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Seasons of growth and seasons of being dormant
Have you ever thought about how in order for a plant to grow, it needs seasons of being dormant, especially at the seed stage? So often I think of growth as this continuous push forward and yet that is not the picture we find in nature in many ways. I have experienced this in my life too. There have been seasons where it has felt desolate and like there will never be growth again. And yet here I am today. Do I allow myself the time to be still and recharge to let the growing time happen? We talk about children having growth spurts. We know that they grow fairly…
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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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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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Has your “try” become weak? Time for intention.
Do you ever find yourself saying or thinking the words “I’ll try” and knowing deep in your heart that you won’t? I am annoying myself every time those words cross my thoughts or pass my lips. I know that the word “try” has come to mean this weak offering of some intention rather than a gutsy word conveying conscious effort. I desire to live more intentionally with purpose and attention to how I am spending my time. My everyday reality does not reflect that as often as I’d like. It is easy to make excuses and there are even legitimate ones in my life right now, like a sick child…
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Will grief inspire or pull you under?
In the midst of an intense season, a friend died. One of those friends who used to be a big part of my life but we had lost touch. One of those friends who you bump into and say, “we need to catch up” and never do. Do you have those friends? The emotions and grief of this loss and the funeral brought a dark tide. That tide had already been lapping up my legs and rising with a to do list and big life events adding buckets to it. This threatened to raise that tide over my head. Processing through these feelings and what was spoken about at the…
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Stepping towards the next comfort zone: a Five Minute Friday post
How can I simultaneously be so drawn to staying in my comfort zone and restless to break free at the same time? When did the step that felt so huge become my comfort zone? Where am I seeking comfort? Tomorrow I am stepping (leaping?) out of my comfort zone and meeting up with other writers in a cafe. I have never met a single one of these women. I feel I can barely qualify as a writer in this season. And yet I am drawn to it. Comfortable can be so uncomfortable too. I need something to shake up the status quo, particularly in my writing life or lack thereof.…
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The lure and lie of safety
The concept of safety is one that I have long wrestled with, especially since becoming a parent. I long to keep my daughter safe and protected but want her to be able to take risks and live life fully too. How do I balance the two? Add in faith and trusting in God and the conflict rises to a whole new level. I struggle to trust at times because I know that God doesn’t promise safety in the way that I want. He doesn’t promise that nothing will go wrong, that no harm will come to my family, that life will always be smooth. In fact, He says the opposite.…
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The ever-changing dance of control
The wrestle between control and letting go is an ongoing dance in my life. Sometimes that dance is frenetic with a tugging between my desire to trust and my desire to feel an illusion of safety through control. At other times, it is a slow waltz where I am able to relax a little but can still see that need for control simmering in the background. Just when I think I have the steps of this dance mastered, the music changes. I enter a different season, my hormones flare up, family cohesion shifts, I have to lay down another level of myself. I recognise that this is a dance that…
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Refining my life
While the start of the year has not been without its challenges, it has been wonderful. Taking that time to reflect on last year and look ahead to this one was so valuable. I am now in a time of refining that view. I am refining what it means to spend time with God. I am refining what I want my house to look like. I am refining what organisation looks like for me. I am refining the goals and expectations I have for myself. This is a messy process but I am happy. I am deep in my soul happy and at peace. Life is not all smooth sailing…
Encouragement for women in leadership
