Rooted in Assurance

In college, I created this graphic of Proverbs 31, quoting, "She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future." I always thought Proverbs 31 was this standard and checklist for wives, and WOW have I realized I fall short of that.  If marriage in this short span so far has taught me anything, I am far from enough to be everything for my husband. But that's not what my husband expects of me. I can, however, seek the wisdom of the Lord by reading scripture and prayerfully asking God for his guidance. Does that mean I'm successful in that every day? NO! But I'm learning.  Sometimes, I do fear the future, I don't feel all that strong, and I'm so clumsy I feel far from dignified. I believe the lies that the military dictates our future, that I'm too weak to make the decisions and handle things, that I am going to constantly fail.  In true military fashion, my husband and I had a matter of weeks together after our wedding befor...

"I'm not in love, I'm just in love with the idea of love." When I was in middle school, my dad's wife bought me this adorable sweater with the above quote on it. Laughably accurate, how many of us go through that boy crazy phase growing up? Or maybe still are in it? Sometimes it feels like there is pressure, even as a young girl, to find this soulmate. At some churches, well-meaning adults ask about that boy they saw you sit next to in church. You know how it is, you sat together so you're, you know, "together." "When's the wedding?" they ask after the first month of dating.  Most of the time it's just good-natured jokes, but unwittingly an expectation begins to form. You begin to believe a lie that you are somehow spiritually inferior if you are not yoked to another; somehow marriage is a higher level in the quest to pursue God.  But if this is the case, what about Paul? The man who wrote so much of our New Testament was spirituall...

If you've spent any amount of time on social media since the Super Bowl, you've seen a firestorm of debate over the half-time show.  Some put others on blast, saying white people are racists who have no love for other cultures. Others will say the show was vastly over-sexualized and of zero value. Before I give my opinion, I just wanted to share a little background. If you don't know me, I'm a Texas-born Florida gal. I've moved a lot since then, but I spent 16 years on the coast of Florida. I also spent 17 summers in Southern California living with my grandma on the coast of San Clemente.  I understand I am incredibly blessed (I'll admit, spoiled) to have these experiences. But what they taught me most is a love for other cultures.  Throughout my childhood I was also a dancer.  My mom, Sandy, danced for the San Antonio Spurs before I was born, so growing up she always encouraged a love for Texas and a love for music.  Now, Texans ar...