Lifestyle
Taming Anxiety
I had my first panic attack this last year. I didn’t know it was a panic attack at the time because this was something I had never experienced before. I was anxious about the situation I was in and felt my heart racing. I became dizzy, shaky, and it became hard to breathe. It was even scarier because I was driving on a highway in the middle of nowhere and had no cell reception where I was.
Luckily, after a rest, food, water, deep breathing and a lot of prayer, I made it safely to where I was going.
Pursuing Your Calling
We spend a lot of time thinking about and trying to figure out what we are "called" to do.
It can be a real source of anxiety, stress or pressure either to figure out what we are meant to be doing or figuring out how we are supposed to go about doing that thing. We see other people seemingly effortlessly gliding into their ministry spots while we may feel like we are fumbling around in a dark room.
You Are Enough - A Brief Encouragement
My friend, why do you get so distracted by all you are not or don't have? My friend, why are you trying to build your self-image from the opinions of others? My friend, why do you have so much fear of what others think? My friend, why do you let that person define your worth?
You are much more. You are enough.
Creating For Him
The sun in the sky, the petal of a flower, the toes of a newborn baby, the waves of the sea, the chirping of birds. The world is a magnificent place filled with beautiful creations that all point to God’s creativity. You would have to really work hard to argue that our God is not a creative God. It is displayed everywhere we look, including in you and me.
How To Be Intentional
Intentional (adj): done on purpose; deliberate; studied; meant.
I'm pretty intentional. Or, more accurately, I have been told that I am an extremely intentional person. By intentional, I mean when I come across someone I want to be friends with or want to learn from, I pursue that friend/mentor in a passionate and perseverant way. What can I say, I enjoy building bonds!
Your Future Awaits
What do you do when life isn’t going as planned? When the future is unsure, and you don’t know what is going to happen?
I’m a twenty-year-old college student who has absolutely no idea what I am going to do with my life. My future is filled with a hundred different paths that stretch out before me, and I don’t know which one to take. Which path is plausible? Which is good? And most importantly, which one is God-approved?
3 Truths About Comparison
Author Ashley Mae pictured above
Living Neighborly
After two years of living in the same condo complex, I didn't know my neighbors. So, when the church sermon of the week was titled 'Loving Your Neighbor,' I rolled my eyes. "I live in a condo! It's so much harder to meet people than in a real neighborhood!" At least... that's what I thought.
I bit the bullet and decided to see what God could do. "Hey, God, if you have someone you want me to meet, please open that door." Let's just say I didn't expect much.
Coffee With a Purpose
Ben Higgins is the infamous former "Bachelor," and since - he's gained tremendous fame as a reality star. With 1.4 million Instagram followers and millions more who know his name, Ben decided to use his platform for a purpose greater than himself.
Back in 2007, Ben took a church missions trip to Honduras, opening his eyes to the extreme poverty of this world. And that trip - 11 years ago - sparked an idea.
Facing Depression Correctly
Spring gave a convincing false start last month in Chicagoland. It was the first of March, and I found myself outside in the shining sun, enjoying a mild 60° breeze. After three months spent licking icicles (which have since returned,) I was unable to resist nature’s charms—shed a quick tear for global climate change—and took a walk in the woods. After about a mile, I stopped to sit on a split log and looked up into the sky. Gazing into the vast blue dome rimmed in still-naked black oak branches, I took a deep breath and thought, “I am so glad I exist."