Letting go of others’ opinions
2018 was a pivotal year for me where my perspective on others started to shift. As we have walked through this season, one of the fun lessons was learning to let go of what others think. A lot of people care about what others think and I’ve been one of those people. People love to ruminate on what others say and let that affect our actions. I’ve come to realize I shouldn’t care about others’ opinions of me, but care about Jesus opinion of me. His opinion is what matters most. So why do we care so much? Because it’s human nature to want to be liked, but sometimes wanting to be liked comes at...
Read MoreHow self-reliance can become God-reliance
I am survivor. I am a doer. I’m also self-reliant. Survivor is a badge I wear proudly. Surviving multiple things such as domestic violence, health issues, and upheaval of community has lead me to become self-reliant. Most of the time, I’m pretty proud of my self-reliance. While being self-reliant, I’m also a doer. Doer’s have a hard time sitting down and not doing anything. These fine qualities can help you navigate life well, but if you’re unhealthy, they can become very detrimental. Being self-reliant in this culture is something people pride themselves on. But what if these qualities...
Read MoreFinding freedom during health issues
A few weeks ago brought another health challenge. As we walked through another possible surgery, I kept thinking of all the amazing gifts we’ve been given. My family and I can walk, talk, see, and hear. The older we get the more our bodies can resist harder workouts. I love to workout, but sometimes we’re reduced to walking. And guess what? That’s okay. I can still hike, snowshoe and ski, but in the midst of health hardships, how do you keep going? Put one foot in front of the other. You get up each day and make the decision to keep moving forward. My mentor has a saying, ‘you keep on,...
Read MoreThe Backside of the Mountain
Recently I met with a dear friend and we caught up. She wanted to get together and hear how life was going. This is a trust-worthy person because she is a mentor and cares with kindness. As we caught up, she kept saying this phrase which I had never heard before. She said ‘you’re on the backside of the mountain’. She explained you’ve been strategically placed in solitude in order to prepare you for His work. The backside can also be a place of transition and pruning. Yikes! Those are all the words I’ve been fighting against for the last year. What does the ‘Backside of the Mountain’ look...
Read MoreGrowing into 2019
Here comes 2019! 2019 is going to be a year filled with anticipation and hope. Hope of how we’ll continue to grow during the good and the bad times, and for all the adventures ahead. However, 2018 was a year of growth for me and my family. Each area of growth has led us to hope for the good each day. We grew spiritually. Being a part of BSF each year, studying Romans and listening to Alisa Childers podcast has led to incredible growth. The amount of direction and pruning has been overwhelming, but also welcoming. We also took time to really invest in what the kids are learning spiritually....
Read More