<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Wendy Elzinga MA LLP pllc]]></title><description><![CDATA[wendyelzinga]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2026 03:04:55 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.therealstoryofus.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Don't sacrifice goodness for politeness]]></title><description><![CDATA[“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23: 27-28. Jesus overturing tables in the temple Todays  FMF word prompt is Polite.  There are some potential problems with always being polite.  For instance, the Pharisees may have had wonderful...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/don-t-sacrifice-goodness-for-politeness</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ac36b33fdd64550e69d572</guid><pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:46:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_1d87a942bd704ddfafaaff3f786d1f32~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What are you trying to bury? ]]></title><description><![CDATA[“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all… If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus… purifies us from all sin.” John 1:5-7 hand in darkess, with light shining on it Part of being human is a tendency to hide.  We bury things we don’t want others to see or even things we don’t want to face ourselves in order to avoid pain.  We fear that we can’t tolerate the emotional pain of what we might experience should we look at...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/what-are-you-trying-to-bury</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6999c1e777eba70e059bc969</guid><pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:41:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_e928cd7e4cb1436db6e5981bc28d818b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Benediction]]></title><description><![CDATA[“‘“The Lord bless you     and keep you;   the Lord make his face shine on you     and be gracious to you;   the Lord turn his face toward you     and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6 24-26 When my daughter was younger, in her days of choir, she sang this benediction and it was included on a CD for parents to keep.  I remember many car trips with the calming music settling peacefully into otherwise busy stressful days. It is such a beautiful benediction, and on days when the sun comes out, which in...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/benediction</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698f8757b5fb2c66253b13fa</guid><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:34:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0h-9KY6j1M" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Echoes of Eden-Longing and Lost Attachment]]></title><description><![CDATA[image by John Royle-Unsplash "As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for you, my God” Psalm 42 :1 There are moments when we feel an ache deep within, a sense that something is missing. It may be related to lack of  sense of purpose or meaning. Or it may be relational a kind of  loneliness, or a desire for companionship. It can be a quiet, persistent longing, the kind that makes us pause and wonder if we are searching for something or someone who doesn’t quite exist in this world.  Or...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/echoes-of-eden-longing-and-lost-attachment</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6986270096663872685f3c8d</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:11:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_4e4979716f774535614445~mv2_d_3439_2293_s_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[When Love Grows Cold - Fear, Control and the cost of Emotional Distance]]></title><description><![CDATA[“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of many will grow cold.”Matthew 24:12 James and Judy sit on opposite sides of the room frustrated with the lack of closeness between them.  James is belitteling Judy, using guilt and criticism to try to motivate her to draw close to him. The barage of insults is only making Judy withdraw more. She sits with her arms crossed and eyes to the floor. In essence she has shut down. You could say she has become cold toward James’ attempt to engaage...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/when-love-grows-cold-fear-control-and-the-cost-of-emotional-distance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">697cc947b3cf8ba2384b4bcf</guid><pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:30:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_f9f22156f7254e9fa72f5f7356e77fce~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is the term Gaslighting Losing Its Impact Due to Overuse?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Thanks to social media, psycho jargon gets passed around and spreads, sometimes incorrectly, like wildfire—or shall I say gaslit fire?...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/is-gaslighting-losing-its-impact-due-to-overuse</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68769197f5060078a297a4db</guid><pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:57:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_84604b0d8f814afbaf5099233eb47ce0~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Rebuilding Bridges: Healing Relationships and Managing Stress in the Aftermath of the Election]]></title><description><![CDATA[Elections can spark strong feelings and tensions among friends and family. Disagreements over candidates or political ideologies often...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/rebuilding-bridges-healing-relationships-and-managing-stress-in-the-aftermath-of-the-election</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67351579ef5a5fae836840f5</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:54:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1512b5_2549bfaa81674f69af84b15501c0c1f0~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Let's Move Toward Healing]]></title><description><![CDATA[Election years, and especially the months surrounding an election, are interesting for therapists. First of all, we are human and we have...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/moving-toward-healing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">672e66d052fc8e53ed3a12e4</guid><pubDate>Fri, 08 Nov 2024 20:55:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_c5c7498ff09f44948af8fb8fe4a330f7~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Things that Matter]]></title><description><![CDATA[So for the Five minute Friday prompt (which I'm writing on Tuesday..hmmm) is Matter. And the reason I delayed in writing is because this...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/things-that-matter</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66f305fc5d58309b35cf03bd</guid><pubDate>Tue, 24 Sep 2024 19:28:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_a9b625a2a192449797cebb76c3f61789~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ah Youth....]]></title><description><![CDATA[Do you remember when you were young, just starting out in life and the world was your oyster? I'm guessing you had big plans, big hopes...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/ah-youth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66dcfaef14ee49af1a462f1e</guid><pubDate>Sun, 08 Sep 2024 01:42:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_90596a2d21ba40b1a313c84587b3198f~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our History Informs us]]></title><description><![CDATA[When I initially meet with a new client, I go over their history.  I actually have a form I send home on our first meeting called the...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/our-history-informs-us</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66d31c6ad40b69dfae94ac8d</guid><pubDate>Sat, 31 Aug 2024 14:09:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_7c09d109991f48039305f71819baedeb~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[the Real story of Us]]></title><description><![CDATA[What if I told you that you are living your life in the midst of a great story, a scene so to speak, or a chapter in a story that had...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/the-real-story-of-us</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66b66a26f5d22d4ce5e5dc88</guid><pubDate>Fri, 09 Aug 2024 19:30:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_677a655570626a6f545541~mv2_d_5985_3990_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What do you find when you rewind?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Remember (if you are of a certain age) when you played a record in reverse there could  possibly be revealed some sort of eerie...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/what-do-you-find-when-you-rewind</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66aa63302dccde0f0e899bc0</guid><pubDate>Wed, 31 Jul 2024 16:49:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1512b5_53630907b95d4c4aae495d2e2849dd75~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Humor gives us a capacity for joy in the midst of frustration]]></title><description><![CDATA[When you think about it, much of the crazy annoying  things that happen in life border on the edge of absurdity. If we can step back from...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/humor-gives-us-a-capacity-for-patience</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6691725e7ee2fa300f3ea8a5</guid><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jul 2024 18:50:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1512b5_ccb942023b474245b0fe0b169e942b4d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[KNOW the specific source of pain in your life. ]]></title><description><![CDATA[When a person first comes to see me for therapy, they are specifically seeking some help with a pain point in their life. This pain may...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/know-the-specific-source-of-pain-in-your-life</link><guid isPermaLink="false">668ae0770028b8d9b4684dab</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Jul 2024 18:42:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_9b627a5bfca2402dbb1a7f71e25a9949~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[30 ways to play this summer!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Ahh! The magic of summer! I've learned long ago to make a play list to enjoy all of the simple pleasure of summer to savor the season!...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/30-ways-to-play-this-summer</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6684ad2d9d5d2ea2f06329f3</guid><pubDate>Wed, 03 Jul 2024 02:00:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_646e6b4d3577506a566467~mv2_d_5397_3598_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The true light Already shines]]></title><description><![CDATA[Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/the-true-light-already-shines</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6606f7eb633b3201fc15e38b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 29 Mar 2024 17:25:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_3931542d72712d70593238~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The problem of Blame]]></title><description><![CDATA[And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/the-problem-of-blame</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65ff11787c5d34692aad2d41</guid><pubDate>Sat, 23 Mar 2024 17:33:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_04af9113162b4350a9bdbefab53effb7~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How FAR back do you need to go to know what impacts you today?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I haven’t been doing the five minute Friday link ups as often or as regularly as I’d like.  Last year I started working on a Bible Study...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/how-far-back-do-you-need-to-go-to-know-what-impacts-you-today</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65b3eb77c7296f78c3128f9f</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:48:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_4b44386e7a467a6e515130~mv2_d_4592_2584_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Maintaining change]]></title><description><![CDATA[Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will...]]></description><link>https://www.therealstoryofus.com/post/maintaining-change</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6550e62ee607a5309cb749f3</guid><pubDate>Sun, 12 Nov 2023 15:22:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6edda2fdf28ee065c70b4f7aa4ab4681.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_960,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Wendy Elzinga</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>