Thriving...in Spite of It

Ok, I'll come clean. I love spy shows. After years of being satisfied with a good mystery, I'm intrigued by the heftier mix of intellectual and psychological challenges...a mental P90X! Perhaps you have a similar indulgence? As a friend was relating some workplace drama to me yesterday at church, my mind could not help spinning out a scenario much like the intrigues and deceptions played out my favorite spy show. It's not a far-fetched analogy -- the lengths to which women will go -- and to the depths to which they will descend -- to ensure they are secure in their little hierarchies! You have your assassinations---of character, your fight scenes--mostly verbal, and, most of all, an array of characters who seek your trust, but do not deserve it. Watch your back. In an arena filled with such treachery, it's easy to feel lonely, insecure, and robbed of all peace. What's supposed to be home base--a safe place--can flip into enemy territory in a heartbeat; the line