Giving Up Control, Walking with God in Community
By: Kelly L.
I thought I had everything planned—a future with my husband and two young boys—but several unexpected blows changed everything. In the midst of a global pandemic, a single revelation shattered my world, sending me on a journey I didn’t expect—one of heartbreak, rediscovery, and an unexpected path toward faith.
In 2020, I was living in the state of California with my husband of 5 years and our boys, ages 2 and 4. Lockdowns were in full force, and I was anxiously trying to control every aspect of our lives.
The Church, A Beacon of Hope
By: Allie R.
“I love this ministry because when I get asked by a single mom if we can help, I have an amazing community to point her towards.” —
Josh Czufin, Life Groups Local Missions Pastor Life.Church (Colorado Springs)
I grew up in the church as a pastor's kid, and it was heavily ingrained in me always to do everything right. I was taught that my life would be blessed by the Lord if I was as close to perfect as possible. I was not allowed to listen to secular music, and eventually, not to Amy Grant's music either because she got divorced - one of the greatest sins of all time. So, I lived a very performance-oriented life and was highly anxious about being less than perfect.
Love When I Needed It Most
By: Aubrey P.
At the end of March 2023, I came to the Not Alone group at my church, broken and desperately needing connection with other women like me. Just one month earlier, I had moved out of my house and into a condo after being shocked to discover my husband had been seeing someone else. We had been together for 21 years, married for 16 of them, and divorce was never something I had envisioned for my life. Nor had I ever thought I would become a single mom to our two children, then 13 and 10 years old.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS - SCANNING FOR ABUSIVE TENDENCIES
Many of us have either been in an abusive relationship, or know someone who has been. Typically an abuser is very charming, particularly early in a relationship, and they may gain our confidence and trust quickly. As we meet new people and get to know potential partners, how can we be sure we aren’t falling for a bad apple? How do we differentiate between the normal bouts of selfishness all humans have on their bad days, versus something emotionally destructive? Fortunately, most abusers put out warning signals before their abuse goes into full gear. We must be familiar with these signs and regularly scan for them.
Making Ends Meet When Inflation Hits
It’s no secret that we’re all feeling the pinch when it comes to making ends meet these days. Here are some practical ways to combat rising inflation.
How To Co-parent With A Difficult Ex
Parenting, even on our best days, can be challenging. Imagine trying to co-parent with a difficult ex. Here are some tips and strategies to help.
Hope When You Are Hurting
We all go through seasons of great hurt, pain, and even suffering. Maybe you are in one right now. Maybe you are in a season of betrayal or feel very alone. Is there hope in those seasons? What does it look like? How do I find it?
When we feel rejection
We each have those soft spaces in our hearts and souls that feel “less than” and make us believe we are different, rejected, and unworthy. How do we look at those feelings and replace false narratives with truth? Our guest writer Cordelia Stevenson will share her story…
Waves of Grief (Part 2) - Riding Towards Health
We know that change creates grief and often pain. Sometime we get stuck and don’t know how to move forward. In this post, we’ll explore the research on how to navigate our grief towards a more healthy place.
Waves of Grief (Part 1) - Normal Emotions
We are often surprised by the intensity of our emotions as we navigate loss and experience grief. We begin to worry that maybe what we’re feeling isn’t normal. In this post we’ll examine the most common emotions we go through when dealing with significant change and loss.
Is it OK to ask for Help?
Perhaps you’ve been there. Perhaps you ARE there! Despite your best efforts, a bill is coming due, and you simply can’t pay it. Maybe, you’re sitting at home, lonely and need someone to talk to. Or, you have two children needing to be in two places at the same time and there is just one of you. What do you do? Is it OK to ask for help?
Donuts with Dad
Sometimes someones really good idea can become a challenge when it plays out in different family dynamics. How can you navigate school events for dad when dad isn’t in the picture?
Getting a Handle on Finances
For most of us, financial pressures are a constant; there always seems to be another bill to pay. How many times have you woken up with that knot in your stomach, worrying about how you would be able to cover rent or buy groceries? Let’s talk about getting a better handle on our finances.
A Picture of Impact
Ever wonder if God is going to show up? Or, if your donations are having an impact? Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words, or even better, rent.