When Wedding Vows Go Up In Smoke

When Wedding Vows Go Up In Smoke

While most newlywed fights start over silly matters like him leaving his underwear on the floor or her burning dinner, our marriage started with us learning to manage a blended family, having a child together who had severe medical issues, and Justin was traveling often for his job. As we tried to juggle it all, we both realized that, to make matters worse, each of us had brought a lot of prior baggage to our relationship. The fights were frequent, and resentment ran rampant. Now this was happening, and I worried we wouldn’t survive it.

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Can I Surrender to God's Plan When God's Plan Is Not My Own?

Can I Surrender to God's Plan When God's Plan Is Not My Own?

These battles have shattered my heart repeatedly, but each time, God has been there to put the broken pieces back together more beautifully than they were ever arranged before. He has used these moments to reveal Himself to me in such intimate ways. Our entire family has learned firsthand that tremendous pain can build tremendous faith- and to us, that's been worth every moment of the fight.

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How Can I Help When I Feel So Helpless?
Alyssa Adkins, Addiction & Recovery, Prayer Alyssa Adkins Alyssa Adkins, Addiction & Recovery, Prayer Alyssa Adkins

How Can I Help When I Feel So Helpless?

I tend to overcomplicate things when I feel under pressure. One stormy night last summer, I frantically searched the house for flashlights while the lights flickered, and the wind whistled outside the windows. I was irritated that my three teenagers weren’t engaged in my panicked preparations for an impending power outage. My 16-year-old son sat up on the couch grinning while waving his cell phone and said, “you know, we could just use the flashlights we’re all holding right here in our hands...”

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