Who Me Brave? Guest Post by Janet Thompson What do you think of when you hear the word brave? We might all define bravery in different terms, but I think we can agree it takes courage to be brave. I heard Bill Carter, a former Secret Service Agent on a…
Hurricane season has set more Floridians on edge this year. The oceans broil with hotter-than-average temps, increasing the risk of brewing another historic storm. A tropical system recently skirted our gulf and wreaked havoc upon the Mississippi basin instead. We empathize with our Louisiana neighbors as they wade through the…
I had the tremendous blessing of interviewing joy expert Adria Wilkins this morning for the Flourish-Meant podcast. She's an amazing, yet humble and genuine woman who exudes grace. I had hoped for months to feature her on the show. When I met her a little over a year ago at the…
Along with a horde of fans, I devoured the culmination of the Netflix hit series Stranger Things this week. Years of anticipation ended in a couple of days. I slouched back in a daze at the end of my binge and struggled to find a new fix. My fingers soon…
Halfway through printing my last book proposal, the ink faded. Soon the pages blanched to wordless sheets. In all the baskets lining the shelves of my office closet, only one cartridge could be found--and it didn't fit my printer. How could I have purchased the wrong type of ink? No! My…
Many faithful churchgoers encourage us to face hard times by saying, "Jesus has your back." We call on the Lord from those crisis moments, admitting we cannot cope alone. We recognize our need for divine intervention when things get tough. When our efforts to get through the struggle have fallen…
Filthy, stained, and weary, I trudged in from the unfinished work in my yard. My strength and supplies had run out. I couldn't go on, and I needed cleansing from head to toe. Shame had once devastated my life in a similar, but far more profound way. I desperately sought…
Orchid blooms bowed toward me as I circled the aisle. I selected a tall beauty with gorgeous, snowy blooms. The horticulturalist grinned as she helped me take the plant down from its perch. "This is a good one. See, the flowers haven't all opened yet." As we began the transaction,…
Why do you matter? Have you ever questioned your life's meaning or purpose? Whether from existential despair or soul-searching ventures, most of us face the issue of significance. Many of us run into this quandry more than once. Postmodernists and certain existential writers toss a bleak answer to this question.…
Have you checked your courage level lately? Anxiety-mongering news stories swirl like impending hurricanes on our horizons. Expectations for women thunder overhead. In these worrisome times, we gals often feel more inclined to cower under our quilts rather than stand on our purposes. For those low on morale, an invitation…