Category Archives: Personal Growth

4 Life Lessons You Can Learn from a Potter

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a potter creating pottery

A Local Potter

There’s a shop in Lancaster, PA that sells beautiful pottery pieces from a local potter. Each of the pieces are unique and beautiful, brightly colored and eye-catching. They’re also really expensive. That’s because each piece takes hours to create, and no two pieces are the same. They are all uniquely different. I’ve bought a few pieces over the years as gifts for people.

A Potter in Old Testament Times

The picture of the potter seemed to be a popular way for the people to understand how God works, because God was constantly using the potter to teach his people lessons in the Old Testament.

In the book of Jeremiah, God tells the prophet Jeremiah, “Go on down to the potter’s house and watch the potter. I’m going to use him to teach you and my people a few lessons.”

So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot.

Jeremiah 18:3,4 MSG

Then the Lord gave me this message:  “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.

Jeremiah 18:5,6 NLT

Lessons from the Potter

What do these verses teach us about God, as the Master Potter? Here are four life lessons we can learn from the potter.

1. A potter doesn’t discard the clay when the vessel he’s creating doesn’t turn out right.

Just as the potter doesn’t throw away the clay simply because it didn’t turn out the way he wanted, so God doesn’t set us aside when we make mistakes or when we experience massive failure in our lives. He simply helps us put the pieces of our life back together again and uses those failures to shape us into who he wants us to be.

2. The potter knows the value of the clay.

The potter knows the value of good clay and won’t throw any of it away. In the same way, God sees value in us long before we become anything spectacular.

3. A potter doesn’t get angry at the imperfections; he just starts over.

A good potter doesn’t react in anger when what he is creating doesn’t turn out. He simply molds it together and starts again. Similarly, God doesn’t get angry at us in our frailty. He patiently molds us and shapes.

4. The potter sees the final product in his head before it takes shape in his hands.

A potter has in his creative mind what the final product is going to look like. Then he patiently works at it until the piece resembles the picture in his mind. God does that same with us. He sees the final product, and he won’t give up until we resemble that final product.

Our job in all of this is to simply stay moldable, shapable. How do we do that? We have to constantly be tuned in to his voice and working in our life. We can do that in four ways.

1. Spend time every morning with God.

The easiest way for me to do this is to start each morning with my morning time routine. Check out My Best Tips for a Morning Time Routine.

2. Get plugged into a local church.

One of the best ways to stay close to God is to connect and align ourselves with him each week by listening to good preaching, participating in worshiping God through music, serving God and others, and fellowshipping with other believers. We can do all this by getting plugged into a local church.

3. Join a small group.

I am a huge proponent of small groups, even though I didn’t grow up with small groups. But after more than eight years of participating in small groups, I can see the amazing value of them. There’s something about being accountable to the same group of people week after week. Sharing a meal together, doing a Bible study and praying together each week, and just doing life together week after week keeps you accountable in a way that church just doesn’t. We love our small group and couldn’t imagine doing life without the members of our group.

If you’re interested in learning more about small groups, I devoted a chapter to small groups in both of my books—The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life and Finding Free: 5 Simple Steps to a More Peaceful, Content, and Happy You. You can check them out on Amazon.

4. Listen to good music and podcasts throughout the week.

Another way to stay close to God during the week is to listen to good Christian music and podcasts. By filling our hearts and minds with more of God and his goodness to us, we keep a tender heart towards him and are more apt to hear his voice and see his hand guiding us.

It’s our job to stay moldable, ready and willing to follow as God leads in our lives. It’s God’s job to make us into the person he created us to be. When we do our job and allow God to do his job, we will find ourselves at complete peace.

5 Signs You Won’t Make it Through this Storm

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storm

My husband, Matt, wrote this post for his blog this week. I liked it so much and thought it was so helpful, I decided to share it for this week’s post.

The Perfect Storm

October 30, 1991, was the day a nameless storm hit the North Atlantic seaboard.  Just a few days before, Hurricane Grace developed off the coast of Bermuda and headed to the Southeast coastline of the United States. As the days progressed, Grace came head-to-head with a low-pressure system hailing from Canada. The clash of the two storms created the perfect storm. The National Hurricane Center chose not to name the storm for fear it would confuse the public.

During the developing weather system, a crew of six manned a 70-foot fishing boat called the Andrea Gail. The crew headed to the Grand Banks of the North Atlantic, where they were hoping to catch swordfish. When the crew failed to arrive back into port on November 1, a search party was sent to look for the them. Sebastian Junger records the tale in his book, The Perfect Storm, which became a motion picture. The unnamed perfect storm swallowed the crew who were never found.  

A Storm of Biblical Proportions

The disciples were used to fishing on the twelve-mile-long and eight-mile-wide Sea of Galilee. What they were not used to were the freak storms that could whip up at a moment’s notice. The sea was nicknamed “The Great Abyss” by the locals. While the sea gave the men their livelihood, it also posed a threat to their lives.  

While we might not be in a literal storm like the disciples, we all face “storms” that threaten to take us down, along with the people we love as well as our future. How do you know if you’re going to make it through your storm? Here are five signs that indicate you won’t make it.

5 Signs You Won’t Make It Through the Storm

1. You are about to quit.

The worst time to leave a relationship, quit a job, or make a drastic decision is in the midst of a storm. It’s been said, “Don’t make a long-term decision, for short-term inconvenience.” Storms have a shelf-life with an expiration date. What’s the answer? H-A-L-T Don’t make a decision when you are H (Hungry), A (Angry), L (Lonely), or T (Tired.)

2. You think you’re the exception

You think you’re the exception. Sometimes the temptation comes to sail head-long into a bad situation, do nothing, or just hope for the best. “Let the chips fall where they may.” If you have advanced warning of a storm, experts say the best course of action is to find a port. Don’t look for just any port. Find a port that’s a “hurricane hole,” with high mountains or cliffs around it and a good holding. What’s the answer? Go to God. Reach out to friends who will point you back to God. Get to church. Church is a great port of refuge for those times we are the most troubled. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

3. You think another ship might help.

Target fixation can be a real problem in a storm. There are people and places you might think will be a help but will only sink you faster in the midst of chaos. What’s the answer? Have a plan and conviction before the chaos and crisis hits.

4. You’re in denial.

Ever heard this before? “Denial is not just a river in Egypt.” Some of us don’t like bad news, to feel pain, or deal with reality. We might get so used to chaos and living in a “storm” that we get comfortable with drama, stress, and toxicity. If you don’t get help or make a change, eventually you’ll start taking on water and sink any chance of making it through the storm. What’s the answer? Get HOT- be honest, open, and transparent with where you are in life. Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. We are only as sick as our secrets. We’ve all got problems. If you’re in an abusive, unhealthy relationship, it might be time to reach out to someone and ask for help.

5. Your emotions are calling the shots.

Panic is the most dangerous crew member in the midst of a storm. If panic takes the helm and starts giving orders, the risk of injury and fatality increase exponentially. What’s the answer? Have a plan and stick to it. Get a buddy system. Who can you call to help you have objectivity in your situation? Who can you check in with on a regular basis so that you can keep a level head?

Your Own Perfect Storm

Maybe you’re facing your own unnamed perfect storm right now. You’re fearful of your circumstances swallowing you up. You fear no rescue party could find you. Friends and family have their own worries to tend to. You may feel alone like the disciples and wonder if anyone knows or cares about you. Be encouraged to know that Jesus will always come to you in your storm. 

In Matthew 14:22-33, the disciples experienced a literal storm. Jesus came to them in the midst of their storm and guided them safely to shore.

Jesus will allow for situations to unfold in which we feel far from him. In the start of the story, Jesus tells the disciples to go on ahead without him. Sometimes there are situations in life when we feel alone and far from Jesus. It’s simply a part of life. But just because we feel lonely doesn’t mean we are alone.  

Remember this: God may allow storms, but he doesn’t abandon us in them. When you are in the midst of your storm, call out to Jesus. He will be there and help guide you safely through your storm.

For More Encouragement

Check out our thirty-day devotional, He Still Calms Storms: Finding Calm in the Midst of Chaos or my post: How to Prepare My Heart for a Difficult Season of Life.

Waiting for the Promotion and Not Giving Up on Your Dreams

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God’s Plan of Promotion

God’s plan of promotion is so different than ours. Often, God’s promotion can be summed up in one word…TIME. Whereas, we want the raise, the huge platform, the fame, and the income now.

Your dreams may look like they are never going to come true. You may feel like this thing God has called you to is just not working out, and you may begin to doubt yourself and doubt what you thought God wanted you to do. Feeling like a failure because this is not how you saw your life going, you begin to doubt yourself and question God’s purpose for your life.

Don’t Give Up

When those doubts come, don’t jump ship. Don’t give up on the dream God has given you. His plan is completely different than yours. We see the here and now; God sees eternity. He can do far more than we could ever even imagine or ask for in our wildest dreams.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Ephesians 3:20 NLT

David’s Promotion

David was a nobody until God made him a somebody. He simply fulfilled his duty. He showed up every day to fulfill the task he’d been given. It wasn’t glamorous, and it wasn’t fun. Yet because he was faithful in the small things, when the time was right, God pulled him into the big leagues.

Then he chose David, his servant,
    handpicked him from his work in the sheep pens.
One day he was caring for the ewes and their lambs,
    the next day God had him shepherding Jacob,
    his people Israel, his prize possession.
His good heart made him a good shepherd;
    he guided the people wisely and well.

Psalm 78:70-72

David had no idea when he got up early to go tend sheep that his life was going to change forever that day.

Show Up Today

How do we get God to use us? It’s simple. Choose to show up today to whatever it is God has for you.

Too many of us are guilty of searching for our own significance. We try to find the perfect job, create an amazing platform, and promote ourselves until we’re blue in the face. What if instead, we chose to just show up and fulfill the roles we’ve already been given and wait for God to promote us.

But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Psalm 75:7 KJV

Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living—
    first you learn humility, then you experience glory.

Proverbs 15:33 MSG

God decides when it’s time for us to enter the limelight. It’s his job to promote us in his timing. So if you’re stressing today, take a deep breath. Get back to the basics. Do what you need to do today to move forward. Take the next step, and leave the rest up to God. Don’t spend all your energy trying to promote yourself. Do what needs to be done today. Work hard; then leave the rest in God’s capable hands.

Created to Do More

Looking for books that inspire you to do something more with your life? Check out Called to Create: A Biblical Invitation to Create, Innovate, and Risk by Jordan Raynor, Soar: Build Your Vision from the Ground Up by T. D. Jakes, and Money-Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference by Crystal Paine. These books are all favorites of mine!

Also, check out my post Stop Praying and Take a Step of Faith.

Our Week in the ICU and God’s Grace for Every Moment

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Needing God’s Grace and Strength

Last Sunday, I stood before our church family and gave one of the points of Matt’s message for the day. The point was this… God allows weakness into our lives so that we fully depend on God’s grace and strength. I spoke about how there is never going to be a day that we don’t need God. I had no idea that those words were about to play out in my life in a very real way. 

On Monday afternoon, we took our five-year old, Macey, to the emergency room. She had been throwing up for twenty-four hours and grown progressively weaker and dehydrated. She got to the point where she could no longer walk and had to be carried. 

Transfer to Chop

By the time we got to the emergency room, she was pretty much comatose. We could barely get her to respond, her heart rate was really high, and her eyes were sunken in. They immediately told us they suspected type 1 diabetes. Soon, they drew her blood and told us that her sugars were 1795—something they had never seen before. They immediately contacted Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania to come pick her up and transfer her.

Macey was completely comatose for the transport to CHOP. There was a team waiting for her in the ICU when we got there and they immediately got to work. They got three IVs going, and she was put on fluids and insulin. 

The Next Forty-Eight Hours

Over the course of the next forty-eight hours, she had blood work every two hours, finger pricks, shots, and more. They couldn’t get her blood to draw easily, so every time was complete torture—her screaming and crying for it to stop for twenty minutes every time. 

Every night when I laid down around midnight to get a little rest in between blood work, after Matt had gone home to be with our other kids and I was alone, the tears would start. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m not strong enough. I can’t take her pain. I hate this…”

Each morning, I would wake up, pray for a few minutes, read some of my Bible on my phone and start again. God would carry me through the day once again. It was literally an hour by hour thing of depending on God to get me through.

On Thursday, I got to hold her for the first time. Neither one of us said anything. She was just grateful to be held, and I was grateful to hold my little girl in my arms.

We got to leave the ICU on Thursday night and move to the endocrinology floor where Matt and I continued our training to be able to care for her at home.

We finished our training late Friday afternoon and finally got to begin the discharge process. Then, around dinner time, we got to take our precious girl home.

Our Lives Forever Changed

Our lives have forever changed, and so has Macey’s. We had absolutely no idea what we were dealing with when they diagnosed her. Wrongly, we assumed that we would have to limit her sugar, help her eat healthy and exercise, and give insulin when needed. 

We couldn’t have been more wrong. What we didn’t know was that Type 1 Diabetes is an auto-immune disease for which there is no cure. It’s not maintained by diet and exercise.

Simply put, her pancreas doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to. Because of that, she can’t put anything into her mouth ever again without first taking insulin. That means she has to check her blood sugar with finger pricks five to eight times a day and get as many shots.

We have to figure out how what and how much she is going to eat every time she eats and figure out how much insulin to give her before she eats. That doesn’t include a nightly dose of insulin as well as checking anytime throughout the day when we suspect her sugars are low or high. 

When we sat down and told her what was happening at the hospital—that she has diabetes and we were going to have to continue the finger pricks and shots at home, she cried… and my heart broke. To have to continue this every day for the rest of her life is staggering. To be the one to do it to her is absolutely crushing.  

The events of last week have been the hardest thing Matt and I have ever dealt with, and it’s not over. It’s just beginning. 

Grace for Today

When I opened my eyes on Saturday morning after a short, interrupted sleep, I thought of the words I spoke on Sunday…just a few days before. That there isn’t going to be a day we don’t need God. I recalled the verse I used from II Corinthians.

Paul asked for his problem to be taken away, and God said no. God didn’t take Paul’s problems away; instead He responded with this these words.

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

II Corinthians 12:9

During those long days in the hospital, those words were all that I had to cling to. That his grace and strength would be enough to carry me through to face another hour and another day. That he will be there for my little girl just as much as he was for me. 

Our New Normal

Life looks a little different at the Manney house than it did just a week ago. We have things I never thought we’d have like a medical shelf in our closet filled with syringes, glucose strips, alcohol wipes, and more. We have a medic bag we take with us everywhere we go.

It’s amazing, though, how God’s grace carries us through. Just a few days ago, I felt hopeless, confused, and exhausted. Yet, we are adjusting to this new normal and continuing on with life just as we did before Macey’s diagnosis. That’s God’s grace.

God's grace- Macey coloring

Macey is smiling again; she’s going to be just fine. Are there challenges ahead? Yes. Is everything perfect? No. Are there hard moments and tough days? Yes. But God will get us through them by His grace…one day at a time.

God’s Grace for Today

If you’re going through something today, and you don’t know how you can make it through. I understand; I get it. The words of hope I want to give you are the same words I clung to last week. God’s grace is enough for today. Cling to that thought today and let God’s Grace and strength carry you through the next day, the next hour, the next minute even. Don’t look ahead to the future; just focus on today.

More Encouragement

Two books to give you hope when you’re going through a difficult season would be It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lisa TerKeurst and my book, The Hidden Pain. Or check out these blog posts: When Problems Disrupt Our Lives and How to Prepare My Heart for a Difficult Season of Life.

5 Ways to Connect Regularly with Your Husband

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Sunrise at the Beach

Last week, we were at the beach for a week with my husband’s family. My husband, Matt and I decided to get up early each morning and walk to the beach, so we could watch the sunrise. It was amazing!

Matt and I will celebrated fifteen years of marriage this year. Do you know how many years it’s taken for both of us to get up early to go watch the sunrise at the beach? 14 years. This is the first year we’ve done it.

For many years, exhaustion kept us from getting much sleep as we had little ones. Other years, he got up early on a morning I didn’t or I did when he didn’t. This year we both were on the same page and went every morning together. After that, we would jump in the van and drive twenty minutes to the nearest Starbucks to get coffee. It was like a mini date every morning. It was amazing, but once again I repeat… it’s taken us fourteen years.

The Process of Time

When Matt and I first got married, I hated being a newly wed. I wanted to just jump ahead to being married several years. Similarly, I wanted to skip the newly wed fights and trying to figure each other out.

What I didn’t understand as a new wife was that there was nothing I could do to rush through the process of growing our relationship. Some things come with only with time, and a good marriage is one of them.

We can only get out of our relationships what we put into them. Am I saying that Matt and I have a perfect marriage? Nope. Far from it. Do we fight? Yes. Do we get angry and frustrated with each other? Yes. Have we said things we regret? All the time. Although we fight, we continue to choose to ask for forgiveness and choose to love the other person regardless.

We don’t get it all right, but we have figured out five ways to connect with each other on a regular basis.

5 Ways to Connect Regularly with Your Husband

1. Schedule a regular date night. We are blessed to live near family that can watch our kids, so we can have a date night each week. We go on a date every Thursday with very few exceptions.

2. Figure out a time to spend together every single day. We spend our mornings together. Matt and I get up early every morning and do our morning time routine at the table together. We enjoy the time together before the kids get up.

3. Spend time talking to your husband. It sounds so simple, but don’t underestimate the power of this. One of the common characteristics of couples we counsel who are on the verge of divorce is that they don’t talk with their spouse; they don’t connect with them on a regular basis.

4. Choose to forgive again and again. I am ashamed to say that it took me several years of being married before I would ever be the first one to say “I’m sorry.” There is incredible power behind the words, “I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me.” So many marriages could be saved if we could just learn to humble ourselves and say those words.

5. Lastly, figure out a time to connect physically. We schedule a weekly time to be physically intimate. We’ve told other couples this in counseling, and people are always are shocked when we say this. It sounds so unromantic. But the fact of the matter is, most couples struggles with their sex life. We learned early on that the best way to be consistent was to schedule it in.

Start Connecting This Week

These are just a few ideas to get you started connecting with your spouse. It’s an area we can all grow in. Choose one or two ways to try this next week and see if it doesn’t make a difference in your relationship.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out Pillowfights: Handling Marital Conflict, a book Matt and I wrote or iMarriage—a DVD series by Andy Stanley about staying in love. Or check out my post, All the Ways My Husband Has Hurt Me.

Find Freedom From the Burdens Weighing You Down

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What Burdens are You Carrying?

Do you have burdens that you’re carrying right now? Is there something that you really need an answer from God for? The best thing we can do is to take those concerns and worries to God, instead of trying to shoulder them ourselves. Paul tells us this in the book of Philippians.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.

Philippians 4:6a MSG

Releasing Those Burdens

Instead of worrying, we need to talk to God and tell him about those worries. Tell him all of our concerns. Too often, we carry around the weight of the burdens we carry, burdens God never intended us to carry.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

I Peter 5:7

Turning Those Burdens into Prayers

It sounds good, but how do you do that? How do you stop worrying or stressing about those pressures or burdens that are so heavy on your heart? Paul gives us the answer in the second half of the verse.

Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.

Philippians 4:6b

We take those burdens and turn them into prayers. Maybe you need to take out a journal and write down your burdens. Write out a long prayer to God, telling him everything you feel. Write down every emotion you’re feeling and the pain and pressures you’re experiencing.

Finding God’s Peace

What happens after that? Paul tells us in the next verse in Philippians.

 Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Philippians 4:7 MSG

Can you feel that peace, even just in reading those verses? It’s a call to releasing those heavy burdens you’ve been carrying. It’s a realization that you don’t have to shoulder them alone anymore.

I don’t know about you, but I needed to hear these verses today. I have been carrying around some heavy burdens and have felt so overwhelmed by the weight of them. When I read those verses during my morning time routine, I stopped right then and prayed. After I told him all my concerns and worries and relinquished my hold on those burdens, I felt his peace.

Does that mean that my prayers were immediately answered? No. The burdens are still there, but I no longer have to shoulder them on my own.

What burdens, worries, frustrations, fears, and concerns are you carrying today that you need to relinquish your hold on? What would happen if you could let go of them and leave them with Jesus?

He’s waiting for you to do just that today. You were never meant to carry your own burdens. Give them to Jesus today. Let him do the heavy lifting; then feel God’s sense of wholeness wrapping around you—that feeling of everything coming together for good.

For More Encouragement

I just heard Great You Are by Jordan Smith for the first time the other day and absolutely loved it. It was such an encouragement to my heart and is one of my new favorites.

Keep Going Mama!

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keep going mama written on chalkboard

Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day on Sunday, I just wanted to take a moment to encourage my fellow mamas. Being a mama is tough! Nobody tells you how hard it’s going to be before you start. Somewhere in the midst of the endless loads of laundry, dirty dishes, potty-training, fighting, and chaos, we lose sight of what really matters. Sometimes, we just need somebody to come alongside and say, “Don’t give up, Mama. You’re doing a great job!” That’s what this post is for.

Happy Kids Towell

I saw this hand towel in a store the other day and had to snap a picture.

I love this quote so much because it’s so true! We think that we’re a good mama based on how well our children behave when we’re in public, how clean our home is, how polite our child is, and a myriad of other things. When in reality, we should really base it on whether or not our kids are happy.

We strive so hard to do everything that makes us a “good mama;” but in the end, our kids don’t really need all that. They are happy when we simply choose to just spend time with them and love them. Below is an excerpt from my book Finding Free: 5 Simple Steps to a More Peaceful, Content, and Happy You that releases in a few weeks.

Dear Young Mama 

As a young mom. I was so frustrated and weary all the time. I wanted my house to look like the other homes I saw. The problem was, those homes didn’t have four little children living there creating havoc every single day. 

If I could give advice to the younger version of me, I would tell her to relax. The time is coming when I will have a perfect house. The furniture won’t have stains on it, the mirror won’t have handprints on it, there won’t be spilled juice on the floor making it sticky, there won’t be toys everywhere. There’s coming a time when I won’t have to pick up my house twenty-four seven. In the blink of an eye, I know this time will have passed.  

Our oldest is already pushing eleven years old. We have seven more years with him. After that, I don’t know what God has for him. Too soon, our home will be empty. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know that I will wish for toys on the floor and fingerprints on the mirror.  

Looking Back

I will look back at the craziness and the chaos and miss it and wish that our house was loud and messy once more. Even now, I miss the baby stage. I love the stage of life that each of my kids are at, but I do miss having a baby in the house.  

I don’t miss late-night nursing sessions, carrying a heavy diaper bag everywhere I go, and cleaning up diaper explosions. But I miss the snuggles of a baby. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would choose to spend less time trying endlessly to get the house clean. I would choose more time rocking my baby, snuggling with my toddlers, and playing hide and seek with my preschoolers.  

The thing is, that exhaustion that plagues you every moment of the day with littles will pass. You will get past this stage. Life will get easier. Those babies will grow up. They will be able to help as they get older.  

For now, soak in those baby cuddles. Embrace the time with your littles. Spend time doing the things you can do now that you can’t do once they go to school. You have five years with your first child before they go to school. Once they go to school, things really change. It’s really hard to let them go. That’s one of the reasons we love homeschooling so much. We don’t have to let them go. I get to take an active role in their education. I don’t have to send them away every day, and I love that. 

The Days are Long, but the Years are Short

The best phrase I have heard when dealing with littles is this: “The days are long, but the years are short.” It’s so true. The days were and still are at times so very long. Yet in the blink of an eye, the years have passed. I can’t believe our oldest is almost a teenager. It seems like just yesterday we brought him home from the hospital. The years have just flown by.

All too soon, he is going to be leaving us. God has great things in store for each of our kids, and I am excited to see what they are. But I know it’s going to be so hard to let them go. So, I am going to spend the time now, while they are still in my care enjoying every minute of it. I’m saying this as a reminder and challenge as much to myself as I am saying it to you. 

Don’t give up, Mama. Though the days are long, keep at it. Keep loving your kids, keep training them, keep forgiving them and teaching them how to love Jesus and the people around them. We only have this short amount of time with them; make it count! 

My kiddos

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out one of my favorite mom books—The SuperMom Myth: Conquering the Dirty Villains of Motherhood by Becky Kopitzke and my post, Guaranteed Success for Moms.

Blooming Against All Odds

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The Bush I’ve Tried to Kill

I got out of the car the other day and looked at the side of our house, where I saw the flowers below and laughed out loud. Since we moved into this house a few years ago, I have been trying to get the side patch in our yard cleared out. When we moved in, it was all overgrown with plants and shrubs and vines. Everything was mangled together in a huge mess.

the bush that just keeps blooming
from my yard

This one shrub, I have hacked and hacked to death trying to get it out of our yard. I thought I succeeded last year. When I walked over to get a closer look at the flowers, I saw that they were part of the shrub I thought I’d gotten rid of. There’s really no reason any flowers should be blooming. I have tried to destroy that shrub, but this one branch stayed alive and produced flowers.

As soon as I saw the flowers, I knew I wanted to take a picture because—what a life lesson. I want to be like those flowers—that no matter how hard life gets, no matter what’s thrown my way, against all odds, I’m still standing. And not only am I still standing, but I’m thriving.

When Life Knocks You Down

What has life thrown at you this year? What has come your way that should have knocked you down and taken you out of the game? Life’s hard, and nobody gets a pass. What has threatened to destroy your joy, your passion, your love for God and others?

Whatever it is, I want to challenge you to not let it. Choose to get back up again if you’ve fallen. Remember, it’s not whether we’ve fallen or not that makes us a success; it’s whether we get back up after we’ve fallen and keep going.


For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…

Proverbs 24:16 KJV

Refuse to Give Up

If you’ve been knocked down, you’re not out of the game, not yet. Stand back up; brush yourself off, and put yourself back in the game. You have to choose to keep going. Don’t give up on that dream. Don’t walk away from this opportunity just because it got hard. Refuse to let somebody’s criticism or harsh words keep you from doing what you know God wants you to do.

Just like my flowers, you can bloom no matter the circumstances. Usually the most beautiful flowers and the ones that catch our attention the most are the ones blooming where they shouldn’t be. They’re the flowers blooming in the crack of a cement wall, in the middle of a desert, on the side of a cliff, or on railroad tracks. It’s the flowers that have defied all odds that capture our attention.

a flower blooming where it shouldn't

Be like the plant that blooms despite all odds. No matter what life throws your way, don’t quit. Keep going; keep blooming. When you do, you will be a beauty for others to behold and inspiration for them not to quit.

For More Encouragement

For more on this topic, read Stick It Out: 3 Daily Choices to Prevent Quitting. A great book on this topic is Breakthrough: Transforming the Death of a Dream to the Birth of a Breakthrough by Matt Manney.

When You Take Your Husband With to Watch the Sunrise

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My Love for Sunrise

If you’ve been reading my blog posts for any amount of time, you know that I have a thing for mornings and for sunrises. Sunrise is the absolute best part of a new morning. Every time I see a sunrise, it reminds me that God’s mercies are new today. The slate is clean; it’s a new day with new possibilities.

I can’t see the sunrise from where I live in the city, so my go-to spot is the Starbucks parking lot a few miles from my house. From there, I can look across the street and get a good view of the sun coming up. Every so often, I drive there before the sun comes up, order a coffee, and just sit and watch the sun come up.

Our Early Morning Date

This morning, I told my husband I was going to run to Starbucks to watch the sunrise. He asked if he could go with me. So we wrote a quick note for the kids and left the house on our mini date. We got to Starbucks and I showed him where to park to avoid the trees and get the best view. Then I ran in to grab our order—an iced coffee for me and a hot coffee for him. When I came back to the car and got settled, he turned to me and said, “What do we do now?” I just laughed. He’s not used to just sitting and doing nothing.

“Now, we wait,” I said. I teased him about being like a little kid wanting to get to the next thing and we laughed together about it. He talked for a little while before I looked over at him and smiled.

“What?” he asked.

“Normally, it’s quiet when I do this,” I said with a laugh. He laughed and fell silent.

We both sat expectantly and waited for the sun to come up. It didn’t disappoint; it never does. The sun came up, glorious in its rising. We both sat quietly and watched the progression.

sunrise

The Reminder of God’s Faithfulness

The sunrise is like a gift, a reward for making it through another day, another night. To me it represents so much more than just another day. It represents God’s faithfulness and goodness. It’s a daily reminder that God hasn’t forgotten me, He hasn’t left me to navigate life by myself.

Be Reminded of God’s Faithfulness

If you are feeling discouraged today, forgotten, lonely, or just feel like you need a reminder of God’s faithfulness, I challenge you to choose a day this weekend or next week to get up early. Go find a spot where you can see the sun come up. Grab a coffee and just sit and watch. There’s something so awe-inspiring about it. I promise you, it will be worth the effort to get up early.

When the sun comes up, and the world transitions from the darkness of night to the beauty of a brand new day, let it remind you that this is God’s gift to you, his daily reminder that He hasn’t forgotten you. He loves you and will be faithful today, just as he was yesterday.

If you’re in a difficult season right now, don’t give up. Don’t listen to the voice inside your head that tries to convince you that God doesn’t love you or that He doesn’t care about what you’re going through. Remember, that just as the night will pass and the sun will eventually rise, you will come through this difficult season. God will get you through. Soon, the beginnings of daylight will start to lighten the sky. The rays of the sun will start to break through. Eventually, the sun will rise fully and the darkness will dissipate.

Just as the sun rose today, it will rise again tomorrow. So too, God will be faithful today, and He will be faithful once again tomorrow. He is right beside you, walking with you hand-in-hand to get you through another day.

For More Encouragement

For more on this topic, read Mornings are Our Reset Button.

Two songs that I’m loving right now that talk of God’s faithfulness are Do It Again and Morning by Morning. Do It Again is by Elevation Worship. I absolutely love the chorus of this song. Morning by Morning by Pat Barrett is a newer song to me that I am loving as well. Both of these songs are based on two of my favorite verses in the Bible, found in Lamentations.

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22,23 KJV

10 Things You Can Do to Combat Burnout

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girl with head on desk in burnout

My Friend’s Text

A friend of mine messaged me this week that she is at the edge of burnout. She didn’t use those words exactly, but after she told me how she is feeling…that is the word I would use to describe what she’s going through. She told me she feels tapped out in every area of life and just can’t keep going. That is the very definition of burnout. Webster’s Dictionary defines burnout as “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.”

Have you been there? Are you there right now? We all have times in our lives when we just hit the wall, when we just absolutely feel like we can’t keep going. With life so incredibly stressful now with the lasting impact of Covid, the social unrest, the stress of finances, and more, so many of us are facing burnout.

My Burnout

I went through a season of serious burnout about six years ago. It was right on the heels of a car fire we had. Multiple things merged during that time that sent me spiraling into burnout. 


Because of the real fear I felt, knowing that someone had set fire to our car, I no longer slept well at night. Add to that a baby and a toddler and two other young kids, I was exhausted all the time. This was also around the time that we had several church members get mad at us and leave the church. On top of all that, we were trying to grow our church and find a new building to meet in. I was past being able to handle life.


I felt unloved, helpless, overlooked, overworked, exhausted, tapped out, and stressed out of my mind. What resulted was an inability to be around people. That is not good when you’re a pastor’s wife. Although I knew it wasn’t healthy, I honestly just could not be around people. I just wanted to be alone or with my family. This, in turn, only added to my guilt and frustration.

It took me a good eighteen months to get through that season of life. Though it was long and hard, God got me through it.

How are You Handling Life?

Have you been there? Are you there now? Everybody handles burnout differently. You may be handling your burnout fine all day at work, but then you come home and fall apart. You eat junk food and binge tv late into the night to cope. Maybe you’re home all day with kids that are home from school from covid and you can’t take one more minute. So what results is mom screaming and yelling all day long, only to fall in bed at night in tears for the way you handled yourself with your kids. Maybe you pull away from everybody and spend copious time alone. Maybe you try to find an escape, spending money you don’t have just to feel good and try to find an escape. I am guilty of doing all of these things at one time or another.

Encouragement


Let me first encourage you that burnout is not bad. Burnout is simply your body and mind’s way of telling you you’ve pushed too hard for too long. It’s a warning that if you don’t back off now, there will be literal physical consequences to your body. 
So if you’re in a season of burnout right now, it’s time to stop and notice what your body is trying to tell you.

Let me share with you some things that helped me. Hopefully, one or two of them will help you get through your season of burnout.

10 Things You Can Do to Combat Burnout

  1. Get extra rest. During this season, you are going to need more rest than usual. Find ways to get extra rest. Fit in a nap when you can. Try to go to bed earlier at night on the nights you can.
  2. Plan a weekly day off. You need to have one day a week that you do nothing stressful. Do something that you enjoy on that day.
  3. Find quiet time. Find time away from everybody, away from the traffic and noise of the city, and go somewhere to find peace and quiet, even if it’s only for an hour. Go sit at a park, take a walk, find a lake to sit next to…do something to get away for just a little bit and give yourself breathing room.
  4. Remove extracurricular activities for a time. Get rid of anything but the essentials. Say not to anything you can just until you get past this season. You need to find ways to remove some of the stress right now.
  5. Make things easy for yourself right now. Throw food in the crock pot every morning so you don’t face 5pm decision fatigue trying what to decide to cook for dinner. Order groceries online and pick them up or better yet, get them delivered. 
  6. Develop a morning time routine. It’s imperative that you find time to spend with God daily right now. This will help keep you grounded and keep you from spiraling out of control and doing something you regret.
  7. Read an encouraging book. Find a book that can encourage your heart.
  8. Listen to uplifting Christian music. Create a list of music on Spotify that contains only spiritually uplifting music.
  9. Do something for yourself for fun. Buy a new book, some new art supplies, a cute shirt or pair of shoes, a writing journal, a new wall painting, or whatever small joy that brings a smile to your face.
  10. Let someone know you are struggling so they can pray for you and check in with you. Suffering alone is the absolute worst thing you can do.

This Time Will Come to an End

It’s important to remember that nothing lasts forever. This season of burnout won’t last forever, even though it feels like it will. God will get you through this season. Stay faithful to Him and let Him carry you through this time. Here’s a few verses to encourage your heart.

Thank God because he’s good, because his love never quits.

Psalm 118:1 MSG

In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.

Psalm 118:5 NLT

I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall, when God grabbed and held me.

Psalm 118:13 MSG

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

I Corinthians 10:13 MSG

More on This Topic

For More Encouragement on this topic, check out my post Fresh Hope for a Burned-Out Life. I recommend Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist and Breaking Busy: How to Find Peace and Purpose in a World of Crazy by All Worthington.