Are you loving yourself well? It's a question we may not ask ourselves often enough, and we really don't have to look very far for the answer. Especially when we think in terms of how well we're loving others. As women, it's so easy to put others' wants and needs before our own. We're built to care for others and the world tells us we are more when we're doing more. We often sacrifice, pour out and lose sight of ourselves in the process. When we find ourselves investing so much of our time and energy on others to the point that we overlook our own needs and desires, it's time to take a step back. When we see we're overcommitted, feeling underappreciated, depleted, irritable, and even resentful it's time to recalibrate. How can I authentically love others well unless I first love Continue Reading
7 Ways to Make the Most of a Good Beginning
"A good beginning makes a good ending." These are the words encased in glass on the hallway wall of the university building I enter every day. Each year we welcome a new class of enthusiastic, wide-eyed pharmacy students eager to get to work and fulfill the requirements for their doctoral degree. They come from various states and countries with this one thing in common. And it doesn't take long before the novelty gives way to the reality of a rigorous and often grueling journey ahead. I always love the excitement that goes with meeting and greeting these new students. I've also always loved the process of preparing my own kids for a new school year. There's so many hopes of good things to come and expectations of great accomplishments. I think it's a prime moment in time when Continue Reading
A Hope-Filled Reminder: You Are Chosen
I love this time of year - pumpkins, bonfires, crisp air, cinnamon and nutmeg...too many soul-refreshers for just one to be chosen. All around us, the world just seems fresher, more alive and vibrant. The best of what can happen seems more possible. And life is filled with reminders of God's love sprinkled through each and every refreshing moment. For me, these love reminders begin with the choosing of a pumpkin...or two. I don’t rush the process because finding the perfect pumpkin takes time. And perfect for me doesn’t mean free of blemishes or uniform in shape and size. I’m looking for the kind that’s going to remind me all season long of one simple, refreshing truth. I’m looking for the kind with scars and bumps and dents. With deep ribs and visible character marks that Continue Reading
Braving the Truth of Ordinary
I'm sure you've heard it said that we were never meant to do it all. And when we think we have to, we are believing a lie. Whenever I take on more than what I can practically handle, it's usually done out of an extreme need to make everyone happy. I find myself running a mile a minute, trying to accomplish all the things, maintain my seemingly joyful demeanor, and never let anyone down. It's exhausting. I come home way too wiped out to cook dinner, or do anything around the house, so the place I call home gets neglected and cluttered, which makes me feel all the more overwhelmed. I've always wondered if Jesus really meant it when he said that apart from him, we can do nothing. Really? Nothing at all? Surely I could do things like...wash dishes, cook meals, or go grocery shopping on Continue Reading