Marian Jordan Ellis | Redemption Story Long before Gwyneth Paltrow became famous for her role in The Avengers and her lifestyle blog, GOOP, she starred in a movie in the late 90s called Sliding Doors. I was obsessed with this film for many reasons. First of all, Gwyneth sported this amazing pixy cut hairstyle, and I was convinced...Read More
Sometimes I really miss college. Those bliss-filled days of hanging out with friends and eating whatever in the world I wanted because I still had the metabolism of a teenager. Oh, college, the glory days when my stress amounted to worrying over which dress I’d wear to a sorority formal or whether or not I...Read More
I yanked open the refrigerator and hastily pulled out food that would comprise my toddler’s lunch. Since we’ve been heavily traveling over the past month, (and she’s consumed more chicken nuggets than one should in childhood), I decided to reach for something a tad more nutritious. Thankfully, I had some leftovers that I thought would...Read More
While most Americans look forward to October 31st for the traditional feast of candy and festive costumes, I anticipate this upcoming Tuesday as the anniversary of one of the most momentous events in world history. October 31, 2017, marks 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints’ Church in...Read More
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” ― Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady My best friends know I love all things British: accents, movies, history, quirky traditions, and of course, tea time. I’m not certain when my love for all things British began,...Read More
In the midst of one of the many sleepless stretches I’ve experienced this past year, a dear friend came over to help and said words that have defined this new season of life. She looked at my sleep-deprived and un-showered state and said, “Ain’t no ‘hood’ like the motherhood.” As her funny play on words...Read More
No one prepared me for the drastic change that would occur once I got married. I was prepared for a name change, an address change, and a status change. But the one thing I was absolutely unprepared for when I crossed the “I do” threshold was the physical change that happened once my title changed...Read More
The man I loved walked out the door with no promise to return. As I watched him walk to his car, I could barely move from the place where my feet were planted. Cemented to the spot where my heart bled, I mustered the strength to pray, “Jesus, help me.” When we were dating, Justin...Read More
For many of us, July is all about summer activities like hanging out at the lake or vacationing at the beach. Of course, there is the annual “try not to burn your house down” fireworks celebration that just took place on the 4th. While all these are noble and good and downright fun, what gets...Read More
Screeching brakes broke the quiet morning calm. The alarming noise was quickly followed by a whirlwind of chaos as our luggage catapulted through the air with the ease of an Olympic gymnast. Coffee cups and croissants joined the fun by doing somersaults into our laps—scoring a perfect 10 for the dismount. Dodging a flying duffle...Read More
