Relationships
What’s Wrong with Virginity? Nothing, Unless You’re Obsessed with It
Today’s post on sex (I’m writing a bit of a series on sex this month.) is featured on The Guardian’s US op-ed page, Comment Is Free. Here’s a sneak peek: I could be the poster child for the merits of abstinence before marriage: I am a member of the US evangelical Christian community and remained a…
Read MoreOn Virginity: What I Did and Did Not Mean
Earlier this week, I wrote in a post for A Deeper Story that the probability of marrying a virgin is low, but that this should not lead anyone to despair. I talked about three myths perpetuated by the Virginity or Purity culture about the supposed benefits of abstinence and the supposed consequences of premarital sex.…
Read MoreNews Flash: You Probably Won’t Marry a Virgin
We need to talk about sex. That much is clear from the response to recent posts on the damage done to individuals and couples by the purity culture. People have shared story after story of heartache, guilt, shame, and unmet expectations (or in many cases, flat-out unrealistic ones). Setting the merits of abstinence aside for a…
Read MoreIt Isn’t Joyful without You
I used to wonder how it was that the world kept on spinning and life kept on as usual for everyone else while ours was hovering in hospital limbo. When Elli would get sick, we’d initiate survival mode, removing everything but the basics: someone with Elli at all times, someone with the other kids, food,…
Read MoreLife Is Better Shared
People who walk through similar pain share an invisible bond. We call it being “in the club.” I’m in the “parents of children with special needs” club, the “parents of heart kids” club, and the “bereaved parents” club. No one wants to join these clubs, but I can’t tell you what a comfort it is…
Read MoreNo-One Told Me About this Second Adolescence
Being 30-something is like being an adolescent all over again. I realized this today as I was responding to a survey question for 30-somethings on Frank Viola’s blog (if he gets over 100 responses, he’ll give away prizes to 5 respondents). Though his question is focused primarily on relationships in the church, I believe it…
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