We’ve all heard the saying: “Hurt people hurt people.” And it’s true—people who carry deep pain often project that pain onto others. They lash out, shift blame, dismiss your feelings, or twist your words. Maybe you’ve felt this firsthand. Maybe you’ve poured your heart into someone, only to be met with criticism, anger, or silence. It’s draining, isn’t it?

Being mistreated—especially by someone you love—can leave you feeling invisible and questioning yourself. You start wondering, “What’s wrong with me? Why do they treat me this way?” But here’s the truth:

Dear readers,

I read something recently that hit in that quiet, gut-level way.

“6 + 3 = 9, but so does 5 + 4.

The way you do things isn’t always the only way to do them. Respect other people’s way of thinking.” I’ll even add 7 + 2.

Simple. But layered.

Because somewhere along the line, many of us were conditioned to believe there was only one right way to show up in this world. That the path we were taught—whether in our households, our churches, or even within ourselves—was the blueprint everyone else should follow too.

But the truth is:

Dear Readers,

We’ve all had days we wish we could erase.

Words we wish we hadn’t said.

Doors we wish we hadn’t slammed.

People we wish we hadn’t hurt.

Versions of ourselves we never wanted anyone to see.

Maybe for you, it was one bad decision — or maybe it was a whole season of spiraling. Either way, it left you questioning your worth. You wonder if people look at you differently now. You wonder if God does too.

Let me remind you of something sacred and true:

God does not hold your worst day against you.

He doesn’t define you by the moment you broke down, messed up, gave in, shut off, or acted out. He doesn’t throw your regrets back in your face like people do. He doesn’t whisper your failures behind your back.

He already knows the ugliest parts of your story — and He still chose you.

That bad day didn’t shock Him.

That mistake

Dear Readers,

During our weekly women’s Bible study, my sister asked a question that didn’t just land — it lingered.

“What name have you been answering to that God never gave you?”

At first, it sounded like a simple reflection. One of those pause-and-think-for-a-second questions.

But then, the room fell quiet.

And in the stillness, I realized: this was not a surface-level question. It was a soul-level one.

Because if we’re being honest, most of us have been answering to names we were never meant to carry.

We’ve been responding to labels given to us by pain, by people, by pressure.

We’ve accepted definitions that were born out of trauma, criticism, or comparison — and we’ve worn them like identity badges.

Names like:

Growing Pains: Parenting a Teen While They Outgrow You

Parenting a teenager is like watching a beautiful flower bloom-exciting, awe-inspiring, and bittersweet. My daughter is growing into an independent, strong young woman, and I couldn’t be prouder. But if I’m honest, that same independence sometimes leaves me feeling… alone.

This is my first time being a parent to a 16-year-old, just as it’s her first time being 16. We’re both figuring things out as we go, making mistakes, learning, and trying again. It’s messy. It’s emotional. And some days, it feels like we’re speaking entirely different languages.

But in the chaos of teenage emotions, occasional outbursts, and moments where I feel