If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. Henry Ford. To change, it may feel like you’re driving on the wrong side of the road. It all made sense. I began to understand how the brain changes and that to learn something new […]
Mental health
Moments of thankfulness often pass us by without acknowledgment. But what might happen if we create a habit of noticing and capturing them. From one thousand gifts to three thousand gifts and counting. This is a Guest Post from Pauline Turnbull. It all began on the 24th of October 2020 […]
There is a grain or a pattern to our thinking that needs to change, but we are stuck, so God gently comes against the grain and changes it from the inside out. It goes against the grain of self-protection to let someone in, especially when we have been hurt. But […]
They kept feeling a sense of guilt and blame for something they didn’t do, but then they discovered a Scapegoat living in the backyard of their brain. It wasn’t nasty, or maybe in a subtle kind of a way it was, but they felt like they were receiving all the […]
‘I’m not religious’ is something many say, but religion is a place of reconnection and realignment. Good mental health grows in a healthy religious experience. Say the word ‘Religion,’ and you’ll get lots of reactions. The word ‘Religion’ can a springboard to thoughts of rules, regulations, rituals, commitments, vows, attendance […]
Grief and loss are always on the horizon, but we can prepare to grieve well. This can help with the grief we are carrying now. I am pruning roses at the moment. It’s winter here in New Zealand as I write this post, and one of my tasks every winter […]
Life can wear us down, and we question if we are worthy of love. But we need to look to a deeper story going on than feelings of the present. It was gone. Something had gone from them. And they felt it. No longer caring about their appearance, their diet, […]
It was a dream, but now it was shattered. Perhaps a new dream was to be discovered, and so we dug deep into what truly mattered. It was happening again. The dream was being shattered. The marriage was over, the pregnancy test was negative, a redundancy letter handed out, and […]
They were too naked in their vulnerability. Too much too soon, but with careful listening, time, and respect, they began to feel deeply known. They had been too naked with their vulnerability. They thought they were safe with this friend, that what they shared wouldn’t be exposed. But it was […]
It was my shame, but it wasn’t to be carried alone. I had a friend who knew it all, and God entered in and healed the pain. I was being laughed at. I was only a seven-year-old, but for the first time, I felt the cold icy winds of being […]
Many people fear that God will leave them, but you have a very good reason why this will not happen. God has a reputation to uphold. A reputation of perfect love. Deep, deep down, I think one of my greatest fears is that of abandonment. That I will be kicked […]
It can be so debilitating to be told ‘you need to have boundaries,’ but as you grow the heart, a new empowered strength slowly builds within. ‘You really need to have boundaries’ How many times have you heard this said or even said it yourself? I always feel a little […]
Dreams, visions, and revelations are part of our lives, but what do we do with them? We can treasure them and find their help. Each night as I am about to sleep, I pray a simple two-word prayer – ‘Spirit come.’ I then emotionally see myself being cocooned inside wide […]
For many, God can be like a drill sergeant, demanding and harsh, but that is a flawed understanding of God. When we look closely at the diamond, we can see other facets. If you follow the rules and commands, then everything will be ok. Step out of line and watch […]
There is a gentle approach to how the heart and mind can change. Instead of the force of a flood, it’s a refreshing rain. Let’s learn to absorb the goodness. There is something very special to me about a nice soft rain shower in the middle of a dry summer. […]
When you’re in a dark hole, it can feel like there is a loss of hope, but you can dig yourself out with some wisdom and encouragement. It was a hole that I had fallen into. I was in a deep dark hole where the sun didn’t seem to reach. […]
Why you get so angry can give a clear direction about who you truly are. It’s a matter of the heart. Your anger can indicate what you hold most dear. As they became more whole, the anger started to simmer, then boil, and then it flowed over the containment of […]
Can anything good come out of that time, place, or person? Only if we take a risk and explore. We are invited to ‘come and see.’ I was raised on a farm near a small town called Wellsford. In fact, my ancestors settled there in the 1860s, migrating from England. […]
Emotional pain can bump our lives into behaviors that can hurt us further. But we can make a change by learning to listen to the pain, where it’s sourced, and what it wants us to do. He was in pain. I could see it, feel it, and totally understand it. […]
Trust can get broken so easily, but we can build a new trust by cognitively reassessing our situations. It takes time and effort, but it is worth it. There was a rebuilding that needed to happen. It was a rebuilding of trust in themselves and with others. Somewhere, some time, […]