May is National Mental Health Month and we need to practice skills to improve/maintain our mental health now more than ever. Being in quarantine and social distancing has taken its toll on most of us; there are a few things we can do to help us to reduce negative effects during this stressful season. Create a safe place in your home where you can go…
This April my dear friend, Melody Hester, and I are hosting a women’s retreat called The Invisible Beauty of Suffering in Oak Island, NC. This has been a dream of ours for several years. We plan to offer biblical truths to women who are hurting or have been hurt in order to provide hope. Several people have mentioned that they would love to come, but…
Recently I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media asking, “What’s your word for 2020?” I am praying that 2020 would be a year of DELIGHT in my life. When I think of delight I think of a groom’s expression as he sees his bride for the first time on their wedding day. I think of a parent’s excitement as his child takes her…
“I love writing!” There. I said it. I absolutely, positively love writing. Do you know what else I love? I love dancing, hiking, camping, and reading by waterfalls. So why don’t I do these things more often? Recently, I was asked to co-write a counseling book with a colleague. Once we started talking about the book and creating outlines, I could feel my blood pumping…
I haven’t written much this year because…well, I could give you a litany of excuses, but mainly because I have been emotionally spent. This year I said goodbye to my grandmother and to Michael’s mom (my first mother-in-law). In addition to those losses, my stepdad is battling a rare form of cirrhosis and his health has declined rapidly. We’ve had many ups and downs on…
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and yet yesterday in the news I read of another death by suicide. This grieves my heart. In Western culture, we have a low tolerance for pain. We live in a world of instant gratification. We have a headache, and we pop an ibuprofen. Sinus pressure — no worries, there’s a med for that too. Something happens to our psyche…