A morning swim at the outdoor pools, with the glorious sun on my back. A coffee in a cafe, breathing in the scent of freshly grounded coffee beans. A haircut at the hairdresser’s, watching dead ends snipped away.
Just a few short months ago, the idea of being able to do any of the above seemed like an impossible reality.
Julia Malucelli is bringing the age-old story of Queen Esther into the hands of young children around the world, in the hopes that the Jewish woman’s courage will encourage them to see themselves as God intended them to be: called with a purpose.
COVID-19 has certainly been a strain on a lot of us this year, and has seen us go from tackling the first round of lockdowns with much gusto, filled with ambitious plans to learn a new skill, to merely trying to survive a day at a time (“God, just see me through this day!”)
Ooh, I’d put that fancy 2020 diary down if I were you. I know, I know, you’re tremendously excited at the thought of the start of a new decade, and to be fair, things are looking quite rosy in December.
But in just a couple of months, life, as you’ve grown accustomed to, will be pulled from under your feet. I’m sorry, it is as bleak as it sounds.
Up until the age of 7, Manuele (or Manu) Teofilo was unaware that he was different.
It was when his new schoolmates started giving him weird looks that he realized he wasn’t like most people. That marked the start of the 25-year-old’s journey to change the misconceptions society has about disabled people.
Photos of orange-tinged New Zealand skylines have been lighting my social media newsfeed, with friends writing messages of goodwill in a show of solidarity with Australia, as the country continues to battle large bushfires sweeping across three states—New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.
I find making New Year’s resolutions a bit of a chore, mainly because my lists are predictable and I would have broken most of my good intentions by the end of January.
But the start of a new year is always good for fresh beginnings, and I’m determined that 2020 will be different!
Shame and helplessness were among the emotions Lisa Anderson fought when she fell pregnant at 17-years-old.
Prior to her pregnancy, she had had a rough few years, starting with her mom leaving the family when she was just 15. Her mom’s departure led to a breakdown in her relationship with God.
I had moved to another town to work in a daily newsroom in hopes of learning alongside seasoned and passionate senior editors, and maybe even winning national awards.
But alas, the nourishing work environment I had dreamed of did not materialize.