life. faithful.

No matter which side of the issue you're on, you should read Melissa Ohden's book, You Carried Me. I just finished this book, and it's definitely worth your time. I received the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review, so the words here are entirely my own opinion. Melissa Ohden always knew she was adopted, but she found out as a young teen that there was more to her story than she knew--she was the survivor of a botched saline abortion. I can't even begin to imagine what that would be like. Her story starts at a point where a lot of stories have ended, a baby not meant to survive. Where her story goes from there, though, is hard to imagine. So hard, in fact, that she's been accused of making up her story. Melissa's book--her life, the good and the bad, poured out on paper--is a story of hurt, betrayal, loss, and confusion. At the same time, though, it is a story of of healing, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. The writing isn't neces...

Imagine sitting down to do something knowing that you are expected to fail. Not because it's something that you aren't good at, but simply because it has been designed to be too hard for you to pass. Now imagine doing that a second time...and a third...and each time the task is purposefully made harder. How disheartening would it be to see, over and over and over again, that some nameless and faceless entity (who, by the way, holds enormous sway over your future) sees failing as the best you can do? And then, after you've struggled through this 3 different times, you have to do it again... "only this time," they tell you, "it's for real." Well, kind of for real...the results don't really count for or against you, but they are supposed to be used to predict your future performance. Oh, and those in charge of you are going to be judged on how well you do, but no pressure or anything... Oh yeah--and you're a kid. I'm sure some of ...

"How long must I cry, O Eternal One, and get no answer from you? Even when I yell to You, 'Violence is all around!' You do nothing to save those in distress. Why do You force me to see these atrocities? Why do You make me watch such wickedness? Disaster and violence, conflict and controversy, are raging all around me. Your law is powerless to stop this; injustice prevails. The depraved surround the innocent, and justice is perverted. ETERNAL ONE: 'Look at the nations and watch what happens! You will be shocked and amazed. For in your days, I am doing a work, a work you will never believe even if someone tells you plainly! Look! I am provoking and raising up the bitter and thieving Babylonian warriors from Chaldea; they are moving out across the earth and seizing others' homes and property in their path.'" ~Habakkuk 1:1-6 ISIS is an evil, swarming across the land and destroying everything and everyone in their path. They wi...