Becoming Analise

I. Hate. Migraines. Period. Can anyone else relate? Do you struggle with a recurring physical issue that causes pain and allows you to think of nothing else in the midst of its attacks? I have battled migraines since I was in college, and it seems like everything instigates them! Sinus problems. Female issues. Certain foods and smells. Stress. Everything! As soon as I feel the nausea in my stomach, tenseness in my neck, and blurry vision, I know that a migraine is coming. It’s a depressing feeling knowing that a migraine will plague me for the rest of the day. Not fun! Last Thursday, I had a migraine as soon as I woke up. As I was heading to work, I prayed that the Lord would take it away and allow me to finish out my workday strong, even with the terrible pounding in my head and nausea in my stomach. Throughout the day, my head went from bad to much worse. I teach first grade, and while I absolutely LOVE my kids, they can be a little loud and high maintenance at times! When I...

“God is offended by religious ritual, however impressive, if it conceals an empty heart and a careless life …   God opposes all manifestations of human pride . ” (Taken from the ESV Study Bible Online – “Introduction to Isaiah”) What are you first thoughts after reading that statement? At first, I’m having flashbacks to sitting in the pew in “big church” in the mid-90s and checking off all of the boxes on the offering envelope. Read Bible daily. Check. Prayed daily. Check. Tithed. Check. Attended Sunday School. Check. Check. Check! Did anyone else have those envelopes?? But in all honesty, the above statement about religious ritual feels like a slap in the face to me. “Empty heart and careless life?” I do not want my life to be characterized by these descriptions. This statement comes from the ESV Study Bible’s introduction to the Old Testament book of Isaiah. In keeping up with the EASTER CHALLENGE of memorizing Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 (about the suffering and sacrifice of...

Happy Valentine’s Day Eve! I love L.O.V.E.! Dark chocolate, gifts, hugs, smooches, romantic stuff, cuddles, sweet nothings, $5 cards, Hallmark movies, all of it! I love thinking about memories with my husband as we approach Valentine’s Day – how we met, how we were too shy to speak to each other, how we planned “the talk,” how we knew that we didn’t want to be apart, how we endured six months of long-distance dating, how we began wedding plans, how we told our families, how we planned our honeymoon, etc. But those are not my only thoughts of Valentine’s Day. I have lots of other Valentine’s memories, too - the ones that consist of me being alone on the dreaded holiday. I didn’t date until I met Patrick, which means that 25 of the 29 Valentine’s Days that I’ve been alive were spent without a significant other … I have not at all forgotten about what it was like to be single, and I remember the heartache I experienced as I longed for the Lord to allow me to be romanced by a m...