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  Who Am I? My favorite musical is Les Miserables, which follows the life of Jean Valjean, who transforms from a bitter, petty thief into a man who seeks redemption. In one scene, a man closely resembling Valjean, is about to be falsely imprisoned as Valjean. Valjean must make a choice: turn himself in, or […] The post Who Am I? appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

Belief Have you ever thought about what you believe to be true and why you believe that? Recently, a prank news site released the story that Reese’s peanut butter cups were going to be discontinued (imagine the horror of that story!). Similarly, another site circulated the “news” that Congress had passed a bill which made […] The post Belief appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

My Struggle: I was given a pretty hefty slice of humble pie yesterday. While at the library with my boys, a mom with her daughter kept talking to me. I wasn’t overtly rude by any means, but I wasn’t really in the mood to chat. I had plenty of opportunities to really take interest in […] The post Lord, Help My Unbelief appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

Introduction: As believers, we attend Church and connect weekly with the body of Christ for two reasons: To worship God and be taught from His Word. To connect deeply with other believers in meaningful relationships. Often many Christians can leave church on Sunday with a sense of longing when it comes to truly knowing Jesus, […] The post How to Have Deep Relationships appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

Introduction In a world filled with distractions and challenges, individuals seeking a profound and transformative relationship with their faith often find solace and strength in the concept of deep discipleship. Deep discipleship goes beyond surface-level engagement with one’s faith and delves into the core of spiritual growth, fostering a connection that is both intimate and […] The post What is Deep Discipleship appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

A while ago I made a commitment to contribute as a writer twice a month to Bloom. I have not written a blog in a very long time. I had many reasons as to why I hadn’t written in a while. One, I would tell myself “Today is the day I will write!” but not […] The post Sneaky Pride appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

Imagine having coffee with a few friends–just the girls. Isn’t it likely that at some point, one of your friends will make a comment about her husband? Soon, everyone is “venting.”  Our husbands are forgetful, they chew too loudly, and they don’t help enough with household chores. We share our frustrations with each other, not […] The post What’s Wrong With Venting About My Husband? appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

I’m very thankful for the review week of Falling In Love Again With Your Husband. Each day of homework takes participants through the other six weeks of homework that they have already completed. It’s amazing to go back and remember truths that the Lord brought to new light and also very sweet to see new […] The post Repentance Over Perfection appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more

This past weekend my husband and I were at a wedding. It was gorgeous—the perfectly arranged flowers, the gold chairs, the gorgeous table arrangements, and of course, the breath-taking bride. The church doors opened, the music played, the crowd stood, and the bride radiantly walked down the aisle. Anytime I am at a wedding I […] The post It’s a Sacrificial Love appeared first on Thistlebend Ministries ..read more