Today marks the one-year anniversary of the death of an awesome soul, Pastor Greg Rohlinger. In some ways, it seems like just yesterday that he died; in other ways, it seems like forever ago. Emotions are tricky like that sometimes, especially grief. As a tribute to him on this sad day, I'd like to share one of the many things he taught me. Not by accident, Greg was in my head last week. I've … [Read more...]
Female Empowerment: A Letter to My Daughter
March 22, 2017 by
Recent events and a friend’s very powerful post have me thinking a lot about empowering our girls to become women. We can protest, we can share feministic ideals, we can proudly declare our femininity, but what are we really doing on the ground level to teach our girls how to become strong, independent women who are respected, valued and taken seriously? Here are just a few of the things I hope … [Read more...]
The Orlando Shooting: A Common Enemy
March 12, 2017 by
I started doing research for this post at midnight, after lying in bed thinking about it for over an hour after my husband and I had a lengthy discussion about recent goings on. Needless to say, I've thought about this a lot before writing it. Only God knows why I am up at this hour writing it, but I felt compelled to write about my thoughts. Am I doing it out of passion? Out of hatred? Who knows? … [Read more...]
Bullying: A Lesson from Shakespeare
September 5, 2016 by
I was bullied. This is my story of resilience through understanding and choice. Bullying isn't just between kids at school--abuse, narcissism and racism are forms of bullying, too. Bullying is completely unnecessary and mean. Please share this article with young people. It doesn’t matter whether they are perpetrators of bullying or survivors of it; both groups need insight into the underpinnings … [Read more...]
Hope, Trust, Self-Esteem and Love
January 27, 2016 by
What follows is just a quick snippet on each of these topics. Each one is a discussion unto itself, but I thought I would share the response I recently gave someone. Maybe it will generate additional questions or questions about deeper layers of these topics for you or someone you know. Just shoot me a private message if so. ATAQ: "How is it possible to lose something if you never had it to … [Read more...]
Permanent Change, Part II: Just Do It!
June 4, 2014 by
Thank you, Nike, for that awesome motto that has oh so many applications! This blog is a follow-on to my previous blog, Permanent Change, Part I: Getting Motivated. As promised, this blog will discuss just how we go about real, lasting personal change. Mahatma Gandhi said, “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the … [Read more...]
Permanent Change, Part I: Getting Motivated
May 22, 2014 by
Last week, I finally returned to yoga after more than a month-long hiatus. I didn't want to miss, but some things came up that took precedence. Life got really busy, as it often does, but I won't bore you with my reasons (a.k.a. excuses). : ) Before that break, I had been doing yoga faithfully for a few months and loving it! Going back in last week, I was excited and looking forward to it. I … [Read more...]
God and Candy Crush
November 15, 2013 by
Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of video games. I have nothing against those who are, however. I don't think they shouldn't exist or shouldn't be played, they're just not my thing. So when one of my sisters introduced me to Candy Crush (CC) awhile back, I was resistant. I reminded her of my lack of interest in video games. She said that she generally felt the same way but that I … [Read more...]
Giving Thanks
December 3, 2011 by
I'm writing this blog at this time of year at the risk of sounding cliche, but Thanksgiving this year really had me thinking about all I have to be grateful for in my life. This weekend's message at church really solidified that. In my line of work, I frequently talk to people about how to overcome their negative thoughts, as these can easily lead to self-defeating behavior. One of the best ways … [Read more...]
Everything Happens for a Reason
August 21, 2011 by
We find joy in knowing that good things happen to good people. What is more difficult to swallow is knowing that bad things also happen to good people. As a Christian, I believe that God is in control of everything. Most believers have little trouble acknowledging that God creates good in their lives. Some of those same believers, though, do not believe that he has a role in the bad things that … [Read more...]
