Every one of us, no matter our circumstance, was created in God’s image and should be treated with the honor and respect that is due to God’s image-bearer. Understanding that we are thoughtfully designed in God’s divine image should lay the foundation for how we perceive ourselves.
Read MoreHealing is an ongoing journey that takes us from injury to recovery. It moves us from turmoil to peace, and from negativity to joy. Along any journey, we will find guideposts to help direct us. This Weekly Word outlines 12 steps that serve as guideposts along our journey to healing through hospitality.
Read MoreGift giving is an act of love. A thoughtful expression that makes people feel cared for, encouraged, and seen. And while the act of gift giving is primarily intended to bring happiness to the recipients, witnessing a gift that we’ve given being appreciated often feels just as gratifying to us as the giver.
Read MoreFaith lays the foundation for hope. Hope is a belief based in our desire for something to get better. Faith, which is more spiritual conviction than mental attitude, is a belief that there already is something better. The Bible describes faith as, “the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is the thing that backs our hope, as it gives us something to trust and believe in.
Read MoreGenuine empathy requires self-awareness. The ability to sense other people’s emotions and to imagine what someone else might be going through is built, in part, upon our ability to identify and connect with our own emotions first.
Read MoreThe word discipline doesn’t always move us in the way that words like affirmation or self-care might. For many, discipline conjures childhood memories of authority, punishment, and control. Even the lauded self-discipline evokes thoughts of 5:00 AM wake up calls, regimented meal prep, and planners waiting to be filled. Yet and still, this ever-elusive key ingredient to success is something that we desire.
Read MoreWe are seeking something deeper and more purposeful. Mindfulness practices, online cycling communities, Bible studies, book clubs, and monthly meetups seek to address our human yearning for the same things – community and spiritual connection. We long for a sense of belonging, a sense of belief, and a sense of benevolence.
Read MoreThere is no healing without boundaries. Boundaries help us to set limits around our participation in relationships and activities, they protect our time and energy, and they promote peace in our lives. A critical boundary that I have set in recent years, is the one around my relationship with God. Creating this boundary provides the space and time for me to meet with my Creator daily.
Read MoreSometimes we use the term “seeking closure” as a pseudonym for what it is that we really want – one more conversation, getting the last word, regaining control or having our say. When in reality, closure isn't something that we get through someone else. Like so many things, it's an inside job. At its core, finding closure comes from an acceptance of what has happened.
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