Juggling thoughts

 In this fast-moving world, the quiet heaviness of seasonal depression can sometimes settle into our hearts before we even notice. We find ourselves feeling drained, distant, and disconnected even from God. And when that happens, our first instinct is often to withdraw from everything and everyone. We stop reading Scripture, our prayers grow faint, and we drift from fellowship. Somewhere deep inside, a small voice whispers that we must look perfect before we return to God. That’s the mirage of perfection : the lie that makes us believe that our flaws disqualify us from His love. But nothing could be further from the truth. God never asked us to be flawless . He simply asks us to come. To bring our fears, failures, and broken hearts to Him. He already knows our weaknesses, every single one and still calls us His own. Our imperfections don’t drive Him away; they draw Him closer. It’s in our weakness that His strength is revealed. The real invitation of faith begins when we stumble....

Sarah Allen’s It’s OK Not to Be OK is a gentle, heartfelt reminder that all emotions , even the difficult ones deserve space. The book beautifully tells children that feeling sad or upset doesn’t make them weak, it simply makes them human. Too often, we unknowingly silence the emotions of our children. We tell them to stop crying, to “be strong,” without realizing that strength can also mean being honest about how we feel. Especially in our Naga style of parenting, we normalize certain phrases that carry deep emotional impact. When our sons cry, we tell them, “uno eloe ane undo kya la?” (Are you a girl? Why cry like one?) And when our daughters are bold or outspoken, we ask, “eboe esua hetata khunga la nung?” (Why are you being so strong-headed like a boy?) So then, we don’t just correct their behavior, we shape their understanding of emotion and identity. Our words slowly teach boys to suppress their feelings and girls to silence their strength. No wonder we’re raising another stereo...