Turn back the clock to 6 years ago. I came down with a vocal problem that wouldn’t go away. For a singer, a vocal issue can be quite alarming. It conjures up images of botched surgery and a voice that is potentially ruined for life. Most of us have heard of singing celebrities who are […]
It’s Not Just You
When I first asked for volunteers with stories of childlessness, I had no idea that so many people would respond. I also had no idea how many of those people would suffer from medical conditions. It seems that there is a high correlation between illness and childlessness. This was encouraging for me, given that I […]
Single and Chronically Ill
When I first published Surviving Singledom, a single lady came up to me and told me about her chronic illness. She shared about how much harder it was to cope with chronic conditions as a single person, largely because there was no-one with whom to share the burden of caring. This lady described the things […]
The Great Unknown
I was talking with a friend recently about vulnerability. We were discussing pain and suffering and the unique challenges faces by chronically ill Christians. One thing we chatted about was the problem of physical healing. When people ask God for healing and then they are healed, it is a beautiful thing, an occasion worthy of […]
Need A Tow?
My car broke down yesterday. In the middle of traffic. On a major road. It was a warm, sunny day and the car decided to stop where it was in bumper-to-bumper traffic. It was the clutch. (My fault for driving a manual.) A clutch is supposed to operate in two phases: in and out. My […]
Artists Still Live Here
Many moons ago, the city of Brooklyn NY was a run-down place. Rent was cheap. Because the cost of living was so low, a bunch of artists moved in. They started creating art in Brooklyn and making the place beautiful. Brooklyn became trendy. In fact, Brooklyn became so popular that a whole bunch of middle-class […]
“You Have No Idea”
My husband and I attended a church function recently. We were seated at a table with three other couples. As we sipped our drinks and awaited the arrival of dinner, the conversation turned to children. It turned out the other three couples were parents and grandparents. What could have been a lovely inclusive conversation turned […]
Free-falling faith
I recently resigned from my job. That’s right, chucked it in, without having another job to go to. I have resigned without the safety net of knowing where I am going next. This was not my plan. The plan was to find the next job, line it up neatly, then resign. I like my […]
Enough
Ever been told you are too much? If you’re anything like me, you have been told most of your life that you are too much. Too bossy, too opinionated, too nice. Too assertive, too passive, too spiritual. Most of us have been told to cool it or reign it in, and the underlying message […]
Finding my Fit
When I was in my twenties, I did not fit because I was single. Everyone around me was married by the age of 21. It was like a team sport in my church. “No problem,” I thought, “It will just take me a little longer to find the right person. There’s no urgency anyway.” […]