or when she became such a huge influence in my life. Nonetheless, here we are. She’s ruthless, cold-blooded, and extremely detrimental. She’s insulting and, frankly, she’s just annoying, and I can’t seem to get her words out of my head. I know […]

My mood is so easily affected by the weather. If it’s dark and gloomy, my spirit knows it and sends me into a tired and sulky state. It takes everything in me to put a smile on my face and get out of bed because I’m not happy. I’m sad. Rainy and gloomy weather makes […]

Trapped I was raised in a Christian home and went to a private Christian school up until I moved out here to Virginia. When I was 9 years old, I gave my heart, soul, and love to Jesus – one of the best decisions I have ever made. However, when I was 8 years old, I […]

by: Sunny Golden     So a while back I was faced with a new struggle. A struggle that has reminded me of how sneaky the devil is with his attacks. I’ve been trying to build up more personal photography work, so I decided to set up some styled shoots. While planning the shoots I […]

by Tori Watson www.marvelousthingsphotoblog.com Suicide was not something I ever really felt the gravity of until January 11th, 2013. I had seen it in movies, sure, and heard about it on the news, and I did know of a teenage boy who had been in my homeschool group who took his life several years ago. […]

   Thank you, Shayna Hardy, for sharing this beautiful image! By: Rachael Lee Stroud The New Normal Hey-you! Yes-you! You are a woman of influence. God has given us some pretty cool super powers as young women. We can use this influence to make an incredibly powerful & positive impact on the world around us. […]

I want to introduce you to a good friend of mine, Kalee Reiling. She is one of the strongest, most beautiful, and most hilarious people you will ever meet. She is just so genuine and honest with you, and so encouraging. Here is her story: “Pain… a four letter word that made a permanent home […]