by Emily Wierenga | Jan 6, 2014 | babies, birth, death, grief, heaven, hope, loss, miscarriage, mothers, open letter
Dear Mothers Who Have Miscarried, I’ve lost two, and it’s near torn me apart, this longing to be in heaven with my babies, but I’ve learned the secret to staying on earth. I learned the secret, just weeks ago, and I want to share it here with you, if... by Emily Wierenga | Jan 1, 2014 | #AfricaWH, Africa, art, blogger trip, genocide, Gulu, miscarriage, orphans, Rwanda, Uganda, World Help
I forgot to cancel the baby updates.At first I just wasn’t able to because that would mean she was really gone–the daughter we’d dreamed of for a year, the one we’d felt God showing us with the chubby cheeks and brown hair, who danced in a... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 30, 2013 | binging, christmas, daughters, dieting, eating disorder, food, girls, holidays, nutrition, purging
There’s no doubt, Christmas hurts the waistline. The chocolates, cinnamon buns (Pioneer Woman anyone?) and sugar cookies, the turkey and potatoes and perogies, and for a former anorexic, the choices are overwhelming. Do I just take all five salads? How many... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 25, 2013 | brain cancer, childhood, children, christmas, lessons, mum, nativity, the high calling
It’s December 25, 2009. My son is just over a month old in his blue booties, the ones I bought this summer in Italy when I went to Lake Como for a writer’s conference.And I feel like Hannah.Aiden is my miracle child, the one we’ve been praying for the past few years,... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 24, 2013 | advent, christmas
sometimes i can hear the world breathing.it’s in the stillness, the act of doing nothing, that it hits like blast of train whistle and the mouth of the world smells of pretzels and salt and sweat and beer and coffee and tired and fast food,like the exhaust of... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 23, 2013 | A&E, christmas, forgiveness, GQ, homosexuality, hope, humanity, interview, Phil Robertson
So here’s the thing.What Phil Robertson — the patriarch of Duck Dynasty — said to GQ in the January 2014 issue, was out of place. Taking the interview itself was perhaps a mistake. Not every platform is a good platform, and not all publicity is good... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 20, 2013 | adoption, battle, children, children's book, Christ, christmas, consumerism, Eldon Eric Johnson, materialism
My friend Eldon Eric Johnson has written a children’s book for Christmas called The Battle for Christmas Castle; not only is its message invaluable in our western culture, but the sales of the book are going towards an incredible cause. Please read Eldon’s... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 18, 2013 | depression, fear, grace, imperfect prose, Kimberlee Conway Ireton, postpartum
Today’s post is by my friend, Kimberlee Conway Ireton… and she’s giving away her new memoir, too! Please welcome her.via reckless youth on instagramThe darkest week of the year. The darkest week of my life. Looking at me, you’d never have thought it... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 17, 2013 | church, homeschooling, pastor's daughter, The Better Mom, women
I am a pastor’s daughter.The girl who was home-schooled and raised on Dr. James Dobson, who was made to stay at church until her father shook the very last hand and who wasn’t allowed to eat out on Sundays because that would mean making other people work.... by Emily Wierenga | Dec 16, 2013 | angry, candy, children, christmas, Jesus, mother, nativity, Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, truth
The whole town is there, young and old, the children climbing onto the stage and playing the piano and dancing around the Christmas tree.Santa arrives at seven o’clock in his red suit and his white beard and long black boots. He’s jolly and he sits in his...