I started reading the book of Jonah today, and right from the start, I saw myself in his story. I’ve never been called to go to Nineveh, but there have been days when I’m called to make amends with someone I’ve hurt, or to go downstairs and apologize to Michael after we’ve had an argument. Whether I’m right or I’m wrong, I know that the best thing to do is to follow the Spirit which tells us to do all that we can to live in peace with each other. The flesh is a difficult thing to combat some days as I wrestle with fear—the fear of being rejected, of…

The other day, my daughter Madison and I got to talking about just how busy little children can be. She mentioned the fact that she’s finding it harder to make connections now that she’s a mother with two busy kids under foot. I get it—I remember how busy it was back in the day, when my kids were young, and how much I craved the company of others in the same stage of life. Thankfully, the church offered a program for women like me, who needed a break, even if just for an hour. The friendships and encouragement I found at “Ladies Morning Out” was a lifeline during those early…