More than Unbroken

I’ve reached an awkward stage in life. Actually, what  I’ve discovered about parenting-and life- is that every new thing feels awkward and bumpy until you find your footing. This feeling of “having it all together” lasts approximately 15 minutes, and then you are thrown back into mayhem. For me, parenting is a huge part of my ebb and flow. I’m very aware that this year I will have two teenage sons, one of whom will be graduating high school next year. It’s definitely uncharted territory, and I know I don’t always handle it the best way possible. In my defense, I have fought for my sons from the moment they were conceived. When Wess tried to arrive at thirty-four weeks and the doctors told me all of the issues he would endure as a premature baby, I knew, by the grace of God, he would thrive. When my pregnancy with Bryson sent me into early labor at nineteen weeks, we did everything medically necessary to sustain his life. Not holding my baby for his first forty-eight hours was gut-w...

I’m feeling a little guilty today. When I began sharing my writing in October 2020, I knew God placed an urgency inside of me. Pastor Chuck had stepped into Heaven, and it was the responsibility of those left behind to continue his legacy of giving, growing, and going. I knew my writing was meant to stir hearts and possibly make folks a little uncomfortable. I was called to be bold about my faith and set out to do just that. You’ve heard it said that actions speak louder than words. Over time, my writing has become anecdotes to relate to others. I never wanted to sound “preachy” or seem unapproachable with my message. But today, the nagging urgency of before has rekindled. I need to share what’s on my heart boldly. In doing so, please know that I am writing to you in love and not condemnation, just as Paul exhorted the early church. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬...

I have two great passions… English and theatre. Over my thirteen years as a teacher, ten of those years have been spent enjoying my passion for theatre. And then God told me to unveil my heart through writing. Juggling the demands of home, ministry, and work has become a struggle. My creativity and inspiration for writing has suffered because so many of my work days are used to think and problem-solve through a theatrical perspective, leaving nothing for my writing. Over this school year, I have toyed with the thought of returning to my reading and writing roots. And then God opened a door. Next school year, I will return to eighth grade English and language arts. This decision was not made lightly. I contacted faithful, praying women to ask God to confirm my next step. When God orders your steps, He lets you know. The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalms‬ ‭37:23‬ ‭NLT‬‬ There will be challenges with this new job, as there are with any...

 Check out the latest blog below. Happy Mother’s Day! © Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved

After some thought and time, I recognize the need to tell the story of my journey to unbrokenness. I haven’t had a bad life. I was blessed to be raised in church by my parents and experienced the love of Jesus at an early age. Even though we have all we need, sometimes we still make a mess of things. For me, the turning point was when my parents split up. I was sixteen years old, and I grappled with the fact that my prayers had seemed to go unanswered. I didn’t understand at the age of sixteen that unanswered prayers are sometimes God’s best work. Instead, I focused on my emotions and allowed my feelings to dictate my actions. This led to a seed of resentment toward God and others that would ultimately become a deep-rooted bitterness. As I entered my twenties, I found myself returning to the way I should go. But my heart wasn’t in it. I went through the motions and said and did all the right things. That happens a a lot, actually. We have made going to church a task that is easily mimi...