John Bunyan wrote, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” The holiday season is here, and along with it, gift-giving. As lovely as it is to receive a gift, most people say they gain more pleasure from giving gifts than getting them. What better time…
C.S. Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, describes his grief and sadness after the passing of his wife in his book, A Grief Observed, “Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.” Loss, sadness, and grief affect every part of life and can leave you feeling hollow and empty. The holiday season…
We hear the words “gratitude” and “thanksgiving” so much that I wonder if they’ve become little more than self-help platitudes and warm-sounding seasonal cliches. Have we lost a meaningful appreciation for the true spirit of thankfulness and gratitude? And what do they really mean anyway, aren’t they the same thing? Emotion And Attitude Gratitude comes…
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “To lose patience is to lose the battle.” Dictionary.com defines patience as “the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.” That’s a tall order. Doesn’t it seem like a tidal wave of frustration, irritability, and impatience is…
Everybody has “stuff” to deal with. For some, it might be money worries, relationship problems, parenting challenges, etc. You name it; everyone is going through something. Life isn’t easy. Imagine how life would be if we were more patient, gracious, understanding, and kind, and much less critical and judgmental because we’re in this together; everybody…
If you fear being judged by others, are self-conscious in social situations, and the idea of meeting new people triggers anxiety, you may have social anxiety disorder if you’ve been having these feelings for more than six months. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Social anxiety disorder is an intense, persistent fear of…
Erma Bombeck said, “Guilt: The gift that keeps on giving.” Unless you’re a person with high psychopathic tendencies, you know exactly what she’s talking about. Thief or Guardian? Guilt is a thief that steals your joy if you’re not careful. But it can also be a guardian that protects you from unnecessary hardship and unhappiness. …
There are days when life overwhelms you with a flood of emotions. Remorse, bitterness, frustration, helplessness, guilt, shame, and other feelings can take you to a very dark place really fast. Insecurity and uncertainty rise within your soul, giving way to feelings of hopelessness and fear, causing you to feel a special kind of “aloneness.” …
Do you ever feel like life is rushing past you? Or are you so distracted by a million different things competing for your attention that you miss what’s happening around you? When was the last time you gifted yourself a few minutes just to enjoy nature? The warm, nurturing glow of the sun as it…
Do you dream of retiring one day? What do you imagine life will be like when that day finally comes? Lazy days at the beach? Living in an RV traveling from coast to coast? Exploring the world? Taking dream vacations? Or perhaps more time to serve your community of faith? Retirement means something different to…
