Overcoming the Spirit of Perfectionism in New Year’s Goal Setting My stress level began steaming up like a pressure cooker as soon as we finished unwrapping our Christmas presents. My living room floor was still littered with discarded wrapping paper as my thoughts quickly turned from gifts and stockings to the fact that 2019 was...Read More
It’s a Wonderful Lifeis one of the most iconic Christmas movies and without a doubt, my absolute favorite. There’s a reason this film has held its own for over 75 years. For anyone who’s ever struggled with depression, disillusionment, rejection, failure, or hopelessness… this movie is sheer medicine for the soul. The film stars the actor...Read More
A Tribute to my Pastor, Dr. James DeLoach Yesterday, a man precious to my heart entered heaven. Although I pause as I write those words, “entered heaven,” because they just don’t seem fitting. I stumble over this idea because my friend, pastor, and spiritual grandfather, Jim DeLoach lived each day as if he were already...Read More
In a culture where microwaves are considered slow, movies are on demand, and a five-minute wait at a fast food restaurant requires a tremendous amount of patience, we tend to expect immediate gratification at every turn. Our world lives in the “now.” For most of us, putting off desires until the future goes against every...Read More
I don’t cry easily. I’m not a girl who is moved to tears by sappy commercials or Hallmark movies. I’m not saying I’m heartless, just not prone to weeping. But when I do cry, let me just say that I am the ugliest crier in the entire world! For starters, I don’t do simple tears....Read More
I wear many hats: wife, author, boss, friend, daughter, teacher, professional coffee drinker, and now momma. I’ve been gigging at this motherhood thing for nearly twenty months now. Twenty months of the most life-altering, heart-wrenching, joy-filled, bone-weary job I’ve ever known … and I LOVE EVERY MINUTE of it. I vividly recall during pregnancy being...Read More
“The time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3–4)...Read More
In the many years that I’ve followed Jesus, He has yet to give me a detailed road map directing my future. Boy, that would be nice. Instead, Jesus gives us His Word and Spirit to lead, guide, and direct us. Even so, when it comes to making decisions, it proves hard to discern if something...Read More
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
I stepped on the scale after the holidays with ten extra pounds staring back at me. While I don’t want to become a slave to the scale (and would never want anyone who calls herself a Redeemed Girl to be one either,) I realized that extra baggage represented some really poor habits I developed and...Read More
