Wanting to experience God on a new level I attempted, to create a comfy space in the cleaning closet under my staircase and quickly realized that God wasn't after my comfort, He was after my heart. Through training at Mercy Ships, a season of loss, and my word for the year, abide, I began to trust God with my concerns, doubts, fears and struggles instead of striving to figure it all out on my own.

For years, I searched for wholeness in all the wrong places — in relationships, in marriage, in motherhood, in being the person everyone needed me to be. I was a recovering people-pleaser and perfectionist, hiding behind locked journals and a smile that masked real despair. This post traces that journey: from a grieving little girl who lost her father and grandfather within months of each other, to a woman set free from the weight of her past.

I weighed my options: should I buy the whole chicken from a local farm-to-table feed store or a big grocery chain? I said a simple, half-hearted prayer mixed with doubts. God answered my prayer in a way I didn’t expect. He desires open communication and knows our hearts deeply. Prayer is a powerful gift but can sometimes feel overwhelming or difficult when we don’t know the right words to say. My whole chicken prayer was a tangible reminder of God’s loving provision.

A childhood game of Red Rover becomes a lesson about what we all crave, to belong, to be chosen, to matter. One split-second decision can leave someone I love feeling betrayed and rejected. Jesus understands that pain firsthand. Betrayed by a close friend and rejected by those nearest to Him, He still chooses us, especially when we feel like outcasts. If you’ve ever carried the sting of rejection or the ache of betrayal, this story will remind you whose team you are welcome t