I smiled at my little nephew, heart swelling with pride.  There he was on the school stage, tie askew, singing “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” loudly and badly. He didn’t know the hand motions. He got carried away and sang the closing note for too long. And at one point… Read More

The first time a good friend “broke up” with me in middle school, I ran home crying to my mom. She patiently listened as I detailed every aspect of our friendship, everything we said, everything that happened the last time we had a sleepover at her house. I spent… Read More

Growing up in the ’90s, I was bombarded with messages of self-worth 24/7. Almost every pre-teen Disney movie or Nickelodeon TV show bedazzled itself with the same tried-and-true message: Be yourself! Don’t let anyone dull your shine! It all sounded nice, but it seemed at odds with another message… Read More

I inherited many wonderful things from my father: his olive skin, his love of music, his zeal for learning. But one of the more challenging things he bequeathed to me is my unrealistic concept of time. Overly idealistic, I try to cram 47 activities into a single day. I… Read More

I don’t belong here, I thought. My acceptance letter was a fluke. I walked through the ancient university building. The sound of posh British accents filled my ears, making me feel insecure about my uncultured accent. I tip-toed through the hallways, hoping no one would notice me. It was… Read More

“Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er, Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more.”   “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” by Louisa M. R. Stead The world is moving too fast, you think. You… Read More

It’s been this way ever since you can remember. You’re the kid who got picked last in gym class. The friend they forgot to invite to the birthday party. The daughter or son who went unheard. Overlooked. Unwanted. Alone and cut off from everybody else. Sometimes the… Read More

Do you feel overwhelmed by other people’s judgment? Like you’re always the one who gets blamed for everyone’s mistakes? Like everyone expects you to anticipate their every little need and resents you when you can’t live up to their impossible expectations? Maybe you feel like you constantly let your… Read More

We all sat in silence. Afraid to breathe too loudly. Terrified of being called out. Our third grade teacher scratched her nails on the chalkboard as she wrote this question: What is the largest ocean in the world? “Any takers?” she challenged, surveying our stoic faces. None of us liked… Read More

I floated in my pool, thinking of all the ways I’d be a whole new person. It was the summer before 9th grade, and I had the highest of hopes for the new, improved high school version of me. High school Hannah would be hilarious. She would be stylish… Read More