By Ashley McIlwain If you’ve ever been in a room with parents and their children, there will likely emerge some parenting themes. They are those lessons that parents are constantly trying to instill in the impressionable minds of their little people. In an attempt to mold their children into productive human beings that can co-exist
By Ashley McIlwain Does marriage matter? Is it still relevant? Is it important anymore? Is there any point to getting married or staying married for that matter? A lot of people are asking these questions. Maybe even you are asking these questions. With so many marriages falling by the wayside, people are losing hope for
By Ashley McIlwain I love you. Those are perhaps three of the most powerful words we can ever speak to someone, and they are perhaps three of the most powerful words that can ever be spoken to us. We all long to be loved. We were created to be in relationship and experience the richness
By Ashley McIlwain There are certain moments in life you know are special. Moments when you close your eyes tightly in an attempt to snap a mental picture that will forever capture every last detail of your surroundings. They are moments that you never want to forget. Recently I had one of those moments. I
By Ashley McIlwain Seven years. That’s right, seven years. It was seven years ago that I had a dream. Well, it was more of an inkling of a dream. At the time it was barely a formulated thought let alone a plan, but it was still the start of a dream. Though it was foggy
IMPORTANT UPDATE: As of May 2015 ... There are certain moments in life you know are special. Moments when you close your eyes tightly in an attempt to snap a mental picture that will forever capture every last detail of your surroundings. They are moments that you never want to forget. Recently I had one
By Ashley McIlwain If there is one thing I can guarantee you about your marriage, it is that your spouse will hurt you. You read that right. Your spouse will inevitably hurt, disappoint, frustrate, and anger you at some point in time during the course of your marriage. The reverse is true as well. You
By Ashley McIlwain Something that many of us don’t realize is that the decisions we make linger long beyond when they are made. This is a fact and realization I wish I’d come to fully discover and appreciate much sooner in my life because it would have saved me a lot of heartache. At the
By Ashley McIlwain I wish so badly that, when we walk down the aisle as bride and groom, we could see each other for all that we really are. Past the pure white and big smiles. Past the euphoria and excitement. Past the notion of a “perfect day.” Instead, transparent with our brokenness, baggage, issues,
By Ashley McIlwain As we kick off 2014, I am amazed at how quickly another year has gone by. It’s been a great year with all of you, and I am praying for blessings over you as well as our marriage ministry here at Foundation Restoration in 2014. What better way to reflect on the
