My beautiful horse, Rita, was covered in dried blood, dirt, and sweat. She was so beaten up and traumatized that, as she struggled to stand, she was almost unrecognizable.

I love rain. I love the smell of rain even before the first drop falls. As a child, I would lie in the door and watch the rain. To this day, I love to fall asleep listening to the rain. While too much rain can cause severe damage, especially when coupled with strong winds and deafening thunder, the fact is, life wouldn’t exist without the rain.

“Ouch!” Excruciating pain tore through me as I yelled at my attacker, ““Get out of here!” Angrily, I blotted the blood running out of two deep wounds. 

A few years ago, my husband and I traveled to rural India on a journey to explore adoption. The long trip involved planes, trains, and automobiles. With each successive change of transportation, we moved deeper into rural country, entering one of India’s most backward states, especially in terms of education and empowerment for girls.

Are you a natural conversation starter? I’m not. I’m especially hesitant to begin a conversation about my Christian faith with people I don’t know or just met. Many Christians have a hard time sharing their faith, so I know I’m not alone. Most people won’t actively flee town to keep from speaking about Jesus as the prophet Jonah did, but avoiding opportunities or remaining silent when given an opportunity is far too common.

“I believe our car is overheating,” my husband exclaimed as he carefully drove our trusty station wagon down the Asheville mountains. We had attended a family reunion and were on our way home. Tired and thirsty children added to the tense moment. “Oh, please, not car issues now, “ I mumbled. We were still three long hours away from home.

Sexual trauma can severely derail life. Choosing to heal can be a long, hard journey. But learning to process emotions and express oneself after experiencing the trauma of sexual exploitation is possible.

What an exciting time to be alive! Yes, for real. For followers of Jesus Christ, walking by faith, trusting in the Lord our God, and leaning into the hope of our calling, we have nothing to be afraid of in this world.

Suggested reading from the Editor's personal library.

According to Google, “Is God real?” is searched 200 times per second. Why? Because we are wired to worship something greater than ourselves and we will search for that greater thing until we find it.

Like most people, I struggle with waiting. I’m in a season of waiting for direction from God as to my next step vocationally, and it is not easy. Waiting is never easy. 

According to the Center for Bible Engagement, the life of someone who engages with Scripture four or more times a week looks radically different from the life of someone who doesn’t.

How would you navigate life if you didn’t have a car? Most of us take reliable transportation for granted. How hard would it be to live one year without a vehicle?

Our youth have it tough. Addiction to technology, rampant mental health issues and antisocial disorders, increasing rates of teen suicide, and more plague this upcoming generation.

Anxiety seems to be more prevalent and powerful than God does these days. You can’t go a day without hearing the word anxiety. And most people can’t go a day without experiencing it on some level. It was in the midst of my struggle with anxiety where God strengthened my faith.

The highly anticipated day finally arrived. Blue skies and a gentle breeze enhanced the excitement as I loaded my four young sons and their new kites into our van. It was kite flying time!

We are living in serious dark times. Lies are rampant, but we know, as Christ followers, God’s Word is truth.

As we embrace a new season, I want to share some personal encouragement with you.

“You have a brain tumor” is one of the scariest sentences a person can hear.

Every day we’re invited into so many stories. Some are uplifting while others are heartbreaking. Some are infuriating, scary, and others make us laugh out loud. Whether the story is in the news, a movie, a book, or listening to a friend share a page from their life, the lens from which we view this world is story.