Choose Joy

My time as a single mom led me to the love and support of a new husband and stepfather for my children. A man who puts God first, prays with us daily, and opens our hearts and minds to understand, trust, and believe in God deeper than we knew possible. The Lord is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1 (NIV) On July 9, 2010, my world was torn again, this time between Heaven and Earth. It was the first time these two worlds felt so far apart. I felt like I was in a dark place between them. I received a phone call from my uncle in Minnesota who was with my parents and their siblings. A gathering they planned annually where they enjoyed each other, while boating, skiing, and just spending time as a family. When I answered the phone, the voice on the other end said, "Laura, I never thought I would have to make this call. Your dad is lying on the bank of the lake with EMTs working on ...

At my first job out of college, I met a gentleman, we fell in love, got married, and were blessed with two children. Unfortunately, had four pregnancies and we lost two children through miscarriage. Miscarriage, though often shrouded in silence and stigma, affects countless women and families, leaving deep scars that may seem impossible to heal. As a Christian woman, I was not immune to this pain, but I do have the blessed assurance of a loving God who weeps with me and offers comfort in my darkest moments. Miscarriage is a painful and often unexpected loss that left me feeling isolated and uncertain. The excitement and anticipation of welcoming a new life was suddenly replaced with grief, guilt, and unanswered questions. The first miscarriage was within the first trimester of the pregnancy. The second miscarriage was within the second trimester and therefore made the process even more difficult as I had to undergo a D&C procedure. Although I knew the baby was not alive due to not ...

  Torn between two worlds, that is how I felt a good part of my life. I would liken it to the story of Alice in Wonderland. I'll give you a quick overview for those of you who aren't familiar with the story. The story is of a young girl who follows a scurrying rabbit down a rabbit hole. I don't know about you, but I find myself scurrying a lot and it usually takes me down some sort of rabbit trail! Which, at times is not good. When Alice falls into the hole she finds herself falling into a dark unknown place wondering if she will ever hit solid ground. Once on solid ground, she looks up only to see a long hallway lined with doors. Behind one door is a beautiful world. A world that she wants to enter, but the only way to enter is to find the key that will unlock the door. When Alice can't find the correct key, she begins to cry. Her pool of tears becomes a sea of water and she begins treading water so she is able stay afloat. Alice meets various individuals along her jou...

My name is Laura Pedersen. I have over 30 years of experience in Human Resources, Coaching, Culture Transformation, and Leadership Training and Development.  In 2011 after losing my dad and sister, I found myself being called to continue the spirit-lead discipleship of my sister, Sara Frankl.  Sara lived with chronic pain as a result of an autoimmune disease called ankylosing spondylitis and was eventually confined to her home before dying at the age of 38 years old. If anyone had reason to focus on the unfairness of life, it was Sara. Yet she accomplished something few can...she chose joy.  After 3 1/2 years of walking a path through the publishing industry, my family and I were  blessed by the release of Sara's book, co-authored by Mary Carver, Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts . The book is based on Sara's writings about her journey to discovering joy in the midst of life's tragedies.  My journey and purpose n...