I cried on the way home today. I wasn’t expecting that. The past few days I cared for a patient with a chronic condition. Medicine had done all it could do, and today she came to terms with that. She decided to withdraw aggressive care and seek comforting measures in the little time she had […] The post I Cried on the Way Home Today appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

I fell asleep last night with peace in my heart and a bit of pride for the fact that my son was smiling as he kissed me goodnight, even though he had been crying when we first laid down to say our bedtime prayers. I mean, I knew the Holy Spirit had a lot to […] The post To the Mom Shaming Your Kid on Facebook appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

I stood in the kitchen with my husband putting groceries away. My oldest child and I had just arrived home from a trip to town for some food essentials, plus a trip to the Barber Shop. “I wasn’t prepared for that,” he whispered, while pointing into the other room. “It was like a kick in […] The post When a Haircut Is a Kick in the Sack appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

Three years ago. Wow. Looking at the black and white photo of my face, I feel… empty. Sometimes emotions are like that. It’s not a void of emotions, but rather an onslaught. Too many to comb through and pick just one. This week the hospital I’m at put out a policy stating we didn’t have […] The post The Scars That Don’t Fade appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

I’ve discovered something as I’ve gotten older, especially in the last year or so. It’s that most people cannot see me. It’s not that I’m invisible, or even in relation to my introverted nature. It’s not that they don’t see the physical body standing there, or even the smiling pictures I place on social media. […] The post When They Don’t See You. Not Even Close. appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

I baste the bird, liquid butter with bits of garlic poured out over the bulging breasts of our Thanksgiving turkey. My eyes burn as I go about the task, gritty from lack of sleep after sitting in the psych hold of the local ER all night, but more so still on fire after so many […] The post What Do I Have to Be Thankful For?! appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

I recently received a comment on my most recent blog post, where I had detailed the experience of my transgender son. I must say, the comment was written so kindly and compassionately, which I truly appreciated. In fact, it reminded me of something I might have written five years ago; I’ve always been the loving […] The post Love the Sinner, Not the Sin? My Journey with Homosexuality. appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

I recently shared a picture of my twelve year old on social media. I’ve always been so proud of all my children, in all their uniqueness and particular strengths, and this post was no different. My pre-teen has emerged as a very talented crafter and seamstress/tailor, and I wanted to share the latest creation. But […] The post This is My Son appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

I was driving down a picturesque stretch of scenic road, by myself, listening to music. The sun was shining, vast green pastureland stretched out to either side, and in the distance large mountains looked down upon me. The words from the car radio caught my attention. “Please be my strength.” I lifted my right hand […] The post Please Be My Strength appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more

One year ago I bought a house in SW Florida. My dream home, in fact. It has this tropical oasis in the backyard I have desired since childhood. Funny how things change. I recently told a friend, “God doesn’t take you from A to E. He takes you to B, first.” She had said I […] The post Step by Step. Not Just a NKOTB Song. appeared first on Brie Gowen ..read more