Praises of a Wife and Mommy

  “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 (NIV) Tuesday, August 26th, was one of the hardest days yet— painful both emotionally and physically. It marked one week post-op for Anthony, and he had two appointments: one with the surgeon and one with physical therapy. It was during these visits that we learned there was some nerve damage . With it came a lot of pain during movement, and even more concerning, certain parts of his hand showed signs of paralysis. They made him a new brace, but all the movement—both from the surgeon and the physical therapist—caused his nerves to scream with such intensity that it left us shaken. Fear tried to settle in as we wondered, “Why this setback, Lord?” That day was full of tears, medicine adjustments, and so many prayers lifted up. In the midst of the storm, I was incredibly thankful for the prayers of others and especially for Abigail, who simply opened the Bible and began reading al...

  “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) Shortly after my surgery came the first day of school . As a high school teacher, this is usually one of my favorite days of the year—the energy, the excitement, and this year especially, the joy of having both of my kids, Selah and Titus , in the same school with me. I had pictured driving to school together, walking into the building with them, and grabbing those special first-day photos. But instead, I had to watch them head off without me. My own “first day” with students won’t come until later in September, once I’ve healed more. And while I know in my heart that it’s only a few short weeks, emotions hit hard . Disappointment, sadness, and even some grief tried to take over. But I’m learning in this season to surrender each thought and emotion to the Lord. He reminds me that while my plans have shifted, His purposes have not. My heart may ache, but His peace is greater. There will...