Ruth Schwenk

And deep down inside, even though we know the good Christian girl answer, we wonder if a lot of the real “us” isn’t being wasted. No, you and I aren’t in the times of Queen Esther, and our roles feel much less glamorous than hers, but can we stop for a moment and try to grasp the times in which we live? We’re called to use our gifts, talents, passions, and time to save our marriages, to save our kids, which can in turn save our churches, our countries, and our world. And when our kids’ hearts break, when the moment comes that they’re ready for His Spirit to work, we will gasp in wonder.

If you're a mom with young children, He desires gentleness for you." That our God doesn't want us running around until we drop. He would never drag you around at a pace you can't keep. He is a good Father who cares about you and recognizes the precious work you're doing by loving your little ones.

I was left breathless as the Spirit convicted me down to my core that the health of gracious words is what had been missing from our family's quest for balance and health. I wanted to get a better handle on what gracious words might look/sound like, so I looked up the antonyms for gracious. Here are a few: Friends, I am embarrassed and ashamed to say that my default mode tends away from gracious words and towards blunt, snippy, and grumpy. It does take more effort to keep my voice calm and to choose words that are merciful and compassionate, but the more we make the effort, the easier the gracious honeycomb-words will come.