All in Emotional Health

Do You Suffer from Hurry Sickness?

Based on our individual personalities and makeup, we all have different Orientations to Time.  Never heard of this?  Think of Orientation to Time as a type of filter through which we process, plan, envision, shop, negotiate, even budget. Some function in the world from a place of the PAST – taking into account all that has been.  Others operate in the PRESENT – dealing with what has been dealt. Then there are those, like me, who are orientated to the FUTURE, always planning and dreaming about what can be (can I hear a “whoop whoop!” for Enneagram 8’s?).

Weekly Challenge - Dismantling False Belief #1

Throughout our lives, we pick up false beliefs that actually affect our soul and well-being, preventing us from moving ahead. For the next 4 weeks, we will dismantle 4 Core False Beliefs, replacing them with 4 Truths that will set us up for the life we desire!

Is God Really Good?

As a follower of Christ, believer, pastor, pastor’s wife and truth seeker, I’ve wrestled on and off with these question for years.  While my mind believed and my mouth confessed of God’s goodness, in an effort to live an honest and authentic life, I’ve been forced to admit that  at times I wrestle with the validity of this broken declaration. That although His goodness was definitely evident, glimpses of Him are sometimes accompanied by times of discouragement, heartache, disappointment, even perceived abandonment, in which authentically owning the belief that He was good, has limped at best.  

Seven Signs of a Weary Soul

In this demanding, over-stimulated and over-scheduled world in which we live, Soul Weariness is epidemic. It’s destroying lives, families, careers and churches in its wake.  Anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, and depression are the result.  Many are just hanging on, when they want to move ahead. Some are in a deep rut, or even paralyzed, as clarity of purpose and vision have vanished. With this in mind, how do you know if you are Soul Weary?  What are the symptoms?  And once identified, what do you do?  

The One Word Answer to Our Differences

Recently, I was a bit taken back by the Facebook post of a former high school classmate. I believed it to be more profound than could be understood at first glance, causing me to mull it over for a couple of days. It made me want to have a conversation regarding the deeper meaning.  Some may have thought it was just simply sweet.  I thought it was more than that. 

Above this picture of two happy, handsome, middle-aged men – one black, the other white - were these words written by Bryan Pittman:

Braving the Wild of Relationships

I come from the belief (and experience) that friendships can be really, really good…or so troublesome that they make you want to hightail it to somewhere off the Appalachian Trail, completely off the grid, and live a life of total and complete solitude without TV, social media or Diet Dr. Pepper.  It’s that’s serious. 

How to Increase Your Self Awareness

I hadn’t asked myself what I wanted in life, my marriage, my pursuits, and as a woman in…well, maybe never. It seemed as if I had always piggy-backed on other people’s wants, needs and desires.  As a good Christian wife and mother, isn’t that was I was supposed to do?

When Time Management No Longer Works

There I was again – too much to do and too little time to do it.  Honestly, it seemed to be the story of my life these past months.  You’d think with the kids grown and gone; I’d be getting more - not less - done.  In the past it wasn’t a problem. I was practical a machine!  Being someone with what seemed to be endless energy, each day would begin with a mental, or better yet, written list of all that needed to be accomplished. I always knew how much I could get done, almost down to the minute. I considered myself to a Time Management Master.

No More Christian Shame Vortex - The Beauty of a Broken Hallelujah

What is this source of conflict between frustration and exhaustion that happens when we attempt to muster with every bit of our strength, an offering to give to God that, by our standards, is both flawless and acceptable? Then when we fail (as we inevitably do), we spiral down the “Christian Shame Vortex”, giving up completely.  “It’s useless.  I just don’t have what it takes. I can’t get this thing right.” 

Is God Disappointed When We're Afraid?

We beat ourselves up about fear, especially when we know that God tells us we have no need to fear.  We can be really hard on ourselves, convinced that there is something very wrong with us. “If I trusted God enough, I wouldn’t be struggling with this!  Can’t I just get over it?  How many times do I have to turn this over to God?!”At times, shame and guilt can seem to overwhelm us because we fear.  

Conversing with Grief - Thank You Mt. Zion UMC

When I walk…I walk fast.  Not speed walker fast, but fast enough that some of my friends to refuse to walk with me.   “Slow down!” they say.  Really?  What’s the use of walking, if you don’t walk fast?  I mean, burning calories is the goal, right?

The Greatest Battle - Being Yourself

“To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody but yourself – means to fight the hardest battle which
any human being can fight – and never stop fighting.”

Silencing the Voice of Comparison - Part 1

Why do we do it? Why do we compare? We know it’s a black hole.  It won’t help, nor will it solve any issues.  In fact, it makes issues much larger and bigger than they already are! So why do we insist on carrying on this love affair with comparison?

Excluding God from Our Relationship with God

The blinders, which had slowly been building on my spiritual eyes over a timespan of at least 25 years, had been removed.  I was finally seeing things clearly for the first time – I had become downright MILITANT in my daily quest to spend time with God – checking off the “boxes” of scripture reading, as if that alone would get me close to Him.  In my quest to be disciplined, I had slowly, but surely, excluded God from a time that was intended for intimacy

Ask Me, Don't Tell Me - the Power of Questions

Trust me – there’s a huge difference between “Get me a glass of water!" and “Would you please get me a glass of water?” The result of the latter being a glass of water; the result of the former being a death glance, possibly accompanied by afore-mentioned glass being thrown across the room (which may or may not have happened in our first year of marriage).

Finding Your Mission and Purpose

If we are to be effective in our mission and purpose, vulnerability and authenticity are required.  We have to be honest, imperfect in living it out - flaws and all.  We can't pretend to be superhuman or perfected in our execution of our mission - just authentic and real, flaws and all.  The world has had enough fake.  It wants real.  This goes for the Christian community as well.

Our Journey - Bring it On 2018!

On several occasions these past weeks, I’ve heard many friends, acquaintances, and even a waitress or two mention looking forward to leaving 2017 behind, kissing it goodbye, kicking it to the curb, and boldly declaring “Good riddance!”  I include myself in this group.

When Sadness Chases You through Christmas

Yes, Christmas is indeed the most wonderful time of the year! But not for everyone. Christmas can hold thoughts, memories, and realities that are nothing short of painful. And as much as you attempt to join in the festivities, sadness and/or straight up depression seem to chase you through the season much like a lion in pursuit to devour his prey.  Running as fast as you can, you’re actually breathless and overwhelmed with the possibility of succumbing to the very beast you know has been defeated by the birth of the One you celebrate.

Keeping Your Sanity in the Waiting Room

Crappy stuff has happened.  Thing’s haven’t turned out as expected.  You’re holding on to every remaining ounce of faith you possess, believing that God is at work in the midst of it all.  In fact,  you know He is, because when you look back, you recall circumstances, events, and situations in which He’s orchestrated such happenings that cannot be chalked up to mere coincidence.