I've hated snow since my brother's sled knocked me over at age three. But Charming gave me ski lessons for Valentine's Day, and somewhere between learning proper layers and letting him help me up, I discovered that persistence looks different when you're not alone on the mountain.
Author: Laura Joy Palma
The Independence Ring I Bought and the Love Pendant He Gave Me
I bought my first ring as a single woman to celebrate my freedom. A year later, Charming surprised me with a matching pendant. Here's what jewelry taught me about waiting for the right combination.
How I Learned to Guard My Heart Without Building Walls
After divorce, I thought protecting my heart meant never risking it again. Then I discovered what 'guard your heart' really means—and it changed everything about how I love.
From Wedding Day Joy to Divorce: How Love Changes and Grace Remains
Seven years after my Valentine's Day engagement, I'm helping friends navigate their own marriage struggles. Here's an honest look at how 'I do' became 'goodbye'—and how God's grace followed even my hardest choices.
The Night I Buried Dead Roses to Grow Something New
Eight months after planting my broken relationship in the garden as fertilizer, Charming sent fresh roses to fill my empty vase. Here's what bloomed in between.
What My Student Taught Me About Getting “There” First in Love
Young Beauty discovered she seemed depressed when she started writing, just like I did. Here's what we learned about vulnerability, passion, and what happens when you fall in love before he does.
When Paradise Taught Me to Live in Parentheses: Finding Grace Between Sunset and Praise
I lost myself in a Bahamas sunset and found myself in the parentheses of praise. Sometimes the most profound resolutions aren't about changing—they're about noticing the abstract beauty that's been there all along, waiting for us to stop and worship.
When God Books Your Cruise: A Lesson in Divine Timing
Our cruise was booked solid until a computer glitch got us on board at the last minute. Sometimes what looks like a missed opportunity is just God showing you that with Him, no ship has sailed.
The December Roses That Bloomed After the Ball
At a military gala, I watched Charming uplift every person he met. When I came home sick but happy, my winter roses were blooming in Christmas lights. Sometimes the best growth happens out of season.
Building New Traditions: When Fear and Hope Battle for Christmas
Charming helped me decorate my Christmas tree, creating our first shared tradition. But as magical as it felt, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sometimes hope itself is the scariest emotion.
