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When You Feel Like You Don’t Belong—Four Prayers for Insecurity
I make my way cautiously from the ornately decorated lobby of the exquisite hotel and follow the lavender banners that lead to the conference room. I’ve just traveled eight hours to attend a women’s conference. This seemed like a wonderful idea from afar. Now that I’m here, I’m lifting up prayers for insecurity as it tells me I won’t fit in here. I imagine the hundreds of women who will sit among the rose-colored decorations. I wonder if I’ll make a friend, if I’ll fit in, or if this will feel strangely similar to the first day of school in the junior high cafeteria. My shirt feels too wrinkled, my…
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7 Calming Verses for When Life Feels Overwhelming
We all face overwhelming and anxiety-inducing moments in life. Today, we’ll explore 7 calming verses for when life feels overwhelming. I invite you to soak in these truths today as God’s peace washes over your soul. 7 Calming Verses for When Life Feels Overwhelming 1. A Verse for Overwhelming Moments You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 This powerful verse reminds us that perfect peace is possible. Perfect peace is available when we return our wandering thoughts to the Lord and trust him. Are your thoughts racing all over the place? Take those thoughts captive. Return them to the…
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7 Empowering Scriptures on Insecurity
Most of us deal with insecurity. This week, let’s take a few minutes to explore the ways comparison keeps us from fulfilling our God-given assignments and explore ten powerful Scriptures on insecurity. 7 Empowering Scriptures on Insecurity Are you feeling insecure today? Let’s look at what God’s Word has to say about overcoming insecurity. 1. Psalm 139:13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” God created you just the way you are to fulfill his unique purpose for you in this world. You might feel like you don’t have what it takes to step into the calling he has placed in front of…
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10 Bible Verses About Overcoming Fear and Worry
Are you facing any fears? Today, we’ll dig into God’s Word and unpack 10 powerful Bible verses about overcoming fear and worry. First, let me share the story of a great fear that threatened to paralyze me. 10 Empowering Bible Verses About Overcoming Fear Our first child was born on a Tuesday. I could barely believe she was hidden within me for all those months. After the hyperemesis diagnosis and the months of lying on the bathroom floor in a cloud of nausea, I couldn’t comprehend the love I felt for her. I never knew love like that was possible. In the months following her birth, I spent hours marveling…
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I Surrender All (Sort Of): A Review With Reflections
Daybreak sings a solemn song over a cross-stitched blanket of nutmeg, ash, and ivory. The skeletal arms of the maples still hold their white cloaks, and just a thin strip of charcoal gravel delineates the arched center of the country road. I take it all in from the window as I soak in Michelle Lazurek’s new book I Surrender All (Sort Of). Michelle and I met at a conference a few years ago, and I was drawn to her sweet, sincere spirit immediately. I would have picked up Michelle’s new book even if I didn’t know her because the title feels like a summary of my walk of faith: Surrendering…
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How to Live Life in the Present Instead of Chasing Performance
What do you want your life to be about? I asked myself this question the other day as dawn ascended in shades of lilac over the tree line. I want to learn to live life in the present, embrace God’s gifts, and enjoy my kids. Meanwhile, I’m still learning, and the process is anything but perfect. As I watched the sunrise, I reflected on the previous day, and I saw some things I didn’t like: my tendency to hurry through certain chores, impatience with my family, and an undercurrent of stress flowing beneath all my moments. There were no epic disasters. However, there was too much striving and not enough…
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3 Biblical Coping Strategies for Stress and Anxiety
I sit with the dawn and let my thoughts gather. The grey morning light lifts her sleepy head, and the thin air is embroidered with a crimson cardinal’s song. My mind is scattered, and I feel like I’ve been stretched too thin. I’m thinking about packing lunches, painting walls, mid-morning Zoom calls, and new rain boots for the little one. I could use a few Biblical coping strategies for stress today. I don’t want to be stretched and stressed. I’m tired of snapping at my kids and rushing through moments I should have cherished. “I need a stress detox,” I whisper to no one in particular. Throughout the past months,…
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For the Woman Who Worries About Not Fitting in
A few years ago, I stepped about a million miles out of my comfort zone and attended a conference for women who feel called to write and speak. The weekend was filled with informational seminars, discussion groups, and motivational speakers. I was anxious about the weekend for plenty of reasons, and one of my deepest concerns was a subtle worry about not fitting in. The fear of not fitting in can feel surprising as an adult. You walk into a crowded room, and you suddenly feel like a middle schooler looking for a place to sit in the school cafeteria. I wrestled through these fears as I navigated the first…
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How to Overcome Anxiety With God’s Help
I stand on a sand-sprinkled kitchen floor and stare down a list that’s growing longer every day. Springtime brings an expansive array of new endeavors, and if I’m not careful, my mind will spiral out of control with anxious thoughts. I’ll find myself sitting in a dark corner praying to overcome anxiety with God’s help. Henry David Thoreau said, “It’s not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?” I think of Thoreau’s words, and I realize I need a plan. Anxious thoughts are creeping in, and if I don’t get a grip, who knows what will happen. I’m not sure I…
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Please Help Me, God! I Need You!
Dawn breaks softly, and I stare down another day with its never-ending tasks. “Please help me, God! I’m drowning over here,” I whisper as I prepare to descend the stairs and begin the day. We’re living in pandemic times, which means I’ll be juggling again today. I’ll teach my kids, cook dinner, keep the little one from drawing on the walls (maybe), fold laundry, try to exercise, shower (probably not), lock myself in the laundry room with something chocolate, and complete at least 200 small but cumulative tasks. It feels like a lot. I’ve been crying randomly and feeling ridiculous about it. These are the days when my life leaves…