When You’re Tired of Being Brave

I’ve been brave for so long that I don’t remember choosing it. Bravery became my default setting at a young age. I didn’t sign up for it or raise my hand and volunteer. It appeared in circumstances I didn’t choose. Loss, disappointment, unanswered prayers, and the accumulation of grief that hangs heavily on my shoulders.

Restoration May Tary But It's Never Late

Age twelve and the oldest of four, I gathered my siblings into a huddle to shield them. Our parents were pointing shotguns at each other in our living room. I thank God they didn’t pull the triggers Half a century later, both parents, long divorced, show end-of-life symptoms. Tears fall or laughter bursts without warning; the emotions are tumultuous.

Small Steps, Big Hope: The Power of Shrinking Your Goal

Some years, I’ve set goals so big they swallowed me whole. Eat healthier. Declutter every room. Write more. Rest more. Strengthen relationships. Fix everything by Valentine’s Day. By March, I felt overwhelmed and defeated. The goals weren’t unrealistic because they were unworthy—they were unrealistic because they were too big for a weary season.

The Call

On September 10, a mom from our church received a call from inside Evergreen High School where her two sons attend. Desperate, the freshman son called telling her there was someone shooting in the school. “Don’t hang up, no matter what,” she begged her son.