Category Archives: Taste This

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My Husband Doesn’t Fulfill Me

Hello my friends! Today I want to introduce to you Caroline Rothschild – my daughter-in-law. She’s an incredibly wise young woman with tons of charm and insight. She married our oldest son, Clayton, last year. They now live in Houston, TX. Fun little tidbit about her: when we were expecting our second baby (15 years ago), Dr. Phil and I were planning to name the baby “Caroline” if she were a girl … well, the baby was a boy who we ended up naming Connor, BUT now we finally have our very own daugther named Caroline! Cool, huh?

She and our son met at Baylor University, where she graduated with a Professional Writing degree. She went on to receive a masters degree in Theology from Truett Seminary. She has a great blog with a growing following and I am just so happy you will get to know her. I know you will love her as much as I do!

Today she’s talking about marriage – a truth that rings true whether you’re single, a newly wed, or married for 27 years like my Dr. Phil and me!

“My Husband Doesn’t Fulfill Me”

Now don’t get me wrong, my husband is my favorite person in the world. He’s my best friend, and I love him with all of myself. He makes me laugh harder than anyone else, and we can go on adventures or sit at home and have a blast. He reminds me to dream and reminds me that I am capable, intelligent, and can really make a difference in this world.

Yet, if I’m really honest, I still get lonely. I get insecure, weary, and I doubt myself. It would be so simple if I could just sit next to him on the couch and have the painful empty places that loneliness and security create filled up by him. I know I’d be the happiest wife if he could do that for me. But, even though I wish he did, he doesn’t fulfill me.

He doesn’t give me value.

He doesn’t make me important.

He doesn’t make me smart.

He doesn’t give me confidence.

He doesn’t make me pretty.

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My husband doesn’t fulfill me because he can’t fulfill me. He’s not able. He’s not supposed to. The pure love of my husband was never intended to fulfill me.

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If You Have Been Looking for a Sign …

Today I welcome a guest post from my dear, dear friend Ann Voskamp, the farm girl. There’s such a humble and pure beauty about Ann that shines from her inner spirit. Ann Voskamp is a farmer’s wife, the home-educating mama to a half-dozen kids, and author of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, a New York Times 60 week bestseller and her newest release, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas. In her blog, www.aholyexperience.com, Ann writes for the weary and soul-thirsty seeking the quiet grace of our Giver. I am exceptionally thrilled to have her joining us in my hometown at our Fresh Grounded Faith event in November.

When I find out what a teenager’s done, I’d like to ring one slender neck.

Dirt rings the mudroom sink like nasty vandalism. To-do lists keep scrawling ugly, longer and longer. I can’t find my watch. The bathroom mirror is splattered and smudged. The weather forecast makes it impossible to know if we should plant our next field or wait till the next rain or what to do.

We watch the sky for a sign.

We pray, we pray these begging prayers.

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It’s Time to Drop the Pose of Perfection

My girlfriends Joan and Paula came over last week to work out with me, wanting to try out a new walking exercise routine. I greeted them at the door with my knees wrapped in Ace Bandages, Advil bottle in hand — and this was before the workout even started. I also sprayed water on myself to make it look like it made me sweat just thinking about a work out.
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You know what I was? A poser.

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My Interview with Kirk Cameron, Part 2: God is Just Not Fair

For all of you wondering, our interview aired this week on Blazetv.com! I’m so excited.

Jennifer and Kirk on the Glenn Beck Program. Snapshot from The Blaze TV.

Jennifer and Kirk on the Glenn Beck Program. Snapshot from The Blaze TV.

Since some of you may not be able to see it, I thought I would tell you a little bit of what Kirk Cameron and I talked about. For those of you that don’t know, he guest hosted on the Glenn Beck show this week, and invited me to come and talk. We talked about some of the big questions of faith like, “If God is good, why do bad things happen?” and, “Is God really fair if He lets innocent people suffer?”

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My ‘Happy, Happy, Happy’ Playlist

I’m a firm believer that music can have powerful impact on your outlook. It can set the tone for your entire day.

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So I have a playlist  on my smartphone titled, “Happy, Happy, Happy.” And I will say, my title came long before Duck Dynasty made it popular. I started this playlist when I was in the midst of a deep depression. But, with God’s power and the gift of music He gave us, I was determined to do all I could to climb out of my pit.