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How to Renew Your Mind From Negative Thoughts
I recently set out on a slow walk down our country road as the sun set behind the barren maple forest. I had no way of knowing that the walk was going to be a lesson in renewing my mind. Perhaps you need this space as well. Maybe you need to lean into learning how to renew your mind from negative thoughts. As I walked, I noticed that the tree line had turned gray with winter. I’m not ready for these long, dark winter months, I thought. I cringed at the thought of long evenings inside the house and whiteouts rolling in from the west. How to Renew Your Mind…
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How to Keep Your Joy in the Lord: 7 Ways
Daylight met us without hesitation today—clear and blue as infinity. As I sat beside the window and prepared for another day, I felt the heaviness in my chest and realized my joy was lacking. Perhaps you can relate. You want to learn how to keep your joy in the Lord even when life feels challenging. In challenging times, it’s easy to take our eyes off God and get swept into the stress and anxiety surrounding us. How to Keep Your Joy in the Lord As I reflected on this tendency this morning, two familiar words came to mind: “Martha, Martha. . .” These two words come to mind often: When…
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Keys to Spiritual Growth: 4 Ways to Develop Spiritual Maturity
Last spring, the week after we bought a new furnace, I walked into the laundry room to discover a sudsy, wet floor. The washing machine had broken, too. Of course. As I stared at the soapy water, I had no idea that God was going to use the situation to remind me of several life-changing keys to spiritual growth. Keys to Spiritual Growth As I moved boxes and began sopping up the water with beach towels, I calculated the cost of a new washing machine and thought, When it rains, it pours. Later that evening, as I lay in bed and reviewed the events of the day, I remembered the…
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4 Practical Ways to Overcome Fear With Faith
Welcome to our second post in the Set Free series. Today, we’ll talk about how to overcome fear with faith. This series offers a taste of what you’ll find in my paperback book, Lean Into Grace. And now, let’s talk about rising above our greatest fears. How to Overcome Fear With Faith Through the frosted windowpane, the world is colored by shapes. An angular patch of green breathes life into the dull surroundings where the neighbor has tended to her plot of earth. The C-shaped stretch of curving country road delineates the wild from the tame. I get lost in the scene and feel like I’ve stepped out of the latest…
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How to Be Transformed by Grace—and Why Willpower Doesn’t Work
I sit beneath the snowy hemlocks and search the forest for any hint of movement. God breathes in shades of grey today—smoky clouds rolling overhead while translucent ice encompasses the frozen world. I’ve come to the woods because I’m feeling stuck, and I need to connect with the Creator so that I might be transformed by grace. Today, I feel stuck in the grip of a habit I can’t seem to break. I feel defeated and wonder if I’ll ever find victory over this besetting sin. I’ve been mustering all the willpower I can gather; however, much to my dismay, willpower seems to be failing me. I spent the first…
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Transform Your Life With These 5 Prayers for the New Year
The wind howls all day—rattling the windowpanes and nearly bending the old poplar to its breaking point. We watch through ice-glazed glass while the Christmas lights blaze white on the mantle. I have no idea that stepping into the white world is about to help me begin praying focused prayers for the New Year. “You’re not thinking of taking your daily walk today, are you, Mom?” a little voice prods. “Are you worried about me?” I ask, turning from the window where the snow is swirling in small whirlwinds across the yard. “You shouldn’t go out in this,” our young son declares protectively. “The TV said it’s 40-below zero with…
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14 Free Devotionals for Women Who Want to Grow With God
Would you like to connect with God in deeper ways and experience his presence like never before? I hope to help you encounter God in ways that transform your life forever. For this reason, I have written a collection of free devotionals for women. I pray these devotionals bless you deeply and lead you closer to God’s heart of love for you. Free Devotionals for Women Below, you will find a collection of free resources to help you connect with God in your daily devotional time, bolster your prayer life, and provide healing in difficult seasons. I pray these words bless you and lead you straight into the arms of…
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How to Declutter Your Mind With God’s Help
Last night I took a walk beneath a canopy of beech trees as patches of fog hovered over the creek beside me. I’d spent the week keeping up with the kids and trying to stay on top of a full schedule. Desperate to sort through my thoughts and declutter my mind, the forest called me. Sometimes, it’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to sorting through our mental chaos. I go outside when my mind feels cluttered. As I watch the sun sink beneath the hills or listen to the sound of red squirrels gnawing on walnuts, my mind clears. Nature offers space to sort through my…
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Falling Behind in Life: Permission to Be Where You Are
If you’ve been reading my words for any amount of time, you know how often I write about slowing down and cultivating rhythms of rest. I thought I was an expert at slowing down. Then I picked up Jennifer Dukes Lee’s book, Growing Slow, and her words stopped me in my tracks: “We need permission to be where we are.” Tears filled my eyes as I recognized an underlying sense that I was falling behind in life. Falling Behind in Life Yes, I thought as I read her words. I do need permission to be here—right here, right now. And so began my journey into giving myself permission to be…
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5 Prayers for Insecurity: When You Wonder If You Fit in
Do you ever walk into crowded places and wonder where you fit in? Maybe you feel like you don’t fit in at all. Most of us have felt this way. Today, we’ll explore five empowering prayers for insecurity as we aim to overcome our fears of rejection. I invite you to join me as I navigated these feelings among a group of beautiful and talented women. 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…
