Out of Place – Heather’s Story There was nothing atypical about that first day of physical therapy school. But the next three years would be filled with heartbreak, success, failure, and some of life’s greatest lessons. Twenty-five of us sat in a medium sized classroom; each equal parts excited and nervous at the same time. […]
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Out of Place – Joy’s Story On an Irish summer day, overcast with a gentle breeze, a fourteen-year-old girl sits alone. A stranger in this place, she has found comfort in the whispers of the ocean. Her free time finds her wandering the trails along the coast. Today, as she sits on a large rock, […]
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Out of Place – Marnie’s Story Just weeks before high school started, we left a bustle-y, colorful South Jersey town for this sleepy, tucked-in-the-hills community in southern Ohio. From East coast to Midwest. From urban to country. From 600 students in my class to 64. From Burger King to Burger Shack. In that town of […]
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Out of Place – Chantel’s Story As I sat curled up in the nook of our oversized chair with tears flowing down my cheeks I reached for my cup of tea since it always comforts me. I was snuggled up in our cozy lounge chair with a bible at my side and a sleeping baby […]
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Out of Place – Tiffany’s Story Someone once said “no one gives you a road map for the road less travelled”. The terrain is unsteady, roots pushing up out of the soil, rocks litter the trail. You push through, chopping down the brush, climbing and tripping and stumbling through. With no directions to guide you […]
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Out of Place – Kari’s Story Moving to a new town is always a challenge, but moving to a town to pastor a church whose previous pastor was staying on staff was harder than I could have imagined. The church was moving from a video venue to an autonomous church, and they needed a lead […]
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Out of Place – Jennie’s Story “We really don’t fit in anywhere, do we?” I finally admitted it out loud to my husband. We never quite fit the mold provided for us by society. Looking back over the years we’ve been married, we have tended to run from the mold, which has made it difficult […]
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Out of Place – Rachel’s Story It was the 5th Starbucks trip that finalized it for me; I was no longer part of the circle and I needed to accept it. The women who I had spent hours doing life together with the prior three years walked by me in the hallway of the church […]
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Out of Place – Elise’s Story It was the fall of 2012. I was attending Allume, a blogging/writing conference. I was so excited! Blogging was still newish, along with online magazines, contributor websites and the like. My friend Kimberly Amici and I had recently started CirclesOfFaith.org – Where Life, Faith, and Community Intersect. Our site […]
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Out of Place – Melissa’s Story A stare comes from the person across from me with raised eyebrows and squinted eyes as they try to smile. A feeling of awkwardness comes over me. “Oh, I was too much!” I think to myself. “Why am I so excited talking about buying vegetables for a new recipe […]
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Sarah K. Butterfield 