At some point in our lives we will all experience a tragedy, a physical illness, the death of a loved one or the loss of a dream.
In these moments, doubts and questions will arise. How could this happen? Why me? What did I do to deserve this? How am I ever going to survive this? Where is God in all of this?
I have been there. Three times, in fact. Continue reading
The first summer my husband and I were married we decided to road trip-it for a two week tour of the East Coast. So naturally, we bought our first car and racked up 3,000 miles within the first month.
Our trip was a conglomerate of sightseeing, trail-hiking, food-consuming, memory-making moments.
But there is one moment, one day in particular, I will never forget.
One moment in time that has been forever etched in my mind.
We celebrated the 4th of July with millions of other people. In Boston. Where the story of America began. Continue reading
I love gardening. Creating our own patio retreat has provided a personal oasis of beauty and sunshine while the birds gather above in magical chorus.
This week I sank into the cushions, iced coffee in hand. As I breathed in nature, my eye caught a glimpse of a disturbing sight.
Weeds.
My ultimate arch enemy.
The one thing I hate even more than dirty dishes.
Sticking out like a sore thumb, those gnarly little rascals were ruining my view. Gleefully basking in the sunlight, they made themselves right at home as if to spite me. I’m pretty sure they were smirking as they burrowed their roots even deeper. Continue reading
Last week we took a family trip to New York City. And since we had a rental car, we figured what the heck? Let’s drive in the city.
Never. Again.
Don’t get me wrong. We consider ourselves experienced city drivers. In fact, we’ve comfortably driven in the biggest cities of America; places like Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, etc. But nothing compares to the stressful traffic of NYC. Continue reading
I’ve been a Jesus-follower long enough to know that the Christian life ain’t all rainbows and sunshine. It’s a journey with mountain top experiences and their valleys below. And in those valleys, the struggle is real. Sometimes in long seasons of suffering, it can feel like God is silent and far away. And you find yourself wondering, Does He see? Does He even care?
I wrote this for a dear one of mine who has been suffering in the sea of adversity; drowning in wave upon insufferable wave. At times it seems unfair. Unjust. Undeserved. Left with a broken heart and a million unanswered questions.
In our darkest moments, it can feel like God has abandoned us. Or that He has turned a deaf ear to our prayers. Or that He isn’t moved by our tears. But just because we feel that way, does not mean it’s true.
Because He is there. He does see. And He deeply cares. Continue reading
I’ve been a little frazzled these last 2 weeks. The culprit? Those perpetual little tasks I finally check off the to-do list only to find them on my list again…an hour later. You know the ones. Dishes. Laundry. Incessant cleaning. Why are there still clothes on the floor??
And what is that monstrosity of clutter doing on my counter again? For the love of all things organized, can the mailman please stop drowning me in a mountain of papers to sort?! Can things just stay frozen in time (preferably after I’ve deep cleaned) so a girl can get some peace around here?? The futility of the mundane is about to make me go crazy.
At times I wonder, Am I just wasting my life? Continue reading
I love the Easter Bunny as much as the next kid. In fact, I think I spotted his furry little tail in my yard yesterday. You can bet he’ll be back this weekend, sprinkling our home with color and candy.
But while he may bring us what we want, he won’t bring what we need. The Easter Bunny will leave us as he found us. Unchanged. Destined to face another Monday. Left again to deal with our anxieties and fears with little more than a sugar high.
This Easter I need more than marshmallows, eggs, and chocolate. I need peace for my anxiety. I need purpose in my life. I need strength to face my fears. I need to know I am not alone. To know that my life matters. To know that I am loved, regardless. Continue reading
I’ve been told that if you’re a writer, you should write. And when you can’t write, read.
My four-year old nephew devours books. He asks us to read the same one countless times until he memorizes it and can “read” the book himself. A chip off the ol’ Aunt block. As a kid, I would press my nose into books. Wild with imagination, I traveled to other worlds from the comfort of my own home.
But somehow our love for reading dwindles in adulthood. Those well worn pages start collecting dust on the shelf. We go to college. We get a job. We start a family. We get busy. And tired. At the end of an exhausting day the last thing we want to do is read something. So we browse Facebook or flip on the TV. But honestly, when has TV (or Facebook) ever changed my life? Continue reading
Rachel Boulos 