In addition to finally getting the practical help I needed, I also made the surprising discovery that embracing the reality of my limited number of days on earth has been key to unlocking the peace I had been longing for.
The Blog
The hidden benefits of kitchen therapy
When I was at my lowest point with my anxiety and depression, it took all of my mental energy to convince myself to get out of bed and move through my day. Most of my days I went through the motions of getting the kids off to school, working my secretary job, and being back home in time to welcome the kids home from school. Outwardly, I did my best to hold myself together when inwardly I was vacillating between wanting to cry in the dark or scream into a pillow.
When your work feels wasted and fruitless
Do you sometimes feel like all the work you do is either done better by someone else or seemingly worthless? I Corinthians has encouragement for us.
5 Ways to Combat Stress and Improve Your Mental Health
Feeling overwhelmed? Get tips and tools to reduce stress, improve mental health and maintain balance in your life. Learn more here!
Get to the root of the issue
Do you find yourself overreacting to little irritations? Your partner forgot to pick up something on the way home - and it sets you off in a bad mood for the entire evening. Your child tracked mud on the freshly mopped floor - and you explode. You find yourself steaming with resentment when your boss simply asks you to complete one more task before headed home. If these types of things are causing your mood to tip from 'barely holding on' to 'full blown anger' it's time to take a closer look.
Where do we run when trouble comes
I live in the Midwest where tornado season can run from April to October. Since a very young age, I have been terrified of storms that could breed tornadoes. In grade school, as soon as the season hit, we would practice tornado drills at school. That small drill led to weeks of nightmares for me.
Committing to your calling
This week on the blog I am featuring my friend, Hadassah Treu! Though we have never met in person (she lives in Bulgaria!) I have gotten to know her over the past couple years through our writing community and I appreciate her heart for Jesus and the Gospel. Hadassah has written a 15-page printable workbook that she is offering for FREE to my readers. Check out more on the blog.
You Can Have Victory in the Wilderness
We live in a world of excess. We buy food we never consume, we have an ever-present box getting filled for the thrift store, and our trash cans on collection day are overflowing. We have so much, we can’t possibly hold on to it all. We also live in a world of speed. Our food is quick, our cars are speedy, and our days move so fast that they start to blur together. These two things together, excess and fast, leads to a life that leaves us feeling empty and exhausted. But there is a way to counteract what the world is telling us to do.
You are more than your feelings
We can either choose to follow our feelings of overwhelm, procrastination, and fear that are telling us that we can't handle the day, that we're not up to the task, and we are a failure. Or, we can dip into the toolbox for anxious days, remind ourselves that our feelings may be real, but they may not always be true, and take some practical steps to address our anxiety.
3 practical ways to help your anxious friend
If you have a friend in your life that struggles with anxiety and depression, the smallest acts of kindness can speak volumes. By reaching out and showing you care, you can be the ‘good and perfect gift’ that the Father has sent to your friend. And, when a good and perfect gift, in the form of a reach out from a friend, comes your way, you can trust it’s just one more example of His care for you.
