Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:21 How vital this truth is in the world we are living in. What I love is that, it's always been true no matter what time in history or cultural challenge it would be read in. The Word of God endures forever, and
Reflection. It’s good for the soul to take time and just breathe. Life has a way of speeding by us so quickly that, in many ways, it’s a blur. Especially since becoming a mom, I feel like the days often bleed one into the other, and the next thing I know, they’ve all disappeared. So,
By Ashley McIlwain Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. –Ephesians 4:31-32 If there is one guarantee in relationships, it is that you will
By Ashley McIlwain Marriages are boring, affairs are fun! That’s what the spam email said that was sitting in my inbox staring at me candidly and shamelessly. My heart ached as I saw the words beseeching me to believe their ridiculous claim. Unapologetically this lie dared to even show its ugly face. Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed
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 If someone were to keep a running list of all of my mistakes and missteps during my life, they would need the world’s largest notebook and a tenacious writing hand. The truth is I screw up all of the time and have since I can remember. Constantly, I battle between what I
By Ashley McIlwain I had gone to the post office and was met by a line of people out the door. My shoulders sank at the reality that I couldn’t just come back and was sure to be waiting for quite a while in this long line. Sure enough, over 20 minutes later, I finally
By Ashley McIlwain Love. What does that word even mean? These days it seems no one really knows anymore. When you ask someone what they believe love to be, oftentimes you get a description of euphoric, idyllic feelings that sound like a chapter out of a romance novel or a scene from the latest chick
