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How do I forgive people who have INTENTIONALLY hurt me? Made me suffer? How do I forgive evil? Will they get what they deserve? God will bring justice. Right? “Lord, help me to want to forgive.” This was the bold prayer of my friend who grew up with parents who were in a cult. They subjected her to every type of sexual and sadistic abuse you can think of. This friend came to mind during two lectures I heard during my recent trip to Oxford. …
This summer I had the privilege of going on vacation. While lying on a beach can be glorious, my idea of a fun vacation is one where I can learn, rest and explore. England had all of that…so I went. Oh, and did I mention that unicorns are everywhere? That’s really why I went. I first want to thank ALL of the Facebook and Twitter peeps who gave me great suggestions on what to see during my trip; it was a huge help. Below are a few …
First: This picture kills me. Partly because she looks like she just turned seven years old, and partly because my face is indicative of events that would follow 4.28 minutes later. This was taken the first week at a place in Switzerland called L’abri. Erin talked me into sledding down the side of an alp and 4.19 minutes later I thought it would be a good idea to sled…STANDING UP. 4.28 minutes later I had broken my ankle. Little did I know my photo face would …
I recently joined 4Word – a group of amazing women who are committed to supporting each other in balancing career and relationships in light of their faith. I was honored when founder, Diane Paddison invited me to do an interview for their blog, which you can read today… Interview: Joy Eggerichs Joy Eggerichs is a blogger, writer, researcher on relationships, sister, new aunt, and daughter of parents who write and speak about marriage. When directing the conferences for her parents’ ministry, Love and Respect, she overheard …
Let the competition continue! You will notice that Sharideth already has a one up due to her incredible Unicorn collection. Automatic 2 points in my book. Rate Sharideth‘s answers on a scale of 1-10. If people like her answers better than David‘s…then she wins. And who doesn’t like a winner? (Not sure why this competition is happening? Why not? It’s summer time. Check out Part 1 HERE.) 1. What is your favorite shade of white? (If you don’t know that there are multiple answers to …
Most bloggers have really good stuff to say. And then there is David and Sharideth. Not only do they have good stuff to say, but they have both made me laugh audibly via tweets or posts. Because of that, I mentally created an online gang involving the two of them. (Don’t judge. Sometimes online gangs are the only option for some bloggers.) It is only fitting to make gang members fight from time to time to see who is the strongest. And I’d like …
I wanted to bring closure to our wedding theme conversations by highlighting some of my favorite contributions from all of you. I asked you to send a laugh in keeping with this theme, so here is a taste of what I’ve been receiving… “Bitter Bridesmaid” featuring Wess & Annie Willis and their bridesmaid, Shannon Hannon. “Diet Starts Monday!” featuring the non vegetarian couple Michelle and Cale Disterhoft. “Timely Tourists” featuring Megan West’s wedding party. Did the creepers even know they were in the shot? …
Enjoy this “choose your own adventure” by clicking on the image. If it gives you a laugh, you can pass it along to friends via any medium you desire. If you don’t laugh, I will find you and inflict pain…via any medium I desire.
The unicorns will help me.
If you need to catch up on the first part of this series, check out Know Me: Part 1 and Know Me: Part 2. So let’s consider Mrs. McGillicutty. She’s sitting at table #14 sipping her water as all her grandchildren (whom she sees once a year) hit the dance floor. Problem: Her grandchildren (who don’t even know all the moves to the Macarena) are missing out on an untapped treasure trove of wisdom. I would consider this a problem. Art of Asking Questions: Seeking …
If you missed the first post in this series, check out Know Me: Part 1. Now, let’s consider your date to the wedding… Problem: You’re standing in line for the bathroom. (No, not that kind of problem.) Your friend (who really does have a bladder problem) wants the scoop on your date and what makes you two such a good match. Your answer consists of, “Oh, we just have so much fun together!” That’s great. But if the list ends there, I would consider that …
Recently I was at a wedding and I spoke with someone for an hour during “mingle time.” You know, that period lasting anywhere from 60-348.2 minutes where the ceremony is done and you are waiting for the bride and groom to arrive. Mingle Time. Post mingle time, I realized during the whole conversation, I had not been asked one question. Not one. Granted, I was asking lots of questions, and I didn’t have a need for the person to ask me any…but I still found …
Ask Joy I have been in a great relationship with my boyfriend for three years. I can’t picture myself with anyone but him. Recently, many of my friends have either gotten engaged, gotten married, or had babies. I feel like I am the odd woman out. I am eager to get married and continue the next stage of my life. When I discuss marriage with my boyfriend, he usually says, “Patience is a virtue,” and leaves it at that. I want to speed things up, …
Ask Joy How do you handle the “I can’t believe you’re still single!” comments from people? I think they mean well, but it’s still discouraging. My Response This statement is usually said to me at weddings. And I generally respond with, “I CAN’T BELIEVE IT EITHER! Thanks for affirming my fear that I smell like cheese and will die alone!” Then I try to give some grace as I remind myself that most people filter life through their own stories. They got married young. They …
Ask Joy I’m interested in this great person. All my friends say, “Be open to the relationship…but guard your heart.” What does that actually mean? My Response Questions In relationships have you ever done the wise thing over the pain free thing? Since most people associate “guarding your heart” with playing it safe, how does one guard his/her heart by the video’s definition? Any other phrases like “guard your heart” that cause you to pause and think, “Hmmm, what does that actually mean?” p.s. Confused …
Ask Joy How do I talk to my boyfriend about his temptations? I haven’t seen anything or experienced anything with him that makes me concerned, but I think it would be naive to assume he doesn’t struggle. I know that I do, and I guess I just want an open conversation. Maybe just be honest about my own struggles and ask him about his? Part 1: SAFETY Part 2: SHOULD I? My Response Part 3: SHOCKED Don’t be. If you want an honest conversation, you …
Ask Joy How do I talk to my boyfriend about his temptations? I haven’t seen anything or experienced anything with him that makes me concerned, but I think it would be naive to assume he doesn’t struggle. I know that I do, and I guess I just want an open conversation. Maybe just be honest about my own struggles and ask him about his? Part 1: SAFETY My Response Part 2: SHOULD I? Pray. Don’t discount this instruction as “Joy is just saying this because …
I want to answer this question in three parts. Let’s be honest, it’s all finished and ready to go, but we are all A.D.D. and can’t handle reading anything longer tha…I wonder if I should update my Facebook status to “catching up on my blog reading!” Welcome back. As I was saying. Here is the beginning of three short parts… Ask Joy How do I talk to my boyfriend about his temptations? I haven’t seen anything or experienced anything with him that makes me concerned, …
Ask Joy Is it normal that I am _____ years old, and never dated? My Response “Normal” is subjective. Maybe you’ve: 1) Never dated. 2) Haven’t dated in ten years. 3) Your only date consisted of your cousin being forced to take you to your senior prom in your Uncle Fred’s mint Toyota Tercel. It’s normal to feel not normal. Especially when what we long for seems to be magnified in everyone else’s life. When you desire to be in relationship, EVERYONE is in relationship. Even the …
Ask Joy Can you be sexual without having sex? I mean, as a single twentysomething Christian, how can one abstain from sex but still not completely shut down their sexuality? Any thoughts? Thanks! My Response Yes! We are sexual beings through and through. Our sexuality must be more than just sex, but it will look different for everyone. Abstaining should not mean denying how we were created. Once we can separate our sexuality from just sex, I think we are free to discuss this in …
Ask Joy What if you thought the guy was right and believed that God orchestrated the meeting? But he’s now walked away, after one-and-a-half years? My Response People have free will, which means we won’t always understand why they do what they do. Regarding God’s orchestration, the mystery becomes intertwined with our limited human understanding. It’s a deeper theological question of whether God dictates everything we do or whether He works in the midst of human beings and their choices, be they good or bad. People will …
Ask Joy How can I stop from getting emotionally attached to boys on Facebook? It has become a vicious cycle for me with different guys. Please help me! My Response First I want to honor you for being introspective and aware that this is happening to you. My guess is you’re not alone, but most people aren’t intuitive enough to recognize. Well done. However, if you believe it’s unhealthy and “vicious,” I think most people would conclude you should shut down Facebook. Trust me, the …
Ask Joy Why do women want to get married? As a woman, I don’t grasp it myself and certainly could never see getting married before I’m 25 or how it would be important. My Response Guess what is so cool? You don’t have to get married! Just make sure you don’t make flippant comments without thinking about the repercussions of them. Men will hear your mantra of not wanting to get married, and if at age 25 you all of a sudden decide to change …
Ask Joy If I am 23, how old is too old for the person I am dating in your opinion? My Response 93. You want them to at least remember who you are. Obviously there are different factors that come into play if you are coming from different generations. But if the person you want to date is older or younger, the bigger questions to ask are: Do the wise people around me say we are a good match? Do they support our relationship? If …
Three things may have contributed to my inability to find my favorite commercial of all time. 1) I am terrible at Google searches. 2) I don’t know how to spell Cezar? Ceasar? Cesar? Czar of Russia? 3) I give up on Google searches after one try. In this case, #3 isn’t true. I have actually searched for this 30 second spot of sheer genius multiple times. I mentioned it in my most recent video and the desire to see it led me to challenge my …
Some of you ask me questions that I feel I can answer in 140 characters or less. Yes, I value your questions that much. Truly, I do wish I could sit with you face-to-face and answer your questions—no matter how weird they (or you) are. Since I can’t, Twitter allows me to answer some in a quick way that might give you some direction, make you think, make you laugh, or make you want to send a bomb to my house. Please don’t. “But Joy, …
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