Our lives are so hectic that it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine, and we forget how truly blessed we are. There never seems to be sufficient hours in the day to get everything done. And then there are the constant interruptions. The phone rings, a new email or text message pops up, and a colleague walks into the department. Many times our day feels like nothing more than a series of disruptions.

Add to that the triviality of being surrounded by media and ads, and it is no wonder we yearn for a simpler and more spiritual life. While we cannot alter our surroundings, there is an approach we can use to help us be calm, more balanced, and more spiritual - beginning our day with spiritual activity.

When you want to strengthen your relationship with God and uncover your spiritual gifts, here is the one thing you can do today:

Strengthen your relationship with God first thing in the morning!

Start your day off with a prayer, devotional meditation, read...

We all love a fresh new year. New Year’s Day always seems so special. It is a point to let go of the past year, past mistakes, and regrets, then move on to a fresh new slate. Our hopes are high with new goals and beginnings.

We are focused on new things and making them work in the new year. Some of us make new year resolutions and promise ourselves we will commit to them without fail.

We are full-on excited about the new days ahead, and then we fall off the wall of resolution and back to our old ways. We tell ourselves we will try again in 6 months, which turns into the next new year. We ride this cycle every year, and every year we only get it half done.

I want to urge you to keep reading because this may be the year that you stop the cycle, get off the merry-go-round, and thrive with success. I invite you to look at the new year that is coming with a different set of eyes or a different heart tone.

This new tone of the heart is a heart of gratitude.

Gratitude ...

START OVER

When you've trusted God and walked his way
When you've felt his hand lead you day by day
But your steps now take you another way ...
Start over.

When you've made your plans, and they've gone awry
When you've tried your best, and there's no more try
When you've failed yourself, and you don't know why ...
Start over.

When you've told your friends what you plan to do
When you've trusted them, and they didn't come through
And you're all alone, and it's up to you ...
Start over.

When you've failed your kids, and they've grown and gone
When you've done your best, but it's turned out wrong
And now your grandchildren come along ...
Start over.

When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will
When you've prayed and prayed, and you don't know still ...
When you want to stop cause you've had your fill ...
Start over.

When you think you're finished and want to quit
When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit
When you've tried and tried to get out of it ...
Start over.

When the year has been long and success...

When Life Spins Out of Control, Find Peace

Brenda's husband was in the military, and her family frequently transferred to different locations. As soon as it seemed they had put down roots in one spot, they inevitably moved to a new place.

One day, a long-time friend asked Brenda how she managed to cope with the constant change. Brenda explained, "I've learned that peace is not something that comes from perfect circumstances. Peace is something that flows from my relationship with Jesus."

It is tempting to think that if you had ideal circumstances, you would feel at peace. Maybe you say you would be at peace if your job were not so stressful. Perhaps you tell your friends that you would be at peace if you had a better marriage. Maybe you say you would be at peace if you did not have that chronic illness.

But as Brenda has learned, peace does not stem from your circumstances. You can be living in the best or the worst moments of your life, and you can still know peace.

3 Hard Tru...

Thanksgiving is an extraordinary time of year for so many reasons. But one main reason is that it is the start of the holiday season. And, just about every woman knows that when dinner is over, the shopping season begins.

Thanksgiving embodies tradition for a lot of women. This can be a sorrowful time of year for some and very joyous for others.

• Many women are dealing with grief and loss. The holiday reminds them of those who are not there to celebrate those traditions that have long been a part of family activities.
• For others, it is a joyous time of new and old traditions, possibly new family members, and love mixed with sharing.

Either way, you can do some things to make the holiday your own.

Remember the love of God and the warmth of sharing in the season.

Women need the love of Christ more than ever during the holidays. If you are that woman trying to get through the holidays, let me share some ideas that may help your heart, family, and maybe even a new person...

Those who suffer trauma during events like abuse, injuries, war, etc., may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many combat veterans, as well as abuse survivors battle with PTSD. Combat Trauma and PTSD are not just psychological conditions. They are spiritual as well. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can cause many symptoms. Three categories of symptoms are:

1. Re-experiencing

• Flashbacks—reliving trauma again and again, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating
• Nightmares
• Frightening thoughts

Re-experiencing can bring about problems in a person’s everyday routine. Words, items, or situations that are reminders of events can trigger re-experiencing.

2. Avoidance

• Evading -  events, objects, or places that are reminders of the experience
• Feeling emotionally numb
• Feeling intense depression, guilt, or apprehension
• Losing interest in events that were fun in the past
• Having trouble recalling the trauma

Events that remind someon...

Are you seeking a deeper spiritual meaning for your life? You are not alone. The chaotic demands of life in the 21st-century, coupled with a pandemic, have made many women feel disengaged. Maybe you need a spiritual connection to bring a sense of balance and completion in your life.

Many women confuse spirituality with religion and believe that spirit wellness can only come from religious beliefs. Spiritual balance can come from more than endorsing a religion. Some women do seek religion for their spirituality, but spirituality can also be achieved without belonging to a specific denomination. If you are not part of a physical church, you can still build your spirit wellness!

“Help me raise my gaze.” — Sharon Hodde Miller

The cornerstone of your body is your backbone. It provides support and stability. Spirit wellness is a powerful life skill that provides you a better understanding of who you are as a person. That gives you better stability in life as well. 

How to De...

Shame influences your life in massive ways. It generates many false beliefs that can lead you to hold back from others and yourself.

Here are a few ways that your shame might be affecting you more than you realize:

Saying ‘Yes’ to Everyone

You might feel the need to respond to everyone with “yes” all the time. This means you overcommit and work until you are depleted. But even Jesus took time away in the course of His ministry on Earth.

“And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.” - Mark 6:46 KJV

If anyone could have made justifications and overextended Himself, it was Jesus. After all, He could have thought, “I am only here for 33 years. I should do all possible miracles in this time!”

But He did not. He attached importance to rest, and in doing so, He created a framework for us to follow too.

Feeling trapped in the Pain

Many women know the shame and pain that comes from sexual abuse and assault. But God wishes to restore your heart and repair your fr...

Prayer aligns our hearts with God and His purposes. Prayer exists throughout the Bible. Jesus often withdrew from groups and his disciples to spend time in prayer. Jesus has promised us good things from God—his Father and ours. He does not promise to answer our specific demands, but he invites us to pray and promises to give us good things.

God loves us. He communicates with us out of His word and our prayers. The thought of prayer as a conversation seems so simple on the surface. But when you first start to pray, it can feel more like a monologue. After all, you are talking, but you are not hearing anything. Or are you?

God DOES speak back. It might not be audible, but He WILL speak to you in your spirit the more time you spend talking to Him in your prayer life.

It is easy to miss God’s voice because He does not always respond right away or precisely as we had anticipated. You might pray about money troubles only to find twenty dollars later in the day when you are at the...

God Answers Every Prayer

Christians widely believe that a prayer is a powerful tool for making a difference in the world. But, sometimes Christians assume that their prayer is unanswered if God did not give them what they asked for in prayer.

Yet God always answers His children. Every single time. Every single prayer. In all of history, there have never been nor will there ever be unanswered prayers.

The primary purpose of prayer is to glorify God in any and every situation. God answers every prayer. Not all of our prayers are satisfied with the way we hope or on the anticipated timeline. Maybe you prayed to be married by twenty-five. Perhaps you prayed for a cure for your daughter’s illness.

God could respond to your prayers for a godly spouse when you are twenty-seven or forty-seven. God might answer your prayers for your daughter’s illness after she has suffered for five, ten, or even twenty years.

But when our circumstances do not change, it is often an indicat...