Renewing Minds.  Transforming Lives.

Learning the Life Skill of a Values-Based Life Every time we say, “I can’t,” we prove ourselves right. But every time we say, “I can,” we give ourselves a chance to succeed. The key problem is that we are born with a self-preserving, self-centered mentality that often becomes fatalistic and self-defeating. Have you ever experienced a change of opinion? I hated Brussels sprouts for nearly all my life until I tried them roasted with olive oil. My automatic response chang

Learning the Life Skill of De-fusion Are you still playing King of the Hill? Are you trying to play it alone? We learned this game as children, proving our superiority by fending off challengers who tried to knock us from our mound of dirt. Some kids waited until there were no challengers before standing on their mound and loudly declaring, “I am king of the hill!” But that title was fickle, whether we earned it or simply claimed it. Today, we often call this kind of iden

Learning the Skill of Self-Care Moments My life is currently filled to overflowing—well beyond what I would ever recommend to my clients. Because of this, I am continually asked, “How do you have time for self-care?” My response is simple: Micro-Retreats. Micro-Retreats are a product of mindfulness, much like remaining in unceasing prayer. Whether it’s prayer, meditation, silence, gratefulness, acts of kindness, or any of the spiritual disciplines, I have learned to live in t

Learning the Life Skill of Self-as-Context When I was a teenager, I loved watching slasher movies. What can I say—it was the eighties. Even the TV commercials eventually picked up on one of the genre’s most familiar patterns: people making choices the average viewer would never make. Imagine one of those ridiculous movies where someone is being chased by a crazed killer. They run past a sports car with the convertible top down, the engine running, and no one in the car. In

Learning the Life Skill of Mindfulness A very common sentiment I hear from people is that they do not feel the presence of God. Many describe feeling alone in life, abandoned by God, or unsure whether His nearness depends on something they are doing right or wrong. The result can be loneliness, insecurity, anxiety, powerlessness, hopelessness, and fear. Over time, those feelings may lead to agitation, phobias, or unhealthy coping mechanisms, including substance abuse, obsessi

Learning the Life Skill of Acceptance What kind of parents did you have while growing up? Did you feel like you could trust them? Did you feel safe in their care? Many people grew up in homes where safety felt uncertain, and that can quietly shape the way we see God, ourselves, and life. Parents tend to lean toward either too much control or too much distance, at least to some degree. If that sounds familiar, it can make complete sense that control feels so important now. You

Learning the Life Skill of Acceptance Most of us experience life like a roller coaster. We don’t always know which way it’s headed, and the loops and corkscrews can throw us around before we see any real pattern. Some people find that ride fun and exciting. Others find it terrifying. What makes the difference? The first person can enjoy the excitement, even when it gets scary, becau se they trust the track. The second person feels overwhelmed because they don’t. Some people

A teenager went on their first date with their first sweetheart. They walked into a fast-food restaurant and the teen walked straight to...

Just a quick thought: Is anyone else feeling pressured in life? Does your personal and work schedule look more like a TV program...

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:4 (ESV) The key to our Lord giving to us the...