by Denise Pass | Jan 12, 2026
Most of us don’t realize how much shame shows up in our relationships. It doesn’t usually sound harsh. It sounds responsible. And it sounds polite. It sounds like, “I just don’t want to upset anyone.” But underneath that desire to keep everyone happy is often a deeper...
by Denise Pass | Jan 12, 2026
Last week we began this year by grounding ourselves in identity—who we are in Christ, not what we accomplish. This week, we take that identity into one of the most tender spaces of our lives: our relationships. So much of our emotional exhaustion comes from trying to...
by Denise Pass | Jan 4, 2026
Happy New Year! I started off my exercise regimen this year by dropping a 7-pound weight on my pinky toe. Stellar move. But. I. Kept. Moving. Faithfulness is not perfection. It is just keeping showing up and doing the next best right thing. I don’t know what is...
by Denise Pass | Jan 4, 2026
January has a way of quietly turning into a scoreboard. When January feels like a test, rely on your true identity. New goals. New habits. New expectations. New pressure to prove we’re improving. And shame loves this season. It whispers that this year must be...
by Denise Pass | Dec 22, 2025
At the root of shame is a painful awareness: We are flawed. We fall short. Break things. And disappoint others and ourselves. We carry weakness in our bodies, emotions, histories, and choices. And shame seizes on that truth, twisting it into a lie: “Your humanity is...
