Counting our blessings: the have’s vs. the have nots

It’s been a minute since I’ve counted my blessings beyond the three things I jot in my gratitude journal each morning. Which spurred me on to thinking how often I focus on the “have nots,” while failing to acknowledge the “have’s.” Like filtered drinking water (thank you, Brita!) and the sun’s warmth on a brisk…

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A cloud of witnesses: running the race

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. ~ Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV This Bible verse compares the Christian life to running a race, or more accurately, a marathon. Which translates…

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Between the promise & the outcome: walking by faith

I’m believing in your promise, Lord. Several days after staking my claim (see Three more feet…), that had been my prayer. Yet I’d already become weary in that gap between the promise and the outcome. “Wait on the Lord.” While not audible, these words spoke to my spirit—reminding me that as believers, we walk by…

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Sharing the load: tips to combat discouragement

I recently attended a webinar presented by another author entitled “Encouragement for Writers.” Not only did I walk away equipped with tools to combat discouragement in my creative practice, but I also received validation through the collective stories shared by other writers that I’m not alone. But I also believe the takeaways expressed by the…

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The truth of the matter: feelings or fact

Not too long ago, I noticed a recurring theme in my speech. While I’m not suggesting the following phrases aren’t valid, they gave me pause: “I don’t feel like it,” and “I’m not in the mood.” But here’s the problem: both are based on emotion vs. truth. And the truth is: our hearts are wishy…

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Another trip around the sun: gifting grace

Wasn’t it just yesterday I blogged about my birthday—living with intention, dreaming new dreams, stepping outside of my comfort zone? Life looks vastly different today than it did last year (you can read all about it in “After the Leap”). However, today I’m not focusing on the change of scenery. Instead, I want to share…

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Divine interruptions: when to take that leap of faith

What do a power outage and a leaky roof have in common? In my household, the former (another blog post in itself) put a stop to plans, or movement, my husband and I set in motion this past summer. And the latter instigated movement—thanks to a downpour delivered on Christmas Eve straight into our kitchen…

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