Lifestyle
Having An Insta & Maintaining Sanity
Instagram can easily be a sinister app that can consume our every spare moment if we let it. It is designed to be highly addictive and to keep you consuming its content for as long as possible which ultimately results in more advertising dollars for Facebook (which has owned Instagram since 2012). While there is nothing inherently wrong with using the app and while it has many benefits, it is important for our well-being and peace of mind to keep our usage in check.
Seeing Ourselves Through God’s Mirror
Let’s go back a few years together. I was 14 years old, and I’d just lost 50 lbs in a matter of a couple months for no reason other than I'd basically stopped eating. I knew exactly how many calories I was eating at all times, I skipped social gathers where I knew I would be tempted to overindulge, I was in the gym every single day (slightly dizzy, but you better believe I was going to be there). I was consumed with my body image, and then I remember one day looking in the mirror and weighing myself. I was 5 ft. 10 in and 110 pounds. It freaked me out!
God Delights In You
About a month ago, five friends of mine and I traveled to Peru. We had this trip planned for months and could not wait to see Macchu Piccu and explore the country. Coworkers would say things like “Good luck getting back” and “I would not go if I was you”. I’m someone who does not choose to live in fear, someone who wants to think positively, and I did not get absorbed into the panic. At the time we were leaving, there was 1 reported case of coronavirus in Peru. It was safer to be there than in the United States, or so I thought.
Five Ways Jealousy Steals Your Joy
Jealousy: A third party, a rival, competing for, stealing something that is or should have been yours.
Love That Fills the Distance
“Love thy neighbors,” scripture says. (Mark 12:31) It’s instinctual for us to think of community and togetherness.
Hugs. Handshakes. “Healing high-fives” -- as my husband would say.
But, in times like these (amidst the coronavirus), how do you express that love to others? When tragedy has spread to every corner of our world and our only solution is separation and isolation -- how do we still love others?
Teaching Your Children About God
I remember the weight of responsibility that I felt when the doctor handed me my newborn babies so many years ago. I had suddenly become responsible for the physical and emotional well-being of a tiny human! I had collected so many thoughts over the years about what I wanted to do and didn’t want to do when I became a mom, those quiet, mental, vows that I’d made to myself of things I would never do and ways that I didn’t want my children to ever feel. To a certain extent, I could control some of those things.
Taking A Time Out
We all have busy lives. People pulling us in all directions. Children, husbands, family, churches and friends all needing us in one way or the other. As women especially, we feel the need to always meet the needs of those around us. It’s in our nature, and while I am thankful for it, it can be exhausting and draining. We seem to forget about ourselves in the process and who we are tends to get buried into the needs of others.
Summertime Reset
Life is chaotic; I think we can all attest to that. Even when we think something isn’t stressful, if we try removing it from our lives for a while and then bring it back, we often notice almost immediately, and tension knots and headaches can slowly re-emerge. Luckily, I've found a reset button... a little piece of heaven with a lakefront every summer filled with my favorite people.
You Will Defeat Goliath
My favorite story of the Bible is the true tale of David and Goliath. I'm sure you've seen the storyline; it's been recycled again and again (think Rocky, Forrest Gump, Remember The Titans, Shrek, Mean Girls, even Legally Blonde!) We love to root on the underdog. And in this story – the original – the underdog was David, a shepherd too young for even a learners permit. He held a slingshot and gripped a tight passion for God. If you're unfamiliar, here's the SparkNotes:
5 Ways To Rock It As a Mom
It's no surprise to know motherhood isn't a walk in the park. As a new mother, you'll experience struggles, breakdowns (likely both you and your child), and moments where you feel utterly helpless, it usually 'comes with the gig.' But the key to a strong platform as a mother, in essence, is learning to let go of insecurity and walk boldly in humility.