Live your joy story!
14 Jul

How Sacrifice Makes Us Better

Joy
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Twenty-eight years ago I took a vow. As I stood at the altar I married the love of my life. I had no idea what it would take to build a life that we loved. Like many married couples, Brady and I have seen a lot of changes. And yet,...
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16 Jun

Avoiding the Comparison Trap

Joy
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Affirmation,  Sidetracked or Sincere?
In a world of many options, it’s hard to resist making comparisons. Seeking similarities or determining superiority seems endless. In most cases, my analysis is fairly harmless: comparing pasta to rice, one route to another, or capris to a skirt. However, sometimes my mental match-ups completely fail. This is often...
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12 May

The Beauty of a Boundary

Joy
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As I walked through my neighborhood a few months ago, I encountered a Great Dane. It wasn’t a matter of who would blink first. It was a question of who would run first. I didn’t know if he was aggressive, but I knew I was vulnerable. The dog took a...
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21 Apr

Why Having a Hero Matters

Joy
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When I was a young, my dad was my first hero. He was a firefighter. As he arrived home at the end of his shift, it was hard to contain my excitement. When he saw me he’d clap three times. This was my signal to jump into his arms for...
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07 Apr

3 Life Lessons from My Road Trip

Joy
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Last weekend, my family and I took a road trip to Washington D.C.  In addition to spending Easter with family, we spent time with my Dad whose health has recently declined.  For Brady, Ryan and me, this trip had a special tug on our hearts. We enjoyed our visit but...
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21 Oct

A friend in need

Joy
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A few months ago, I met a woman who said she’d grown weary of depending on the kindness of friends. Often disappointed, even devastated, by the lack of consistency in her friendships, she decided to tough-it-out alone. In her words, “There would be no more half-hearted words of encouragement or...
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22 Sep

Redemptive Reminiscing

Joy
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Affirmation
This past week I went back to my hometown to attend two funerals. My Aunt Lovelle and my Aunt Dorothy passed within 24 hours of each other. Their sudden and almost synchronized loss was very difficult for my dad. As I spent time with him, we shared memories of my...
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