When Life Gets Hectic
When Life Gets Hectic: Balancing Life’s Priorities in Retirement No matter how carefully we plan our lives—balancing work, family, commitments, and personal time—there will be
November 6, 2024
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Seeing the Invisible: A Lesson in Compassion
They weren’t really invisible. I could see them across the way as I entered the local Walmart. They just didn’t fit the mold for someone I would
May 20, 2024
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What is Truth?
It is easy for us to sit back and judge those involved in condemning Jesus to death that dark day over 2,000 years ago. Judas,
March 27, 2024
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Where is Your Platform?
Is Your Light Under a Basket? Matthew 5:15 reminds us not to put our light under a basket but instead to put it on a
March 17, 2024
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The Power of a Question
The Power of a Question Have you ever considered the transformative power of one simple question? It can take you back decades, change the
December 12, 2023
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Everything’s Different, Yet Nothing’s Changed
Everything’s Different, Yet Nothing’s Changed: Reflecting on Three Moments in Time Introduction Change is a constant in our lives, but sometimes, it feels as though
September 24, 2023
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Why We Share Our Faith
Most Christians have been led to believe that it’s not their job to have conversations about faith and that they should leave it to the
September 2, 2023
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The Art of Masterful Living
As I approach the milestone of turning 62, I reflect on the incredible journey that has brought me to this point. Along the way, I’ve
June 4, 2023
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Shining Our Light in the Darkness
As a city commissioner in my small town, I get lots of messages about a variety of topics from my constituents. Recently, I received
April 19, 2023
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Are You More Like Bold Peter or Doubting Thomas?
The apostle Peter is known as the bold one. He walked on water, was the first apostle to race to the tomb when he learned
April 3, 2023
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Meet Me at the Barn
In his book Undistracted, Bob Goff shares a story about a time his racehorse got away from him, and rather than try and chase the horse, he simply returned to
September 26, 2022
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A True Servant Leader
Leadership in the world is very different than leadership in God’s domain. You don’t have to listen to the news very long or watch many
August 22, 2022
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A Time For Boldness
There are moments we will never forget where we were when we heard the news of significant events in our lifetime. I was at the
June 27, 2022
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The Love Shift
People should be able to know we are Christians by our words and actions. We shouldn’t have to tell people what we believe because they
May 30, 2022
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The Tolerance Shift
Scripture tells us to shine our light into the world. Luke tells us that all secrets will eventually be brought into the open. Everything concealed
May 16, 2022
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The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth.
When we take an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, we are declaring that we will tell the
April 18, 2022
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When The Voice of Doubt Takes Over
Every once in a while, the voice of doubt overtakes me. Does that ever happen to you? For me, it reared its ugly head when
June 10, 2021
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Looking Back…
Some will tell you never to look back, to keep moving forward, and forget the past. I’m not one of those people. I believe we sometimes
May 31, 2021
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A Modern Day Babel
As a child, you may remember hearing the story of the tower of Babel where the people of Babylonia built a monument that reached into
February 1, 2021
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Tools for Living Your Faith Intentionally
Believing in Jesus is one thing; having faith he will do what he says he will do is another thing entirely. That is what living
January 5, 2021
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A Monumental Christmas Story
Guest Post by Shauna Letellier, author of Remarkable Advent. A few years ago, I was driving around town doing the after-school shuffle. I dropped
December 7, 2020
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Giving Thanks in the Midst of COVID, Cancer, and Chaos
This year is going down as the worst year in many people’s lives and for good reason. It has been a year full of challenges,
November 23, 2020
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Commemorating Our Heros
I am beyond grateful for the freedoms we enjoy as a result of their sacrifices, I just don’t take the time to attend the services
November 11, 2020
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The Waiting is the Hardest Part
Whether it is a national election, results from a medical test, or any other of a million things we wait for in life, it is
November 4, 2020
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Living a Grace-Full Life
When you hear the word graceful, what comes to mind? Generally, we think of things that are elegant and beautiful. Maybe you think of a
October 26, 2020
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My Cancer Journey
In September of 2020, my life took a detour I hadn’t planned on taking. I was diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer and decided to share
September 24, 2020
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Permission to Pause
There are times in life when we need to let go of something we love to make room for something we love even more. I
September 22, 2020
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Friends for Eternity
Sometimes… Just spending some quality time with good friends is the only therapy you need. I don’t know who coined that phrase, but it is
September 15, 2020
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Remembering 9/11: The Day We United
September 11 will always be a day we remember. Terrorists attacked our country with every intention of destroying our way of life. But they hadn’t
September 10, 2020
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Celebrating an Achievement of a Lifetime!
The South Dakota Auctioneer Hall of Fame When I hear the term, four score and seven years, I usually think of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. But
September 7, 2020
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words
I can still hear the words ringing through the sanctuary that warm February day over 30 years ago. My dear friend and her brother sang
August 31, 2020
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Are You Hiding Your Light?
No one lights a lamp and then hides it under a bed (or a basket!). We’ve all heard that verse many times, but have you
August 24, 2020
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The Blessing and Curse of Freedom
As we celebrate the United States’ 244th birthday this week, we have much to be grateful for. It’ll be an unusual year as we observe
June 29, 2020
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Make Meaningful Connections
I’m not a coffee drinker. But most adults I know are. Some are pretty serious about the stuff. It has to be black. And Strong.
June 18, 2020
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Now is the Time to Create A New Normal
As life begins to shift and we look to what our post COVID lives will look like, I challenge you to be intentional about what
June 10, 2020
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You are Blessed to be a Blessing
There is a saying that when we can’t hear God’s voice during the trials in our lives, we are to remember that the teacher is
June 2, 2020
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Trusting God Even When We’re In Over Our Head
Have you ever had one of those moments when you are heavily invested in a project and you realize you’re seriously in over your head?
May 27, 2020
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What Kind of Legacy Will You Leave?
Do you ever think about what people in your life will remember you by when you are gone? Or more importantly, do you wonder if
May 20, 2020
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Finding Peace in Relationship and Religion
Have you noticed the amazing things that people are doing for others these days? People working long hours, putting themselves and their families at risk
April 9, 2020
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A Time For Renewal
These are troubling times. The world is in upheaval. It’s a time of uncertainty and fear and just not knowing what’s next. It’s also a
March 25, 2020
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BE the Calm in the Storm
It’s an unprecedented time with schools, conferences, governments, sporting events, and virtually any public gathering all being canceled across the globe. The COVID-19 is wreaking
March 17, 2020
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It’s Not About the Chocolate
Do you practice the act of giving up something for the season of Lent? In a study conducted by Lifeway Research, they discovered that three-quarters
March 4, 2020
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Trusting Jesus When a Blessing Doesn’t Feel Like a Blessing
They say you can’t go back to the past. That once you’ve moved on, you should never look back. I get it. Even though I
February 25, 2020
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In God’s Timing
We are an impatient society. We want what we want and we want it now, right? So it can be so frustrating when we ask
February 18, 2020
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Are You Living Your Faith?
Are you living your faith? That’s a tough question, I know. Truly, what does it even mean to live your faith? There are so many
February 18, 2020
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Facing Your Goliath
Have you ever imagined what it must have felt like to be David standing in front of Goliath armed with only a slingshot and a
February 5, 2020
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A Hundred Years to Live
Recently I was blessed with two and a half hours on the road all by myself. I did something I hadn’t done in a very
December 31, 2019
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The Happily Ever After Guarantee
And they lived happily ever after. Let’s face it. A little part of us all loves a story that ends well. We want the good
December 24, 2019
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Will You Be On Board?
If Noah was boarding the ark today, would you be in line to embark with him? Or would you be watching as he loads the
December 3, 2019
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A New Way to Celebrate the Holidays
Thanksgiving is upon us and with it brings the hope of Christmas. Yes, the commercial side of Christmas has been on display in stores for
November 26, 2019
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The Promise for Something More
Have you ever looked at something that you’ve seen dozens of times a day for years and suddenly see something you’ve never seen before? That
November 19, 2019
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The Call to Freedom
This week’s episode of Longing for More is an interview with Becky Rasmussen, the Executive Director of Call to Freedom which is an organization committed to navigating
November 12, 2019
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Connecting with Your More
I have a quote on the home page of my website that says, “Your soul is longing to live out the calling God has placed
November 5, 2019
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Strangers in a Foreign Land
Much like Claire in the popular STARZ series, Outlander, we are strangers in a foreign land. If you are a fan, you already know that Claire
October 22, 2019
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All Who Wander Are Not Lost
We all have an image in our mind of what it looked like as God parted the Red Sea to let his people out of
October 8, 2019
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A Life Well Lived
We American’s, as a whole, are so blessed. Our land is vast and varied and as beautiful as any other. I, for one, haven’t seen
August 13, 2019
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Embracing Obscurity
It’s an epidemic. Social media is everywhere and it seems everyone is connected and everyone is scrambling to get the most likes, comments, and exposure
August 6, 2019
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Are You Being Honest with Yourself?
Are you being honest with yourself? I mean truly honest and open about your life and the path you are on. Are you following up
August 6, 2019
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Are You a Mary or a Martha?
If you google personality test, you will get 524 million responses in about a half a second. That is more responses than I can even fathom. Today,
July 23, 2019
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Getting the Support You Need: Four Things to Consider Before You Hire a Coach
We all need support in life. Whether we admit it or not, we can not do this thing we call life on our own. The support
July 16, 2019
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Finding Contentment
We are all searching for that thing. The one that will finally make us happy. We know if we could just get it, it would fill
July 9, 2019
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Common Bond
We were getting acquainted with the driver of the minivan as our small group pulled up to the nondescript building in the sweltering heat of
July 2, 2019
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A Four Letter Word We Need To Use More Often
There are a lot of four-letter words that probably should be eliminated from our vocabulary. As this is a Christian space, I’ll not be listing
June 25, 2019
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When No is Your Best Yes
If you’re like me, you find it hard to say no when someone asks for help. So you bump that appointment with yourself to go for
June 18, 2019
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A Note to my 17-year-old Self
I will be reuniting with my high school classmates soon and it’s hard to believe it’s been a little over 40 years since we spent
June 11, 2019
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The Real Game of Thrones Continues
I have a confession to make. I’m a Game of Thrones fan. I was a late bloomer and binge-watched the first five seasons in a couple of
June 4, 2019
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The Cat’s in the Cradle
The first time I heard Cat’s in the Cradle after Harry Chapin released it back in 1974, I instantly fell in love with it. The words haunted
May 28, 2019
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Your Life, Your Choice
I sat in the front row of the local Think, Drive – Stay Alive event listening to the speaker share his life’s story. As he spoke, he was
May 21, 2019
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Are You Happy?
Don’t you love it when a child says something so simple, but when you really think about it has a deep meaning and becomes a
May 7, 2019
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Live Your More!
If you are haunted by the knowledge that you were created for more, you know what it feels like to feel adrift. To feel that
April 30, 2019
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A Time for Change
A little over a year ago I was learning how to create a podcast and I was deep in the process of finding the perfect
April 23, 2019
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Celebrate Every Day Like It’s Easter!
I love Easter. I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember. Of course, initially, my love of the holiday had nothing to do
April 16, 2019
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A Walk in Hope
She was two, maybe three years old. And just as adorable as a little girl has the right to be. She was my first niece and
April 9, 2019
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Longing For More
We are all created with a purpose in life. Most of us know someone who instinctively knew their purpose from a very early age and
April 2, 2019
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Use Words of Encouragement
Haters are gonna hate. I don’t know who coined that phrase, but it’s a good summary of Proverbs 9:8 which says, “Don’t bother rebuking mockers; they
March 26, 2019
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Make Time for God’s Word
You know you should, but you don’t, do you? I mean, who has the time? We’ve got work, there’s that meeting, dinner to make, reports
March 19, 2019
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Stop Living In Scarcity
I just sat there. Stunned. All I could think was, “you’ve got to be kidding me! They’re laying me off and giving my job back
March 12, 2019
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Are You a Peaceful Warrior?
We’ve been trained to avoid the tough conversations in life, haven’t we? It seems that it’s been getting worse for those of us who speak
March 5, 2019
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Showing Your Faith At Work
There are all kinds of politics and dynamics to be aware of in the workplace. It can be challenging to maneuver it all. Especially in
February 26, 2019
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Be A Servant Leader
I read a quote the other day that really struck a chord with me. It says, “Oftentimes, we confuse leadership with dictatorship. A dictator barks
February 19, 2019
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Invite God into Your Work
Pretty much everyone will tell you that stress is the biggest challenge they deal with today both in their work and their home life. Whether you
February 12, 2019
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Settle Down and Get to Work
When I retired after spending 30 years in affordable housing finance, I envisioned a lot of books, movies, and naps in my future. People would
February 5, 2019
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For a Time Such as This
No matter how familiar or unfamiliar you are with the Bible, I’m betting you know at least a little bit about the story of Esther.
January 29, 2019
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Your Communication Style and Why it Matters
How we communicate is a direct reflection of who we are. How effectively we communicate in different situations will impact whether we will succeed in various
January 22, 2019
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Fulfilling Your Purpose
Stop for just a moment and think about the big moments in your life. The day you got married, your children were born, you received your
January 15, 2019
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Letting Go of Perfection
It was such a disappointment. I’d recently returned home from Boston, a city that I’d fallen in love with and where my husband and I had
January 8, 2019
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A Different View
As I sat at my computer much like I am today, the words literally popped into my head. I don’t remember what I was working
January 1, 2019
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My Christmas prayer for You
Dear Lord, I thank you with all my heart for this wonderful gift of life and thank you for making us aware of the beauty
December 25, 2018
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Dare to Hope
Have you ever been where you knew God wanted you to be, but still experienced great storms of life? That is what happened to the disciples
December 11, 2018
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When it Gets Hard to Fit the Pieces together
I have a two, almost three, year old grandson who loves solving puzzles. A few weeks ago when he was visiting, I went in search
November 27, 2018
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Is Gratitude Really Enough?
By definition, gratitude is the quality or feeling of being thankful or grateful. It is our readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
November 20, 2018
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The (unconventional) Cure for Holiday Stress
Every year it seems Christmas comes a little earlier. Have you ever noticed that? Its called Christmas Creep and it’s a real thing. Way before
November 13, 2018
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Weathering the Storms of Life
We all weather storms in life, don’t we? I had a recent health scare that could have been considerably more stormy than it really was. But
October 30, 2018
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Cherishing the Gift of Faith
The children were gathered around Pastor on the steps leading to the alter. He was asking them what they cherished. As I sat there I
October 23, 2018
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Living with the Loss of a Pregnancy, Infant, or Child
The fear of having a miscarriage or losing a child at any age is something that every parent must deal with. The reality of this
October 16, 2018
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Better Than You Can Imagine
I’ve seen it four times and it still makes me cry every time. The message of forgiveness, redemption, and hope is so powerful it draws me
October 9, 2018
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Living Our Messy Lives
Life gets messy. We can plan and organize, but things always seem to get in the way. I’ve always said, “if you want to make
October 2, 2018
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No More Hiding…
The words reverberated in my ears, “How do you need to step out in faith? What are you being called to? What voice have you
September 28, 2018
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Lessons Learned from My Hospital Bed
Say what you will about our health care system, the equity of how people receive it, or how expensive it is, and chances are I’ll
September 25, 2018
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Focusing on The Clouds
Do you ever take the time to just watch the clouds float by? As a kid, I used to love to imagine God and the
September 18, 2018
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Living in Gratitude
Have you ever painstakingly searched for the perfect gift for someone and then after you gave it to them it was met with indifference and
September 11, 2018
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Take Pleasure in Your Work
Sometimes we fall into the trap of believing that our day-to-day tasks are mundane. If we look at what others are doing we begin to
September 4, 2018
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Remarkable Faith
I’m always in awe of the many talented people out there who are seemingly fearlessly stepping into their calling. Each person’s gifts are so different from
August 28, 2018
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Ask and You Shall Receive
Did you know we don’t have to ask God for joy, happiness, fulfillment, or peace? Instead, did you realize that they are all residual benefits
August 21, 2018
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Letting Go of Control; The Art of Surrender
When is enough, enough? We all have a tendency to get caught up in wanting more and more of something in our lives. The way we crave
August 14, 2018
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The Gift of Letting Go
We all have challenges in our lives. Some happen on a daily or weekly basis and we barely notice them. Others are times that were so
July 31, 2018
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Connecting in Community
Connecting with complete strangers when you are at a special event seems so easy when there is a common bond that brings you together. I talk
July 24, 2018
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Living a Life of Grace
Grace is everywhere and is so abundantly given to us. Why is it then that we are so reluctant to give it to ourselves and
July 17, 2018
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The Journey
Have you ever noticed how just when you think you have the perfect plan, it falls apart? My most recent experience testing this was a
July 14, 2018
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Rescuing Turtles and Other Devine Interruptions
I love to travel, but after several days, I just want to be home. I was having that feeling the other day. I’d been on this amazing retreat
June 26, 2018
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The Search for Enough
We are all created for a purpose. Some of us spend our whole lives looking for that purpose. We have this longing inside of us
June 19, 2018
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Coming Home to a Place I’d Never Been Before
I’d sung along to these words hundreds of times, “He was born in the summer of his 27 year, coming home to a place he’d
June 4, 2018
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Embrace Your Beauty
Recognizing our own beauty is one of the hardest things we do. We were raised to know that as God’s children, he loves us and
June 3, 2018
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Why This Podcast, Why Now?
We all have it. That little voice that calls us to be the best we can be. The one that urges us to step up.
June 2, 2018
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Answering God’s Call
We are all created with a purpose. God had a plan for each one of our lives before we were born. We get to chose
June 1, 2018
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The Best Decision…
Some things in life are a lot like bubbles to a toddler. We pursue them. We chase after them. We dream about how wonderful it
April 18, 2018
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Words of Wisdom from an Unlikely Source
Some will tell you that television is evil and should be avoided at all costs. They say that being idle is a bad thing. Personally,
February 4, 2018
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That Dirty Old Book…
Scrolling through Facebook can be uncomfortable, especially if you find yourself in a thread that you know isn’t for you, but you can’t help but
January 17, 2018
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Success Redefined
As we usher in the new year, it is important to take the time to reflect on the past year. If you are like me,
December 31, 2017
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Oh Christmas Tree
Its almost Christmas and there are signs of it all around. One of the most notable is the Christmas tree. It seems they are literally
December 19, 2017
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Giving Thanks
This time every year we pause and give thanks to God for all of our blessings. That is the plan anyway. In reality, these days
November 22, 2017
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Hateful Words
Have you ever had someone react to something you said so strongly that if you didn’t know better you would be certain they were in
October 13, 2017
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Kindness…
I recently posted the following message that I got from a friend on Facebook. I don’t know who wrote it, but I thought it was
August 23, 2017
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Made to Thrive…
I love to start my Sunday mornings with our Sonrise service on the radio. It’s just a quick 20-minute service with some scripture, a short
August 14, 2017
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Finding the Positive
I’m one of those people who is always looking to find the positive in every situation. If someone says something that could be taken offensively,
August 6, 2017
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The Twists and Turns of Life
It’s been an exciting couple of weeks. The journey I’m on took some twists and turns I hadn’t really expected. It started out when I
July 12, 2017
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Saying Goodbye
Have you ever noticed how bittersweet it is to say goodbye? You dread the parting, but know that it is that rare opportunity to let
June 26, 2017
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Just One Life…
The course I took to become a health coach, was a large investment, in both time and money. I convinced myself that if I was
June 11, 2017
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Into the Sunlight…
Years ago while visiting family in Arkansas, I got the opportunity to go explore a cave. Not the kind you pay to get a tour
June 1, 2017
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The revolution…
As I stood in the boarding area waiting for a seating assignment for my flight home early yesterday, I kept noticing this somewhat disheveled, casually
May 23, 2017
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A Tribute to My Mom
It Mother’s Day which is a good time to reflect on how amazing our moms really are. There are all kinds of mom and all
May 14, 2017
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Making a Difference
I’ve been a blood donor for many years, some years more consistently than others. A couple of weeks ago when I went in, I received
May 3, 2017
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He is Risen!
“He is Risen Indeed!” “Alleluia!” I have to admit the first several times I participated in this exchange in my then-new church, I was a
April 17, 2017
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Holy Week…
It is my favorite week of the year. As the years go by, I amincreasingly curious about how those last days played out for Jesus
April 9, 2017
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Silence…
I began my TrulyLive.Us website and subsequently this blog with the intention to write about things that make us passionate about life or help us
April 1, 2017
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It’s a Choice
If you have been following my journey, you know that I have stepped out of my comfort zone several times in the last few months.
March 27, 2017
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Girls on the Run…
This week I started another new adventure. I joined several other volunteers in a 10-week program coaching 8 to 13-year-old girls with the goal of “creating
March 13, 2017
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Turn off the Autopilot…
Do you ever find it interesting how you can get through the day and not even remember what you did that day? I certainly do.
March 7, 2017
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Clear the Clutter
A few days ago there was a FaceBook post going around about a 40 Day Challenge to declutter during the 40 Days of Lent instead
February 28, 2017
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Couch to 5K
Several months ago while in a health coaching session with my daughter, Erica, we were reviewing the goals she had reached and were discussing what
February 20, 2017
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