“… Joy fills hearts that are planning peace.”Proverbs 12:20b What might it look like to plan for peace this week?Peace in relationships?Peace at work?Peace in your mind or heart or soul?Peace in your home? Is it something practical like planning ahead for dinner on a busy night to decrease stress or anxiety when that busy… Continue reading Planning Peace
Category: Just Write
Places Matter – Here’s to Writing Again
This blog has been a little neglected lately with so much of my time and attention taken in the last couple of years by a new job and grad school. Now that graduation has passed and I find myself with a little more time here and there, my hope is that I can return here… Continue reading Places Matter – Here’s to Writing Again
The Stories We Tell
When I wake up with a worship song or Scripture already in my mind as my first waking thought, I pay attention. A few days ago, these lyrics were on repeat as I transitioned into my day: "You write a beautiful story. You write a beautiful story.From glory to glory. I believe.You write a beautiful… Continue reading The Stories We Tell
Fasting from Isolation in the Midst of Pandemic
Lent. It’s a season known for fasting. As I journey though a devotion book suggesting a new fast for each day, the suggested fasts have ranged from “collecting praise” to an actual physical meal. I had to laugh when I came across the most recent suggestion. “Today, fast from isolation.” In a current world climate… Continue reading Fasting from Isolation in the Midst of Pandemic
Happiness isn’t the goal.
"Happy" ≠ "healthy". They are not synonyms. But I think we act like they are. I've been trying to use my lunch break to enjoy some reading and recently just finished a book called “Why Emotions Matter”. The middle section of the book spends six chapters looking at each of the six most basic emotions we… Continue reading Happiness isn’t the goal.
STRESS! LESS!
I work in Higher Ed. In that space, the concept of stress is pretty much daily conversation. Academic stress Athletic stress Family situations causing stress Roommate conflict stress Health issues adding to or resulting from stress And more. Students talk about (or at least experience) stress often. So do all human beings. A few weeks… Continue reading STRESS! LESS!
Courage is Not A Suggestion
Courage is an interesting word and an even more interesting concept. What does it mean to have courage or to be courageous? How does that word play into the concepts of both encouragement or discouragement? The dictionary defines it as: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain,… Continue reading Courage is Not A Suggestion
Enough Trouble for Today
One of my favorite passages to come back to in busy seasons is Matthew 6:25-34. The whole section is about how we don’t need to worry and be anxious in life because God knows our needs and cares for us. It ends with this verse: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will… Continue reading Enough Trouble for Today
A Soul Solstice
I found myself recently pondering the winter solstice. Actually, I found myself pondering the day AFTER winter solstice. Somewhere around December 21 each year (in the Northern Hemisphere anyway) we experience the shortest day of the year, with the least amount of sunlight. From that point forward the days start having a little bit more… Continue reading A Soul Solstice
On Pain, Change, and Trust
I was talking with a friend back at the beginning of this year and he mentioned how he had been learning that only when our pain is greater than our fear will we be able to make positive changes in our lives. It was fascinating to hear him say that because I was wrestling at… Continue reading On Pain, Change, and Trust
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