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Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Advice That Changed My Life

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Advice That Changed My Life

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Hi Friends, I’m excited to reveal the secret I’ve been keeping: I’ve finally had a story published with Chicken Soup for the Soul. I was surprised to hear Chicken Soup accepted this story because I submitted others to them but they were rejected. Last summer I mulled over my idea for their newest edition titled, The Advice that Changed My Life. However, I was sure my efforts wouldn’t be good enough so I didn’t write anything. Then two days before…

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#alt=Happy Valentine's Day, debbiejoneswarren.com
Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day

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I stared out the window of the second-grade classroom at the tall mango tree and listened to the birds tweeting in its branches. The drone of the teacher’s voice faded quietly into the background at the boarding school for missionary children in Nigeria. My racing heartbeat slowed for a moment. Then the chalk screeched on the blackboard, and I quickly turned my head toward the front of the classroom. I don’t want to get yelled at again for daydreaming. I…

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#alt=Happy New Year to You, debbiejoneswarren.com
Happy New Year to You

Happy New Year to You

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Each one of you, my dear readers, is extremely important to me! I cherish your comments, your support, and your ongoing friendship. Writing my short stories has been therapeutic as I’ve faced the joys and trials of my childhood at a boarding school in Nigeria. Today I’m happy to share with you the exciting news that one of my stories was recently selected for publication in Chicken Soup for the Soul. Yes, that iconic association is still printing several books…

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#alt=I'll Be Home for Christmas, debbiejoneswarren.com
I’ll be Home for Christmas

I’ll be Home for Christmas

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While I stood at the kitchen counter chopping veggies for a salad, I tapped the icons on my phone to call my mom. She and I often feel lonely at dusk, so I’ve started calling her around suppertime while I prepare dinner. Mom’s voice sounded weary. “Hi, Honey.” I was a little concerned but began with my usual question. “How are you doing today?” “Well, right now I’m feeling depressed. I don’t like that the radio station plays Christmas music…

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#alt=Fear in the Dorm Office, debbiejoneswarren.com
Fear in the Dorm Office

Fear in the Dorm Office

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The dorm Auntie kissed each of us four girls goodnight and turned out the light in my bedroom in the boarding school dorm in Nigeria. “Good night,” my roommate said, a little too loudly for the Auntie’s liking. “Good night. No more talking after your light is out. You’re the last room in the hall, and I don’t want to hear another peep from anyone.” The short, dark-haired lady’s voice was firm. Her skirt swished as she turned, and her…

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#alt=The DNA of a TCK, Part 2, debbiejoneswarren.com
The DNA of a TCK, Part 2

The DNA of a TCK, Part 2

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In July, I posted a short article about the MK/TCK reunion Chris and I attended over the July 4th weekend. It was wonderful to see so many people with whom I had gone to school as a child in Nigeria. The group was made up of MKs, TCKs, Nigerians, expats, and their spouses. (*Terms are explained below.) As in any school reunion, we chatted, got reacquainted, and shared familiar stories of bygone days. On Saturday morning we had a large…

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#alt=From Tears to Tea Parties, debbiejoneswarren.com
From Tears to Tea Parties

From Tears to Tea Parties

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While standing at my kitchen counter, I chopped lettuce for a salad for my husband and me. The late afternoon sun streamed brightly through the window, but my thoughts were gloomy. Why does Chris have to fly away again? This time he’ll be gone for two weeks. My eyes filled with tears as I reached for the green onion and started dicing it. Because he’s a pilot, life has been like this throughout our marriage. I brushed my cheek with…

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#alt=The DNA of an MK, debbiejoneswarren.com
The DNA of an MK

The DNA of an MK

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Over the July 4th weekend, approximately 110 missionary kids (MKs) and their spouses gathered for a reunion to explore The DNA of an MK. Every three years we hold a reunion for both of the boarding schools I attended in Nigeria.… and no, the reunions aren’t in Nigeria! The location alternates between Indianapolis and Dallas, the two cities in which the volunteer organizers live. At each reunion, only three or four people from my graduating class attend. However, because they…

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#alt=Graduation Gift, debbiejoneswarren.com
A Graduation Gift

A Graduation Gift

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No prayer is too small or too big for God to answer. Do you feel like God couldn’t possibly care about your prayers? Take heart. He cares about every detail of our lives! My story of a miraculous college graduation gift I received from God when my parents were a continent away in Nigeria was published in Abba’s Answers. In this devotional book by CrossRiver Media, you’ll find thirty uplifting personal accounts of how God answered prayer. The interview was…

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#alt=Can We Flourish After ACEs?, debbiejoneswarren.com
Can We Flourish After ACEs?

Can We Flourish After ACEs?

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Recently I learned about Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs. Are you familiar with the term? ACEs are traumatic or stressful experiences that have a heavy impact on children at the time, and the effects can continue throughout their lives. I searched online for a simple definition and found one on the CDC website. “ACEs can include violence, abuse, and growing up in a family with mental health or substance use problems. Toxic stress from ACEs can change brain…

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