I'm riled up right now because I just read another woman's blog post that may well have been written in response to one of mine. The title of her post was something like "No, I won't put on my swimsuit." The author attempts to make the point that she doesn't need to...

Heather Creekmore
Dear Approval Idol, We’re Done
Dear Approval Idol: I've had enough. We're finished! This time it's really over. It's been a tough split. You tempt me to come back to you, reminding me that without her approval or his approval, I'll be alone. I'll never succeed. You lure me with thoughts that I'll...
Getting the Walls Around Your Heart to Come Down
Tonight we read the story of Joshua and the Big Wall. Okay, most people over the average age of a Veggie Tales enthusiast call it Joshua and the Battle at Jericho. But, this evening the story sounds different. I wonder: Could God want to take down my walls in the same...
Change Your Body Image Without Changing Your Body? “I Feel Pretty” Movie Misses the Point
Renee Barrett doesn’t fit society’s definition of beauty and she knows it. She longs for the life of a “beautiful” woman—the blessings and privileges bestowed only upon 5’10’’, 120-pound women with thin thighs, no arm flab, and shiny hair. But what happens? In the new...
Truth: Encouragement is Even Better Than Chocolate
"I'm done." I told him one evening. Ready to give up, the cumulative stress of four years of church planting had finally taken its toll and I wanted out. He kissed me goodbye and headed out for yet another meeting, leaving me to stew over my frustration alone. I heard...
What a Burning Desire for a Better Body Reveals
One month after our wedding day, my new husband picked me up at the Fresno airport which we lovingly referred to as FAT (well because that's actually it's acronym). I had been gone for several days, so we made small talk about my travels in the car. Then, with a sort...
To Clothes I’m Saving for When My Hot Body Returns: A Break-up Letter
Dear Clothes I'm Saving for When My Hot Body Returns: I hate to do it. No, really, I do. I've kept you, size four cocktail dress, in the shadows of my closet for 14 years now. And, you--lined-black dress slacks--you've been draped over that hanger for so long, I...
What to Do When Your Friend Loses the Weight
Every woman who's ever tried to lose an ounce of weight has had this happen. I'm sure of it. Stepping on the scales every week feels like watching grass grow. Progress is slow. Will it ever change? You give yourself a virtual pat on the back for sticking to your plan...
Supposed: How To Not Be Overwhelmed With All You Are Supposed to Do
The last few weeks I've been battling depression and anxiety. I don't want to get up in the morning and when I finally do, all I dream of is the moment I can return under the covers. In the darkness of my room I feel shielded from all that the world demands of me. I...
Comparison versus Compassion
Comparison suffocates compassion. We forget that we're all the same--human beings, made in God's image, hungry for love, searching for truth, and longing for grace. Instead of extending that grace and love to each other--we compare, we envy, and we tear down. Yes, we...