A Holy Pursuit

Dear Squirt, Just a few weeks left in the second trimester and it has gone even better than the first (I didn't even think that was possible)! One of the only side effects of your presence that I've had this trimester is a bit of sciatic nerve pain. It was especially rough during a couple of the days we were packing everything in Columbus to move to Cleveland, but we pushed through and it's been much better since. This trimester has been full of big changes and exciting news, with lots of transition. As I mentioned, we moved! Squirt, we were so content in Columbus when your daddy was pursued by a church in Elyria, Ohio. We had a really tough decision to make, because we loved the life we had built in Columbus, but this opportunity for your dad was one-of-a-kind. In the end, it was too good to pass up and we packed everything and moved up here. We deeply miss our many, special friends in Columbus, but we are looking forward to all of the opportunities here.  This tr...

Dear Squirt, I can’t believe we’re already through the first trimester! It went by so fast! I think that is mostly due to how easy it’s been (and yes, I hesitate to say that). Honestly though, I only had some nausea a handful of times, and each time it only lasted about five minutes. I know, crazy. I heard horror stories about first trimester nausea and vomiting, and with working in a pregnancy center I’m sure I’ve heard some of the worst of the worst. The only other symptoms I really noticed were being a little extra tired (and super jealous of the ladies who told me to just nap whenever I can, like they did… Yeah right. I work full time and I’m married to a pastor. Naps don’t just happen like that), and some extra acne. Boy, oh boy, I wasn’t prepared for the acne. Oh well, my hormones are working overtime and if the main thing I have to show for that is acne, I can deal with it. We had a little bit of a scare around week 11 when I had some spotting after a little longer run ...

In this final installment of the Hormone Health series I want to explain (briefly) how FEMM works and why it is so helpful and healthy for women to use, and practice, this method of tracking their cycle and natural family planning. We already know that hormonal birth control can really take a toll on the mind and body, not to mention its ability to cause early abortions. With that in mind, let's take a look at FEMM (Fertility Education and Medical Management). In a nutshell, FEMM teaches women to look at their body's biomarkers to determine health and fertility. It does not utilize any outside chemicals, hormones, or medication. Instead, it empowers women to read and understand their body's signs and symptoms in regards to healthy hormone function and fertility awareness. First, let's get a basic understanding of the four main reproductive hormones for females. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)- this hormone is triggered by the pituitary gland in the brain and signa...

In this installment of my series on hormone health, I want to share with you about the three basic functions of hormonal contraception (birth control). These three functions are pretty universal for hormonal contraception, including the pills, patch, injection, implant, and IUD. They all basically function in the same way, as I will describe below. Also, just a small caveat, many people are not aware of the basic function of hormonal birth control, and some can be shocked when they find out what it does. If this happens to you, know that I welcome a no-judgment conversation and would love to dive into this a little deeper with you, as well as teach you more about natural, organic methods to manage your cycle and fertility. Overall, hormonal birth control is called this because it is comprised of synthetic hormones that typically either completely suppress a woman’s natural hormones, or strongly alters them. Natural hormones are replaced with these synthetic hormones, in varying le...

Hey, friends! It's been a few months since my last (controversial) post, so I thought I'd grace these pages again. The Holidays are over and I finally have just a smidge more time to get back at it. Some of you know that a year ago I passed my course requirements and examination to become a certified FEMM educator. FEMM is a wonderful organization that teaches and empowers women to make more informed decisions regarding their health, particularly their reproductive health. FEMM stands for Fertility Education and Medical Management. I love teaching women all about their bodies, proper hormone function, and the key cycle event of ovulation. I also enjoy the study of hormonal contraception, namely its negative effects on the body, and the more natural, organic approach FEMM offers for managing fertility. There is so much I could say about all of this, but I want to start out by explaining how I first became interested in these topics and why it intrigues me so much. This would t...

Now is the point where I write something I don't like. That's part of sharing what God has been teaching me, and pursuing holiness in all things. It's not always fun. But it's necessary. So read on, at your own risk! :) Women, we were created as the weaker vessel. We have been created as weaker than men (1 Peter 3:7). Now, I get it if that makes your blood boil a little bit. I sometimes feel that, too. After all, that’s part of our curse from Eve, in the beginning (Genesis 3:16). Just as real as the pain in childbirth, is the desire for us to be stronger than men, namely our husbands. I don't want to be weaker. I want to be better, faster, and stronger. But that's not how God created women. It's not how He sovereignly created me. I am weaker than my male counterparts. I get it, ladies. Our culture tells us we can be just as strong, just as fast, and just as good as men. But that's where we get it wrong. Just because we are the weaker vessel doesn...

Four years ago PB and I were having dinner with a friend from college and her gracious parents in their lovely home. We were fulfilling Bryan’s college internship requirements at a wonderful church in Iowa, but we were often lonely, so one of my sweet college floor-mates offered herself and her family as company one evening. We were so thankful for this gesture, and even more thankful to learn from her parents who had been involved in pastoral ministry for many years. I remember exchanging stories and listening intently as we were told the utter importance of remembering God’s faithfulness in our lives in bringing us to Iowa and providing us both with paid internships, free housing, and a great experience. They warned that ministry, and life, would not always be so wonderful and full of hope and joy. They urged us to build a sort of Ebenezer, if you will, to remember God’s faithfulness to us during that stage of life, and be able to look back on it when we are exhausted in ministry, f...