Peace Like A River

I am talking to you–yes, you. You know who you are. You are scared and anxious. Your heart is heavy. It is a struggle to get through each day carrying around your worries and fears. Or, maybe you have convinced yourself that everything is fine, yet there is a nagging sense that it’s really not. […]

Inexhaustible

“That’s not fair!” screamed my five-year-old through a stream of tears. He was very upset that his older brother had received a fancy t-shirt as his souvenir on a recent trip to a Florida theme park. Ironically, just moments before, he was quite satisfied with the whiz-bang light saber he had chosen as his souvenir. […]

Overcomer

I am a huge fan of Christian music. It never fails to inspire me and make me feel closer to Christ. It doesn’t matter how stressed I am, when I play my favorite Christian songs, I am transformed. My attitude becomes more positive, my worries dissipate, and I even feel more alive. The first year […]

Turn On The Light

At any given time, everyone has some aspect of their life that could be described as in “darkness.”  It could be physical darkness due to an illness with yourself or a loved one. It could be financial darkness due to the loss of a job. Or, it could be emotional darkness due to a divorce. Whatever […]

New Math

The best way I can describe the suffering from my divorce is it was like a heavy weight strapped to my back, combined with a gnawing ache in the pit of my stomach. It was always there. The only relief I would get was when I slept. Unfortunately, the second my eyes opened, the pain […]

Sure Bet

One time, as I was walking through a casino in Las Vegas, I heard a lot of cheering and commotion coming from a roulette table. Curiosity got the best of me, and I wandered over to see what was going on. I got there just in time to see the roulette operator slide three large […]

A Bridge Back

I often think about the Catholics that have left the faith because of their divorce. The reasons they left are usually because they feel alienated, ashamed, or unwelcome. Often, the annulment process is a stumbling block, too. In any case, there is usually a sense of loss when I talk to them. It is sad. I […]

Be Radical

Have you ever had a time during the course of your divorce when you felt like doing something radical? I’ve spoken to many people who have done just that.  Maybe they adopted a totally new look, got a completely new haircut, sold their minivan for a sports car, or started to go clubbing.  When we go […]

You Are Loved

“You are loved. Do you hear me? YOU ARE LOVED!” were the words the priest said emphatically. This was the central theme of the three-day mission led by this priest in my parish. He was so convinced of this truth, and was trying to convince everyone else who attended, that he actually had buttons made […]

Checking the Box

One day, shortly after I had started my annulment process, I was outside doing yard work. My thoughts drifted to the annulment and how I was anxiously anticipating its completion. I remember thinking that I was looking forward to getting my annulment so “I could meet someone more loving and more ’together’ than my ex.” […]