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What to do when your spiritual walks don’t match up
Relationships, whether romantic, family or friendships, take so much work to keep healthy. There are so many sources of potential conflict and disconnect whenever you put two human beings together. This can be a big one and one that may not be spoken about too much. The mismatch can be most obvious when it is a person who does not share your spiritual beliefs. Personally, I find these mismatches easier to navigate. The ones I really struggle with are when the other person does share your beliefs and yet you still seem to be on different wavelengths. Having pondered this through my own experiences, I see that often it comes…
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The power of writing even if you aren’t a writer
Writing forms such a large part of my life. I write shopping lists, social media posts and comments, Scriptures that speak to me, journal entries, prayers, blog posts and so many other big and small examples. I know that for me writing is part of who I am. I believe in the power of it even if you aren’t a writer. What was the last thing that you wrote down? Was it uplifting and encouraging? Was it mundane? Was it tearing down of yourself or someone else? Our words have the ability to build up and tear down. I am so conscious of this as my daughter begins her writing…
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Wellness Wednesday Encouragement- Decluttering
When I think of wellness, I think in very holistic terms. I say that because the topic I’ve chosen for this week’s Wellness Wednesday may not seem related to health at all. I am far from a minimalist and my house is far from being a show home for organisation. I have experienced the significant difference to my headspace that decluttering and reducing the amount of “stuff” in my house has made. There is something so freeing in releasing excess. Our minds gain space when our eyes are not constantly seeing clutter. My time is impacted too. Having less clothing in my cupboard or fewer plastic containers to dig through…
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What voices are you choosing to listen to?
What voices are you choosing to listen to? We live in a noisy world with voices, messages, opinions and comparisons hitting us from every angle. One voice that I have given permission to speak into my life this week is my daughter. I have given her permission to tell me when she feels I have been on my phone or a screen too much. That is scary! I know that I am not the only one who allows technology to crowd out what is right in front of me more than I would like. This is one small way I am tuning in this week. I also think about what…
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How can I make a good start to a busy season? Plan
My next few weeks and months are going to be ridiculously full in so many ways. At the start of a new week of a new school term I need to encourage myself to plan. Maybe you need that reminder and encouragement too. I try not to get super caught up in making intricate plans as I find that counterproductive. These are some things I do need to plan for: How and when am I going to spend time with God this week? What am I going to do to recharge my body and soul? What are the priorities on my list for this week and what can wait? What…
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Some encouragement from Isaiah
Each Sunday, I want to share a verse with you that has encouraged me and spurred me on. This verse seemed most appropriate after this week of sharing on rest, facing uncertainty and letting go. I am still working on the “steadfast mind” bit that leads to that constant peace. I have experienced this in pieces and long for it to be an ever-present reality in my life. Maybe your heart longs for the same? I am learning how to trust Him with hope and confident expectation. I pray that you are too. This post is part of a series for Write 31 Days called “For Your Encouragement.” I am…
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Should I let go or keep fighting?
When I put out the call to my subscribers to send me requests for what they needed encouragement with, I did not anticipate the incredibly personal and vulnerable responses that I might get back. The reader request that inspired this post tugged at very deep places of my heart as I could feel the depth of pain and struggle contained in the words shared. It is not my place to share the details and it isn’t necessary to do so. At the core of it was this question: should I let go or keep fighting? This is a question that so many of us can relate to in a myriad…
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How can I face uncertainty with certainty?
If you are anything like me, you can go through a range of thoughts and emotions when faced with this question. This has always been a major wrestling point in my life and I know that I have learned so much along the journey and face uncertainty with much more peace and certainty these days. And yet only this morning I was confronted by my own default to anxiety and avoidance of uncertainty once more. Uncertainty is a fact of life that we all have to deal with in one way or another. I can only write from what I have experienced. From where I stand, I have no idea…
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How can I be certain of the next new thing or what’s ahead?
The short answer? You can’t be. How’s that for an encouraging start?! I wish that there was a way we could be completely sure that the next step we’re taking is the right one or that the decision we’re making is going to lead to success. The reality is that life has no guarantees. There is no way to see the future and know without a shadow of a doubt. If you’re anything like me, knowing that there is no way to know can lead to crippling indecision when it comes to making big life choices or even small ones at times. I tie myself up in knots trying…
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Wellness Wednesday Encouragement- a podcast recommendation
I had a flash of inspiration to include some encouragement each Wednesday about wellness. Why? Because I need to encourage myself in this as much as wanting to encourage others. I have gotten off track a bit of late and know that making wellness a priority impacts all areas of my life. My first bit of encouragement to you and reminder to me is a podcast recommendation. Revelation Wellness is a brilliant podcast full of encouragement and inspiration for health. My favourite episodes though would be a tie between the “Revving the Word” ones and the “Be Still” ones. The former is designed to be used during a walk, run or…
Encouragement for women in leadership
