anxiety Archives

That’s Normal and You’re Going to be Ok

This didn’t feel normal AT ALL, but when they offered the words ‘That’s normal and you’re going to be ok’, a flood of reassurance swept into me. After they had told their story, the psychiatrist looked at them and, with quiet compassion, said these words. For what you’ve been through, […]

Anxiety & Stress

Watching the Wind. Looking at Clouds

If you’re always watching the wind or looking at clouds, you’ll never step outside your door. But with quiet practice, we can give generous attention to what truly matters. I tried something new last night. Something I haven’t done for a very long time and building up to that […]

Mental health Relationships Spiritual Formation Uncategorized

But Trouble Comes

Trouble comes. It’s nothing new, but we have the assurance of others, so we hold on tight and ride our way through it. You can see it coming. You’re sailing along. Life seems to be going along ok, but out on the horizon, you can see a storm. You know […]

Faith & Mental Health

And It Just So Happened

At times, it can seem like God isn’t with us, but God is there with, ‘and it just so happened’ moments to bring about a larger story going on. I often listen to people’s stories and wonder where God is in them. Often the stories tell of mess. There is […]

Relationships Uncategorized

Whatever you retain will be retained

We retain them. All the hurts and pains of life, but what if we could forgive and let them go? Perhaps then we could dance freely and lightly. It’s so easy to do. Holding on to the hurt others have done. The brain seems to retain it, keeping it and […]

Anxiety & Stress

Slowing the Pendulum of your Thoughts

Thoughts can come and go, like a pendulum they reach a point and then swing to another point. We can slow the pendulum down and bring it to a place of stillness. The pendulum on the old clock swung back and forth, left to right and then right to left. […]

Faith & Mental Health

A Place of Feathers

Life can bring times when we feel completely abandoned, but we have a place of feathers that can hold us secure, so we enter that place of being loved, held, and known. I’m not sure why, but for many years the final words of my day as my head rests […]

Mental health Spiritual Practices

I’ll sit with you in the dark

Ever found yourself in a dark place? A simple state of sadness can throw you in such a place. At least l experience that often. I used to be depressed, severely depressed, the kind of state that makes it hard for facial muscles to react to other people’s joyful interaction. […]

Mental health Spiritual Formation

What Do You Fear the Most?

Fear can be like a shadow creeping up and over you, but what do you fear the most? Understanding what you fear the most can bring assurance. It was a simple wire bridge on a confidence course. Not very high, the three-wire bridge was a challenge for some and not […]

Helping Others Mental health

The Call to Endure

You wake up and see a new day, but you didn’t want to wake up. So it’s a call to endure and go deep with God. They want the pain to end. The struggle of the journey has become too much. That’s the underlying theme of many of the emails […]