For many years I was a reactor. I reacted rashly and in anger when things were out of my control. If someone got me angry, I reacted in a negative way by yelling and exhibited aggressive behavior.

I grew up in a dysfunctional home.

I used to have a victim mentality.

I learned that yelling was okay if you wanted to get your own way in a situation. The adults around me modeled behavior that taught me it was okay to have highly intense arguments all the time. …

“Anyone who says writing is easy isn’t doing it right.” — Amy Joy

I’ve been writing for over 10 years. Yet, most of that writing has included fiction, poetry, product descriptions, social media posts, ad copy, and content for client’s blogs and websites.

I thought that experience prepared me to write on Medium.

I had no idea what I’d gotten myself into.

What I’ve learned writing on Medium

I started writing on Medium in March 2020. I wrote feverishly for 2.5 months. I didn’t progress quickly enough. I needed to pay bills. So, back to the freelance writer grind, I went — writing for clients.

Last…

Communication skills are an important factor in having successful relationships — both in your personal life and career. To enhance your communication skills, you must speak, listen, write, and read well.

There are three communication channels to cultivate in your life:

· In-Person

· Spoken Word

· Written Content

To communicate effectively, you need to send and receive messages the right way. This article delves into ten steps on how to improve your communication skills.

Step 1: Become a better listener

Maintain good communication levels in all aspects of your life by becoming a better listener. Don’t talk over someone. …

“Sometimes the Lord rides out the storm with us and other times He calms the restless sea around us. Most of all, He calms the storm inside us — in our deepest inner soul.” — Rev. Lloyd John Ogilvie

Dictionary.com describes peace as “freedom from disturbance; tranquility; a state or period in which there is no war or war has ended; it can be a ceremonial handshake or a kiss in a church service, symbolizing Christian love and unity.”

What does peace mean to you?

For me, peace is when I feel calm even when everything around me is falling…

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” — Walter Winchell

According to Science News Daily, “Even before babies have language skills or much information about social structures, they can infer whether other people are likely to be friends by observing their likes and dislikes. Even nine-month-old infants can engage in reasoning about whether the people they observe are friends or not.”

Friendship can be a powerful force of encouragement, motivation, and helping each other through difficult times. Having a true friend is a blessing. …

My husband and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary this past July. We both learned a lot through the years and have grown as individuals and as a couple.

Some of the following factors helped us grow:

· Pre-marriage counseling

· Reading marriage books

· Seeking advice from older married couples

· Praying together

· Reading the Bible together

How to handle conflict

Marriage is not easy. If you’re just starting out and think you’re headed for an easy road, think again.

According to the CDC, “Out of 45 reporting states and D.C., the current divorce rate is 2.7 per 1,000.”

In our marriage…

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” — Saint Augustine

I’ve been a Christian for 33 years. I got saved at a young age. My faith has had ups and downs through the years. However, I’ve learned that there are three things you can do to develop stronger faith.

How to develop stronger faith

“If fear is cultivated it will become stronger, if faith is cultivated it will achieve mastery.” — John Paul Jones

1. Effectively study the Bible

When I don’t consistently read the Bible, my faith suffers. Reading the Bible daily and actually studying specific…

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Phil 4:6)

Prayer is a powerful thing.

It can connect you to God in a beautiful way as your spirit communicates with Him. Prayer can be comforting when you need to express your feelings to God — whether you’re happy, angry, sad, disappointed, or feel another way. When you pray, that step of faith can increase your belief that God has everything under control. He has a plan.

Some people connect more to God through prayer than others. I…