What do you do when you’re sitting in church, the message has been deeply moving, and you hear someone sobbing behind you? o Ignore it and hope they stop. o Pretend to ignore it—but quietly pray for them. o Hope someone else sees them and brings them a tissue. o Ask them if there’s anything you can do. When the     read more

Do you rake, blow away, bag and shred, compost, mow, or justignore the blanket of red and gold covering every horizontal surface outdoors as leaves fall to the ground? Whatever you do or don’t do with the leaves of autumn—here are three things to consider regarding the unavoidable shedding of the trees. 1. Think of leaves as free, organic fertilizer     read more

What myths have you believed about asking for help?  Asking for help is a sign of weakness.  No one has time for my problems-they have problems of their own.  Asking for help just makes it worse and then you’re beholding to others.  God helps those who help themselves.   Four truths that counter those lies:  Asking for help takes courage and is a sign of strength not weakness.  There     read more

Ever had a day when everything went south?    The phone rings or you get an emergency text and WHAM! everything’s upside down and out of control.   I recently had a day like that. I called my sister to see how her husband was doing and ended the conversation tossing an overnight bag in the car, cancelling appointments, and heading for the coast three hours away.    Long story to novella – my sister had     read more

Have you ever noticed how the near impossible task of forgiving a grievous wrongdoing is laid at the feet of the victim rather than the perpetrator? So, what’s a victim to do? Forget it and try to move on? Stuff it and let the bitterness bubble inside like a poison potion? Hire a hit man? Here’s a healthier alternative.  1. Get into one-sided forgiveness:  It’s not about making what they did acceptable in any way—it’s letting     read more

Uh – maybe not so much… All the changes that come with summer, sky-high air-conditioning and water bills, family reunions, kids out of school,additional yard work, out-of-town guests, co-workers on vacation, a vacations you end up needing a vacation from, sunburn and mosquitoes—may have you feeling a bit stressed.  Take a breath—literally. My friend LeAnn Theiman, bestsellingauthor, Hall of Fame Speaker, and nurse says doing so is sure to help cure summer stress.  “Studies show emotions are related to different patterns     read more