Slaying Your Giants

Do you have giants in your life you can’t seem to overcome? Right now, the giant we are facing is my husband’s upcoming surgery. Unknowns exist. Some aspects are a little scary, especially since the surgeon gave him a backout opportunity at the pre-op appointment. But we are going ahead, with faith, and trusting God […]

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6 Secrets to Personal Success

With the advent of football season, prognostications of success and defeat, analyses of injuries and coaching, talk of winning and losing, and endless rankings are everywhere. I sometimes wonder how players and coaches feel about the scrutiny they’re under. Expectations of perfection abound. Lauding and criticism stumble over each other. But what of personal success? […]

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Practicing Contentment

Are you wishing your life away, grasping for something different, better, or more prestigious than your current circumstances? Often, we forgo happiness and contentment, right now, by comparing ourselves to others or focusing on what we don’t have. Contentment doesn’t always come easily to us. In the last two difficult years, we’ve had a choice: […]

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What is Holding You Back?

Last weekend, I taught at a writing conference. The fact that I was teaching doesn’t mean I wasn’t also listening, learning, and gaining valuable inspiration. One message that came through repeatedly, and clearly, was to move forward, to take the information obtained, do the work, and, as one speaker said, “Just get on with it.” […]

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10 Things to Consider Giving Up This Year

The new year is like a blank canvas awaiting first brush strokes. You have options about how to fill that canvas—the preparation, colors, shading, and picture type. Will you choose a self-portrait with clarity and depth, or one that is a jumble of Picasso-esque forms? To gain perspective, glance back at last year’s portrait. Are […]

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5 Thieves of Contentment

Several months ago, I saw a stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. Presented by a small cast with very little set design and minimal props, the play accurately conveyed the story of Pip, an orphan who was given a chance to move beyond humble beginnings. Although the story line is complex, one thing that […]

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5 Pitfalls of Comparisons

I was in kindergarten the first time I remember comparing myself to someone. We sat in a circle for show-and-tell as a classmate pulled a shiny pair of black shoes with ribbon ties out of a silky bag. She put those shiny shoes on her feet and tapping around the circle, drumming out a rhythm […]

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