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. […]
Mental Health
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. […]
Criticism can hurt, bruise, and extinguish our hearts, but learning how to handle criticism can build new strength and resilience. I could see the hope drain out of him as I watched both the subtle and not-so-subtle criticisms land upon him. I was in a meeting with a guy I […]
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, sometime, everyone […]
When hope is deferred, our heart grows sick, but when we see and know the hope fulfilled in the now, we can build resilience to the struggles of the day. People traveled long distances hoping to get some of the money ‘falling from the sky.’ A few nights ago, I […]
We can all carry too many worries, anxieties, and cares, but when we learn how to cast, we can find a new sense of wholeness, peace, and shalom. “That is a lot you are carrying,” I said as they paused and took a breath. So many worries, thoughts, and distractions […]
We often have the same negative thoughts going around and around in our brains, but we can change them when we arise and bind the brain with truth. I always marvel at those men and women who lift heavyweights. It takes time, effort, and wisdom. Many of them you will […]
There are many lonely people. Strangers in a strange land, but we can welcome them and perhaps discover an angel in disguise. I was visiting a home the other day, and an older lady met me. I had never met her before, and she told me that she was visiting […]
We can have an overreaction to life’s events, but when we search out what’s behind the reaction, we often find history-based pain. Let’s help the prickly pear. It was a reaction I wasn’t expecting. I had made a few jokes, and their response wasn’t to have a simple laugh with […]
Being kind to yourself means noticing the inner critic that tells you “you’re not enough” or “you should try harder” — and choosing rest and grace instead of pushing harder. It’s not self-indulgence; it’s recognizing your human limits and trusting that you don’t have to earn your worth. Rest, understood […]