Category Archives: Emotional Health

To All Who are Weary…

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What are you facing today?  What giant is blocking your path?  What struggle is stealing your breath?  What pain is battering your heart?  Are you weary? This word is for you!

“Yet I totally trust you to rescue me one more time, so that I can see once again how good you are while I’m still alive! Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for He will never disappoint you!” 

Psalm 27:13-14 tPt

 

Hold tight!  God is in yesterday, today, and tomorrow; but He wants you focused on His presence in your present.  He will give you what you need to endure today’s battles.*

No matter what is wearing you down, it won’t always be like this… You will endure this season and come through stronger!

Let this be your battle cry: “My God is faithful! He won’t disappoint! I will trust in Him!”

This word is for you, this word is for me! Our God is faithful!

*Updated: I wrote this on Saturday and was so blessed by this song on Sunday morning: King of My Heart. He is good and He is never gonna let us go!

Live Loved and Victorious!

*Matthew 6:33-34

Please share on Social Media to bless someone else!

Mic Drop Monday: Are You Naked?

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Hmmm, I’m wondering, how many Jesus followers are walking around naked?

Here’s the test:

Does my heart harbor unforgiveness? Prejudice?  Pride? Self-righteousness? Judgement? Anger? Ungratefulness?

Do I allow myself to have foul conversation? To talk unkind about others? Be impatient? Rude? Bitter? Complaining? Vengeful?

Then I am walking naked!

Colossians 3 reminds us of what should be in our closet!  We need to put on the clothing of love:

 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

OK, I experienced a few ouch moments reading that, how about you?  Let me go get dressed…

Live loved and Dressed too! 

Favorite Friday-Celebrate Your Tribe!

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Here we are, about to tie up week 5 of our school year; how fast time goes!  This year, I transitioned from 3rd grade to 5th and I don’t mind admitting that 5th grade is kicking my butt!  I feel a bit like a puppy frantically swimming just to keep her nose above the waterline.  But paddle, I will!

I refuse to get swept away! Each year of teaching gets progressively more challenging and more exhausting.  Yet, I see myself grow as an educator and as a person.  How do I make it through each challenging day?  Probably the same way you do… with help and encouragement and it’s time to celebrate the people who are there for us!They are the ones who listen to our frustrations.  They help us hash out our ideas.  They cry with us when we are discouraged.  They shout with us when we succeed. They bolster our flagging confidence when the swells of challenge seem greater than the swells of courage.

Who is your tribe?  Who is it that stops you from “jumping ship” and reminds you of all the gold that’s inside of you?  They are your tribe!  I’m so thankful for the amazing people God has placed in my life!

I live with my tribe, work with my tribe, play with my tribe, worship with my tribe!  Those people are not all the same people, though there is much overlap.

I have purposed to seek out people that encourage me and demonstrate character traits I want to grow in my life.  My tribe also includes people that challenge me and refuse to let me run and hide when life throws me a curve ball.

These are not your acquaintances or your fair-weather peeps.  Not all your friends are tribe members.  Your tribe members are those who have the authority and privilege of speaking into your life.  True tribe members must be purposefully chosen.

My tribe includes people who are:

Trustworthy-positive, committed, loyal

Real-authentically themselves and expect the same from me

Invested-willing to invest in my life and allow me to invest in theirs

Bettering-share in a reciprocal commitment to bettering one another’s lives

Encouraging-engages in our relationship by speaking life-giving words

 

As a parent, it blesses my heart to say that my adult children are part of my tribe.  My husband is a vital member and our moms are included as well.  I have incredible co-workers, family members, and friends that are tribe members too!  Today, I celebrate their amazingness!  I need them and I hope they need me!

Think about your life… do you feel positive about your tribe?  Do you know who you can call on when life knocks you down?  Build your tribe!  Be part of someone else’s tribe!  Link arms with those who are trustworthy, real, invested, bettering, and encouraging!  The sun shines so much brighter when reflected by those around you.

Check out: Psalm 1:1-3, Proverbs 4

Live Loved,

 

Let It Go!

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“Do you remember that time that you _________  (fill in the blank with any poor choice)!”

How painful it is when someone reminds us of our past mistakes!  Just when you think life has moved on and your royal screw-ups have been forgotten, someone pulls out their shovel and digs it up again.  We wish that memories could be wiped clear and clean slates were mandatory.

Back in the day, there was a Christian music artist that I didn’t care for… not because of her style or voice, but because she had allowed herself to be sponsored by a disreputable company.  Recently, I heard her name in connection with a current project and immediately that memory surfaced, along with my dislike.  The Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, “When do you allow someone to grow past their errors?”

His voice was so gentle, but I felt the strong conviction of truth.  I knew that the Lord was challenging me to go to a new level in my desire to be more like Him.

It’s human nature, really.  Whether we’ve been personally hurt by someone or their reputation leaves a bad taste in our mouths, rarely do we allow our opinions of someone to change, even years later.

  • We still think of the high school bully as an adult bully.
  • We still imagine that the man caught in moral failure continues to be unfaithful.
  • We still believe that the person who stole in the past is a thief today.
  • We still consider that wild girl from college as promiscuous.
  • We still look at the man down the street as the punk teenager who was disrespectful.
  • We still remember the hurtful words spoken even after the apology.

When will we allow others to grow past the errors of youth, ignorance, stupidity, and selfishness?

It’s time to make like Elsa and let it go! 

People change!  But even if they don’t, you and I are responsible to move beyond the status quo and offer grace and forgiveness.  Just as God gives us new mercies every morning*, we can offer others a clean slate in our minds and hearts.

Now don’t get me wrong… God gives us wisdom!  If a neighbor stole money from me last year, I’m not going to leave my purse open for their perusal.  If a family member negatively impacted a child in the past, I’m not going to give them unguarded access again**.  Caution isn’t a wrong choice, but assumptions that people can’t, don’t, or won’t change is.

Forgiveness isn’t a prize we present.  Grace isn’t a reward given to the worthy.  They are non-negotiables for those who call themselves followers of Jesus.  How you and I view others does not ultimately affect them; it does, however, reflect the condition of our hearts.

If we call ourselves Believers, followers of Jesus, the Body of Christ, then we are called to a higher standard, to live a life worthy of our calling as Kingdom Ambassadors. Ephesians 4 challenges you and I to:

  • Think humbly
  • Treat gently
  • Love generously
  • Embrace unity
  • Reflect righteousness
  • Be honest
  • Choose rightly
  • Speak encouragingly
  • Offer kindness
  • Release anger
  • Forgive consistently

There are no boundaries placed on these expectations… we don’t get to pick and choose who we treat this way!  In fact, we are to even treat ourselves this way!

Do we still think of our own failures as permanent stains on who God intended us to be?  Again, when will we allow others, and ourselves, to grow past the errors of youth, ignorance, stupidity, and selfishness?

Today is the day to let it go!

 

Ask the Lord for a new lens, a lens of love and forgiveness, with which to view yourself and others.  You may not see the results of that new lens in the lives of others, but you will see the effects in your own heart.  As compassion, peace, and thankfulness well up, you can’t help but reflect the heart of the Father to others!  This is the life of the Kingdom culture that will impact our world and bring Heaven to earth! 

Live Loved,

*Lamentations 3:22-23

**God never intends for us to place ourselves or others in a place to be repeatedly hurt.  You can offer forgiveness and grace and still set boundaries that limit the access of others to your life.  Learn more about being a powerful person in the book “Keep Your Love On” by Danny Silk.

Strength for the Struggle

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Related imageLife can be exhausting!  At times, I feel like that circus plate spinner… you know who I mean…  The one who has numerous poles with plates on top and runs back and forth between the poles, rotating them in order to keep the plates spinning so they won’t fall and shatter.  My plates are probably similar to yours: family, finances, job, classes, friendships, health, chores, volunteering, etc.  All are valuable and all are demanding!  Mix in a few stressors (conflicts, unexpected expenses, health issues, changes) and we feel like we are one misstep away from plate shattering chaos!

The struggle is real! Some days, the struggle seems too real!  I’m tempted to run someplace safe and curl into a ball with a blanket and pillow and hope that the world will run smoothly without my help.  Am I alone in my urge to hibernate from life??

Sigh… so do I hibernate or put on my big girl pants and keep pressing on?  It’s not really much of a choice, is it?  Life goes on and we either grab ahold and ride along or it will drag us behind it!

I have good news and better news!  The good news (depending on how you look at it) is that the world really does need you and I!  Each of us are valuable, unique, and loved by someone who would not be the same if we chose to hibernate indefinitely!  The better news is that there are ways to help us cope with the chaos that has our heads spinning with those plates! There is strength to be had if we know how to tap into it!

As I have been wrestling with my own sense of plate-spinning panic, I’m realizing that I can make some choices that enable me to not just survive the struggle, but to even thrive in it!

Rest: “Ummm, when am I supposed to rest?” I know, it seems like an impossible feat, right?  But the truth is, if you don’t find time each week to rest, your body will get to the point where you have no choice in the matter.  Rest can be sleep, but it is not the equivalent.  Sleep is physical rest; but your soul needs rest too.  For me, soul rest involves choosing to think about positive concepts, creative ideas, and exciting dreams.  It may include reading a book, crafting, exercising, or chatting with someone I love. It might involve a family adventure or quiet time to write.  No matter what you choose to do, strength is found in giving yourself a “brain break” from the responsibilities that pull at you.

Rejuvenate: Different than rest, rejuvenate is to bring new life to something.  What in your life needs a little rejuvenation?  What dreams have you set aside that need revisited?  What relationships have you put on the back burner that need to become a priority?  Ask yourself what makes your heart jump and infuse some of that into your life again!  If traveling brings you joy but finances and time are a hinderance, take a day trip someplace you haven’t visited before.  If time with friends lights up your world, then arrange a game night soon! Strength is found in rejuvenating dreams.

Relegate: Not everything in our lives is of equal importance.  In fact, the things in our lives demanding the most attention are often not those that are the most valuable.  If I’m not careful, my responsibilities as a teacher can run roughshod over the valuable relationships in my life (FYI: Rarely do teachers accomplish all their work at school, thus the evenings of grading and writing lessons!).  It’s not that my teacher responsibilities are not important, but rather that my family and friends are more important in my life and deserve whole hearted attention.  Sometimes we have to relegate the less important to its proper place!  Take a few minutes to examine your priorities.  If your relationship with the Lord and with the precious people in your life are not at the top, it’s time to relegate!  Strength is found when you say “no” to what may be good so that you can say “yes” to that which matters most!

Redistribute:  This is the opposite of micro-managing!  When you redistribute, you are passing out some of your spinning plates so that you can better focus your time & energy!  It may be time to enlist some help to keep things in order.  My wise friend, Sarah Lehmann, calls herself an “opportunity maker!”  She values teamwork and realizes that there is strength in inviting and enabling others to take ownership in a process, project, or goal.  There’s truth in the statement: “Teamwork makes the dream work.”  So, rewrite the chore list, reduce your volunteering, share the cooking load, say “no” to a request.  Redistribute and you will find strength that enables you to be more effective and find the rest your soul needs.

Remember:  Remember the “why” and the “Who.”  This requires taking a step back and looking at the big picture.  This choice was a big boost for me and I’m thankful for the people in my life who propel me on!  Remember your “why”…  Why are you doing what you are doing?  Is it your calling, your dream, or your family?  Bringing your “why” into focus will help you find the strength to face each day’s demands.  Then, more importantly, remember the “Who”… Who is it that has called you and me and enabled us to do what we are called to do?  When I remember who I am and Whose I am1, I find myself focusing on all the things I am thankful for instead of all the things I can’t control.  It is a shift in thinking from the negative to the positive, from looking inward to looking outward, and from looking around me at the physical realm to looking up into the spiritual realm!

Do you remember who you are and Whose you are?  Write it down and post it on your mirror!  You are a child of the Living God!  You are anointed, enabled, capable, and equipped!  You and I can do everything He has called us to do!

I am grabbing on to this truth today as a face a new school year, in a higher grade level, with a new team, deeper standards, increased expectations, and a different classroom.  I am going to hold onto the truth that I truly can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)! I will actively pursue these “strength tools” as I navigate this new journey.  I hope you will too!

Lord, I pray that You would bless and strengthen this reader!  Give them wisdom to navigate all that is before them and make choices that allow them to rest as well as fulfill demands.  Enable them to see the people in their lives who will come along side them and help them stand strong.  May they feel your love wrapped around them today!  Thank You, Father!

Live Loved,

Read more encouragement here: I Just Can’t… or Can I? and Life Happens

1All I Need

Favorite Friday: Connection!

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“Raindrops on roses

And whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles

And warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things…”1

Julie Andrews sang these lyrics as the intrepid Maria, an adult orphan who embraced music to soothe her lonely heart.  As her story unfolds, what a blessing it was to find herself set into a family!  I’d like to imagine that she added a few lyrics to this song…

“Sweet, sticky kisses

And warm, cozy cuddles

Laughter and snapshots

And birthdays with candles

Ball games and bike rides, Kids pumping on swings

These are a few of my favorite things…”

Connection with family and friends is one of my favorite things!

Connection… authentic, encouraging, enriching connection… is to the soul what nourishing food is to the body!  Authentic connection usually entails sharing,  lots of laughter, heart revelations, and even some tears.  These are times when you know and are known.  You are cared for simply because of who you are instead of what you can do.

Yesterday, I listened as my daughter shared her heart about what God was doing there in the Philippines.  She was facetiming her uncle who she’d not seen or spoken with (aside from the occasional call or text) in a few years.  I watched as he listened and affirmed her.  What a blessing to see authentic connection overcome time and distance!  You and I need these connections for our soul to thrive!Truly connecting with others requires something of us… it requires time, interaction, and vulnerability.

  • Since time is not easily recovered, it is a valuable commodity. We demonstrate value of another person by setting aside time to engage in their lives and build the relationship!
  • Interaction might also be labeled communication. However, some would say communication is the art of listening and talking.  To me, interaction indicates a deeper level of listening, considering, and responding that enhances relationship and increases understanding by engaging the heart, mind, and spirit.
  • While time and interaction might seem like no-brainers, vulnerability is where the brain may slam on the brakes! Relationships can occur with time and even interaction, but they will remain shallow and unfulfilling without vulnerability.  Authentic connection can only occur when vulnerability is present.  What is vulnerability?  Various people may define it differently, but I’d say it’s a bit like peeling back your skin and showing what is truly inside your heart!  Being vulnerable is choosing to say, “This is who I am inside; this is what I need; this is where I hurt; this is what I dream.”  It’s scary and even painful to open yourself up to others because they are human too!  They may not appreciate the gift of you.  So, be wise about the who, what, where, and when of vulnerability.  But don’t be stingy with sharing who you are!  You will only cheat yourself.  Dr. Brené Brown brings clarity to the value of vulnerability in her TED talk and it’s worth a listen!2

Deeply connecting with others can be scary!  It also can seem impossible if you have a tendency to isolate yourself.  However, don’t let that stop you!  If you find that you have few authentic connections in your life, my challenge to you is this:  Don’t wait for others to come to you!  Reach out to someone else, peel back the layers of heart-protection, and engage them in some nourishing interaction!

Just as candy and junk food will not sustain a healthy body, shallow relationships and surface conversation will not sustain a healthy soul.

We need more!  Moving beyond the safety of self-preservation to the satisfaction of heart connection isn’t a guarantee of no pain.  BUT, moving towards heart connection gives more than it takes.  Pressing into authentic relationships with others is a worthwhile, heartwarming, rewarding endeavor.  Others are worth knowing and YOU are worth being known!3

Connection will enrich your life as it has mine!

Live Loved!

 1Lyrics from “My Favorite Things” written by Richard Rogers for The Sound of Music

2The Power of Vulnerability by Dr. Brené Brown: https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o

3Read more about your value here: You are Enough & Beautiful Mess

Favorite Friday-Dancing Fun!

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Yes, you busted me!  It’s actually Saturday!  But yesterday, focusing on my firstborn’s birthday was a priority, so here we are with slightly late Favorite Friday!

I’m not sure what your “religious paradigm” involves, but I was raised in a non-conservative denomination with solid faith foundations that I am very thankful to have embraced.  However, as I explore the difference between Kingdom Culture as evidenced in the life of Jesus, outlined in the Word, and confirmed by the Holy Spirit and America’s version of Christian culture, I realize that much of what I was raised with is definitely rooted in the latter instead of the authentic Kingdom Culture.

I could give you various examples of how historically many cultures have translated Kingdom culture through the lens of their own culture, but I will give you this biblical example:  When the Gentiles joined the rank of believers, the Jews felt that they should be circumcised because that was Jewish law.  However, Paul contended that under the New Covenant, it was a circumcision of the heart God expected, not the physical body (Romans 2).  Physical circumcision was Jewish culture; heart circumcision (spiritual submission to the Lord) is Kingdom culture!

All that to say, that I was raised believing that dancing was not appropriate in the Christian culture unless you were dancing “in the Spirit” (II Sam. 6:14).  Sound familiar?  As I’ve grown as a person and a believer, I understand that while dancing in the Spirit is a very valid (and biblical) act, dancing in and of itself is not wrong either!  I love that!  I love that we can worship the Lord with dance (Psalm 149) and we can also just have fun dancing (Jeremiah 31:4)!  Dancing is healthy for our minds and bodies!1  (Caveat: like anything else, dancing can become negative but that’s not the subject of this blog!)

Then I stumbled upon this song by MercyMe in one of my playlists:

Love it!

“We’ve got reason to get up 
Reason to get down
He done traded our sin for joy
And now, that joy wants out”2

Don’t wait! Play the song and jump out of your chair to dance!

“It’s okay, to cut loose
Oh, it ain’t about how you move, but what moves you
We’re so consumed with what we think we’re supposed to be
That we stop living like we know that we’re free”2

Dance because you are free!

Live Loved,

1Dancing Makes You Feel Better article

2Lyrics from Happy Dance by Mercy Me

When God Whispers

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“I heard Him!  He whispered to me!  He said that I’m a dew drop of sunshine!”  This from a precious little one in our VBS Discovery Station.  “Me too!  He said that I’m beautiful!”  “He told me that I’m a victorious warrior!” Others joined in sharing what they’d heard from the Holy Spirit during our listening moments.  What a delight it was for me to see their hearts open to the loving words of their Heavenly Father!

I had been teaching the children that we can have confidence in who God says we are only if we know what He says about us!  First, we looked at what the Word of God tells us.  We are loved with an everlasting love!  We are made wonderfully in the image of God!  In Jesus, we are set free, healed, and victorious!  All powerful truths.  Yet there is so much more!  Our Father wants us to spend time with Him, sharing our hearts and listening for His voice.  How amazing to begin developing the skill of knowing His voice at a young age! (John 10:3, 14:6)

It was recently that I was encouraged to do just what I had asked the children to do… sit and listen, asking God to tell me how He sees me.  Have you ever tried that?  I have had experiences with hearing the Lord, so I wasn’t really concerned that He wouldn’t speak, but I was a bit nervous about what I was going to hear.  I wasn’t prepared for how quickly I would hear!  It’s like He’d been sitting on the edge of His seat waiting for me to ask!  I grabbed a pen & paper and began writing down His words of life and love for me.  I felt so treasured and valued as He poured His love over me like only a Daddy can!

God longs for us to sit up and take notice of His thoughts written across all creation!  He has made His love abundantly clear through the plan of redemption and He inspired Biblical writers to take note of His handiwork.  Yet, there is more!  Just as we have daily conversations with those we love, our Heavenly Dad has words of life for us each day that take our understanding of Him and His love for us to new levels.  Paul said it this way in Ephesians 1:

17” I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know Him through your deepening intimacy with Him.  18 I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of His calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that He finds in us, His holy ones!  19 I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith.” tPt

During my lesson, one of the kids asked me, “How do you know that it is God speaking?”  Don’t we all wonder that at times?  “Lord, is that you?”  “How do I know He is speaking and it’s not just my thoughts?”  Whenever God speaks, He is faithful to His character.  He will not ask us to be or do anything that contradicts who He is or His Word (Hebrews 13:8). God’s voice will not discourage, condemn, or tempt us (John 3:17, James 1:13).  God’s whispers will not devalue you and I but rather will speak life into our spirits (John 6:63)!1  

When God whispers into our hearts and spirits, His desire is to draw us into deeper relationship with Him!  Can you feel the Father’s hunger to spend time with you?  He tells us to seek Him and we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).  He whispers your name in the chaos of life.  He wants to encourage you and I to see ourselves as He sees us—as He created us to be!  When we get a revelation of who He is and who we are to Him, we develop the deepening intimacy with Him that enables us to act and react from a place of perfect love instead of a place of ignorance, hurt, fear, or desperation.

He calls to us through His handiwork: in the vibrant sunset, across a shimmering rainbow, on the wings of a butterfly, and in the arms of a loved one.  But He also waits for our ears to tune in to His heart.  He whispers truth and life to our spirits.  Will you pause and listen?  Ask your Heavenly Dad to tell you how He sees you!  Embrace the truths He drops into your heart and then combine them with truths from His Word.  Write them down!  Declare those truths!  Your thinking patterns will be transformed into His as you renew your mind with the power of His Words, both written and revealed!  (See Romans 12:2, I Corinthians 2:16)

Live Loved, because you truly are!

1 To learn more about listening to the right voice, read this blog post by Kris Vallotton.

Favorite Friday-Essential Oils!

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We have such an incredible, creative Intelligent Designer!  When He created you and I, He had already filled the earth with provision for most of our physical needs.  That includes healing!  I’m not a savant of essential oils, but I am definitely a fan and am learning a lot!  Today, I’m sharing my top favorite essential oils!*  (Note: These thoughts are only my personal experiences and opinions!  I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV! Please research yourself before trying any! 🙂 )

My Top 5 Essential Oils:

5: Thieves-I’ve only recently tried this and I was so glad I did!  This oil blend has a delightful scent and taste due to the cinnamon, cloves, lemon etc. in it.  I was struggling with a sore throat and within a few days of using thieves, it was gone!

4: Lemon-This oil has a delightful smell that is invigorating and refreshing.  Use it for cleaning, freshening breath, flavoring water or tea, and even improving digestion.

3: Frankincense is another all around amazing oil!  No wonder the Wisemen brought it to Jesus!  It supports healthy cells, soothes skin irritations, promotes the fading of blemishes, and even strengthens healthy nails. I’ve seen an improvement in spider veins using this oil.

2: Melaleuca or Tea Tree-This oil has been around for ages and is remarkable.  Tea tree oil soothes the skin and scalp.  It also keeps lice away (teachers love that!). It takes care of bug bites and dissolves blemishes.

1: Peppermint!  Peppermint oil soothes headaches immediately, calms upset tummies, tames the appetite, awakens the senses, and freshens the breath! You just can’t go wrong with it!  (Unless you forget you have it on your hands and rub your eyes!  Oy vey!)  It’s also hands down, my favorite to diffuse!

How interesting and even fun it has been to learn about the advantages and uses of something so natural as essential oils.  I’m thankful for the wonderful way that oils have been a blessing to me!  Years ago, I learned that garlic & mullein oil works wonders on ear infections and we’ve not had any ear issues since that discovery.  I enjoy the concept that we are managing health concerns in natural ways.  Recently, I’m learning more about blends that bring pain relief and heal wounds.  I’ve embraced oils so much, I needed an oil shelf…  So, found an antique spice rack, refinished it, and voila!  That made my creative side happy too!

Here’s to learning and growing! Here’s to healing the natural way!  If you use essential oils, share your favorite in the comments!

Thanks, Lord, for giving us natural remedies!

Live loved!

*Before purchasing essential oils, check the ingredients to be sure the product is 100% essential oils and not cut with fillers or other ingredients.  Aromatherapy oils are not intended for internal consumption.

Passion and Purpose

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“Marriage is an adventure, like going to war.” Gilbert Chesterton’s observation is more true than starry-eyed newlyweds would want to consider.  Ask any couple who has journeyed through some years together and they will admit that the dance of married life is not without a few battle scars.

Thirty one years… that’s how long our dance has been going!  What a joy it is to celebrate another milestone of marriage!  As I reflect on our journey, it’s not unlike most others… ups and downs, sickness and health, maybe a bit more poor than rich, some better, some worse.

However, it’s our own one-of-a-kind love story as well.

This dance of marriage has had moments of closeness and distance.  At times life has moved fast with the driving beat, at other times, slow with the cadence of grief.  We’ve had times of holding each other’s hands tightly and moments of drifting apart.

At our last ladies’ retreat, I posed this challenge:  State 3 words that make your marriage strong and lasting.  The answers were almost as varied as the women!  Communication, patience, forgiveness, grace, whoopie, laughter, compassion, wine!  Many of these are answers I’ve given when asked that same question.

Today while thinking about our (thankfully) thriving marriage, I felt fresh words whisper across my heart. 

Deep, lasting, authentic, rich marriages are established by passion and purpose.

 

Of course, physical passion is a valuable and desirable part of marriage and I hope you picked your spouse on purpose. 🙂  But I’m thinking of passion and purpose in a different light.

Passion is a strong or compelling desire for someone or something while purpose is a steely-eyed resolve to follow through on commitment.  Marriages are the joining of two individuals who have their own ideas, agendas, and protocols.  We all come into marriage with a boatload of “stuff” and along with our baggage, we bring expectations of married life that are typically unreasonable and unattainable for two fallible people.

So how do we manage to negotiate the minefields of marriage and come through on the other side somewhat intact?

Passion… that strong and compelling desire… is needed to establish the heart culture of God in our home. This heart culture is one where failure encounters forgiveness, weaknesses encounter grace, and love never fails.

The passionate pursuit of God’s love will establish a culture of Godly love in our marriage!  Ideally, both a husband and wife passionately pursing this life of love, will experience Kingdom culture in their home.  That’s not to say that one spouse cannot accomplish it alone!  God is faithful and will follow through on His part as we pursue His heart of love for our spouse (I Corinthians 13:4-8a).

Purpose… that steely-eyed commitment… is needed to stand strong when the storms of life batter our marriage.  God established you and your spouse as a single unit to work as one (Genesis 2:24). No, it’s not simple, or easy, or convenient.  Sometimes it’s painful, and confusing, and scary.

But set your eyes, not on your spouse, but on the Lover of your soul!  Link your arm in His and purpose to stand strong for your marriage.  Pursue God’s heart and seek His wisdom for you and your spouse.  Seeing God weave your marriage into a tapestry of love, healing, and restoration is worth the struggle!

There’s a plethora of marriage advice available out there if you feel yourself faltering in your journey together1.  That advice can be helpful; but one of the greatest blessings for Andy and I was when we sought the help and support of others who’d been through some battles themselves.  There is no perfect duet… get close enough to any thriving married couple and they may share some of their battle scars along with their victory stories.  Learn from others, grow in your relationship skills, be willing to find authentic people who will invest in you as you invest in your marriage.  Purpose and passion, passion and purpose.  “Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” I Corinthians 14:1 (MSG)

Live Loved,

           

P.S. My heart is to encourage others!  If this blog encouraged you, please share on social media. 🙂  If you would like me to pray for your marriage or that of another, please message me!  I would be honored to pray with you!

1Rejoice Marriage Ministries is a great resource: https://www.rejoiceministries.org/