Tori Mann

Here are some of the things I learned as I rebuilt a friendship with my ex.

My pets (a dog and a cat) are persistent. They know what they want, and they don’t stop until they get it. Maybe we can learn from them.

I came home — a fresh college graduate — without a job. I felt shame and fear. And I wish I had known these five pieces of advice.

I want so much to be a better person. I make efforts to be better, then get exhausted and stop and then go back to worrying and try again. It’s a sad cycle.

When I feel like I’m a failure, I do two things: Turn to Scripture, and use a few tactics to combat the cycle of negative thinking.

It is an idolatrous belief that marriage will satisfy the longings of our hearts. We’ll only feel complete when we belong to God.

I’m thankful for the differences that led to our breakup because there were other serious issues beneath the surface I realized years later.

Trying out a new church has taken on the flavor of embarking on an adventure, requiring bravery and courage. But it also requires courage to stay.