“Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” The Angel startled Mary. Her prayers cracked open with the unexpected visit. Her mind swirled with the greeting of high honor. No one, not even Joseph, called her ‘favored one.’ She forced herself to focus as the angel kept speaking. “The Holy Spirit will come upon […]
She Is Enough, She is Perfect
by on November 17, 2019 Leave a Comment
Trigger Warning: Mention of sexual assault and suicidal ideation *** I was born needing to be fixed. They didn’t have the fancy ultrasounds forty-some years ago, so I came out bloody and ready to breathe life into the world—except I could barely breathe. I was born disfigured; my lip was attached to the bottom of […]
She
by on October 28, 2019 Leave a Comment
She holds me The spirit of me The mind of me The heart of me The guts of me She Capable Phenomenal Regenerative Magical She I count on Her Expectantly For healing For beauty Consistency To stand To dance To walk To run Yet unbeknownst My body, She She also Believes in me Trustingly […]
Sisters in Mental Illness: Healing Trauma Through Self Love
by on October 21, 2019 Leave a Comment
“Radical self love and radical self compassion is really one of the key ways to heal yourself from trauma. You have to release yourself. You have to choose yourself.” —Grace Sandra. This month, Shaley sits down with award-winning blogger and author Grace Sandra. Grace has experienced postpartum depression, divorce and remarriage, childhood abuse, rape, miscarriages, […]
As One Holds the World
by on June 27, 2019 Leave a Comment
You are all eagerness and joy when you grab me by the hand and pull me onto the front porch The sun has just passed the barn and now spills around its edges, gilding the tips of the mimosa and bathing us in buttery light Our shadows are long Our faces alive We sit side […]
