My confident, courageous and spitfire-of-a-Grandma is getting ready to go home to Jesus. I’m writing this at 2am as I sit on her bedside, watching her step a little closer to heaven. It will be so hard to let her go; I suspect she’s nearly ready. Although Grandma Verlie is Read more
My ex-husband and I were together for over eight years. Like most relationships, our love was largely built and maintained around meals. We could go out for a fancy dinner one night and a dive-bar the next and feel comfortable and adventurous in both places; I loved that about my Read more
One Friday night a few months ago, I sat at a local coffee shop in an attempt to distract myself from the sadness associated with a breakup. My loneliness had encouraged me to accomplish a vast to-do lists that week, and this Friday night was going to be no exception. Read more
Divorce. How can there be so much shame in a single word? This week marks my first trip around the sun as a legally divorced person. My divorce was unwanted, unwelcome, yet necessary. It has often felt like a scarlet letter, a neon sign above my head or a prominent Read more
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Read Read more
I had a panic attack in the middle of the mall last week. No, it wasn’t convenient, but is there ever an opportune time for a breakdown? Shopping for a dress with my mother turned into a race to find my breath and my sanity outside of Banana Republic. It was embarrassing to say the least. I’ve made great mental health strides in the past few months, and this felt like a giant step backwards.
For the past year and a half, Reclaiming has been a way of life for me. When I discovered my ex-husband’s affair, I felt called to heal by “Reclaiming” places and things that held once happy memories to create new associations. The idea of stepping into pain to allow God Read more
June 18th, 2011 was seven years ago today. As cliché as it may sound, it was truly the happiest day of my life. My day started when I eagerly woke up early. I ate a healthy breakfast and hugged my family. Seven years ago today, I praised God for His Read more
I am so excited to announce Reclaiming Communities! Maybe you feel like no one will understand. Maybe you don’t know where to start. Maybe you need practical help to Reclaim. Maybe you need to know you’re not alone. In St. Paul, MN I will be leading a community of brave Read more
Reclaiming is a proactive step towards healing from relational betrayal. While I was getting divorced, I decided to Reclaim places and things that aggravated the pain of my ex-husband’s affair. I often use the example of Reclaiming restaurants, but there are many different things that can and may need to be Reclaimed for the sake of your emotional health and strength.