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Pausing For Advent
Advent has officially begun for another year. In the midst of an overflowing brain and a full season, I am so thankful that I have given myself and my family the gift of simplicity. Advent is not meant to be a burden or something else to add to an already crowded to-do list. What is it about our human nature that draws us to make it that? A few days in and I already have a couple of favourite moments in my Advent days. The first is the pause in front of a lit candle. There is nothing fancy about my Advent wreath made out of bits and pieces I…
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How I will nourish my soul this Advent
It would be so easy to fill the Advent season with all the amazing holiday activities and brilliant resources available but end up missing the point entirely. Instead of feeling nourished and connected, our souls can end up being overwhelmed and wishing for it all to be over. With so many good opportunities, it can be really hard to find what is best for your soul in this particular time. What works one year may not work at all another year. I want to give you (and me) permission to keep it as simple as we need to, to say no to good things, to tweak and make any suggestions…
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One way I am savouring time with my daughter this Advent
As a parent, you have these moments of awareness of how quickly your child is growing up. Such a bittersweet mix of emotions! I am struck again by the urgent need to savour moments with this gorgeous girl. Those moments are our reminders that life is short and our priorities need to shift from the busyness and distraction we immerse ourselves into the treasure that is the fleeting time we have while our children are small. This has been top of my mind in thinking about Advent. This year feels so different and feels like it is the start of a transition into a different phase of parenting. Her interests…
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How do I find peace in the busyness and stress of this season?
“Peace on Earth” We see that in so many places in the lead up to Christmas. Does it reflect your reality right now? Does your little part of the world feel peaceful? I’m willing to guess that few would be able to answer “yes” to that question. This time of year has a way of magnifying the stressors already present and adds a good dose of family angst, high expectations, and busyness in for good measure. That isn’t even including the more global tension, disasters, and conflict. Is there any hope for peace? Is this some unattainable goal for the Christmas season? I’m discovering that it is possible but takes…
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Advent: Your invitation to savour (and a free gift for you)
Can you feel the shift? The tip over towards Christmas? That usually leaves you feeling either excited or completely stressed. The to-do lists seem endless. The expectations on ourselves and our circumstances seem beyond reach. The wealth of opportunities can feel like pressure to add more and more in our days. This doesn’t have to be the case. For the past several years, I have intentionally engaged in Advent. Far from being the out-dated tradition that I thought it was, Advent has become a time of intentional focus for me. It has become my invitation to slow down and savour the season. It has become the opportunity to help us…
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When your nightmare becomes real….
Today a recurring nightmare that I’ve had became my reality. Any time that I have a flight to catch, I have nightmares about missing the flight. Today that happened. I am fully aware that in the grand scheme of things, a missed flight is trivial. There are many other nightmares that would make for a much worse reality. And yet, there were still tears. There was still panic. There was still that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. When you are the one leading a leadership retreat, getting there well after everyone else is not ideal! What has struck me the most, as I sit here in the…
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Bite-sized Inspiritment Day 31: Close
As October and the Write 31 Days Challenge comes to a close, my mind immediately turns to look at what is next. What project do I need to focus on? What writing will I do now? Do you do that when you come to the end of something? Do you also forget to celebrate the achievement and what has already happened? I want to celebrate the fact that I have written and posted everyday for 31 days. More than that, I want to celebrate the connection points and encouragement that it has brought into my life and yours. I have loved seeing comments and having conversations with you…
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Bite-sized Inspiritment Day 30: Voice
Think back over your last 24 hours. How have you used your voice? Has it encouraged others or torn them down? Has your tone been loving, supportive and light or has it been harsh and grating? Have you used your voice in support of others and to build up community or have you added to dissent and disunity? If you’re anything like me, it is probably a combination of some or all of the above. I can get so frustrated at myself with how I use my voice, particularly with those closest to me. Isn’t it always the way that those who are close to us get the worst of…
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Bite-sized Inspiritment Day 28: Song
Do you ever wake up with a song on your mind? Or find yourself humming a tune randomly and wonder where that came from? Sometimes it is some annoying jingle or song that you don’t even like. What I am noticing is that often the ones first thing in the morning are actually just what I need to hear and remember for me day. I guess this is especially true because they are often Christian praise songs for me. My perspective is shifted and I am rehearsing truth through song. The challenge comes in not only relying on these random songs in your head but surround yourself with the positive…
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Bite-sized Inspiritment Day 27: Whole
Are you bringing your whole self to life, to every arena and space that you engage with? Are you trying to compartmentalise and end up feeling like you can never fully be you? It can be hard when we wear different hats in different spaces to find a way to gel them together in any cohesive way. Or maybe this is just my struggle. If you’re anything like me, you have many things that you are passionate about and spend your time on. You have different roles in life that demand a variety of skills and aspects of who you are. How do we maintain an integrated whole in this…
Encouragement for women in leadership
