The smoke settles across our fire-scorched battlefield. Beside us, the mud groans as it swallows the two severed dragon heads of distorted identity. The dragon's sister also decays on this field. Misplaced authority oozes its last bit of stench into the distant wind. The paved road glimmers with fresh dew…
In our quest to fulfill our purposes as divine warriors, we must slay the inner dragons which stand in the way of our destinies. After embracing true identity as an esteemed member of Christ's special forces, the next steps are to identify and overcome monstrous barriers. Our previous training revealed…
Expenses mount. Windows of opportunity seem nailed shut. Physical pain and emotional lows weigh us down. Ordinary tasks of laundry and housework grow overwhelming. The pits of life can feel impossibly dark and leave us certain of defeat. I've been there. The pit tempts me to return often, even daily in…
One might doubt whether more can be said about storms this week, or even how I could mention the topic of joy. Bleary-eyed newscasters continue to report the current path of a seemingly endless hurricane. The stress of the record-breaking wait for Dorian to relent and move away has exhausted…
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…
Press through! Success won't wait for those who take breaks, so keep it in high gear. You've got to crush it or get crushed. Guzzle energy drinks and midnight coffee. You can sleep when you're dead! Life's too short to smell roses, take a breath, or even stop and ask for…
The world has changed for women. Our roles have shifted. The standards of beauty, identity, and worth look far different from one generation to the next. Laws and expectations have taken drastic turns. Many of our struggles have intensified, while other historic changes have broadened our opportunities. Although we face…
Crisis or unexpected changes wreak seismic upheaval in our minds, hearts, and souls. All we had planned suddenly crumbles through our fingers and turns to ash. Any illusions of control we once had have vanished. Instead of grinning at a bright path ahead, we shiver in the dark. These are…
Sometimes the bottom seems to drop out from beneath you. Financial crisis, loss, illness, or any manner of devastation can occur when we least expect it possible. Sinkholes will cave around our feet in life, even for those of us who try to plan well. A stomach virus served me…
"Why?" I thrust my hands upward and wailed to the ceiling. "Why does it have to be so HARD?" The alleged two-step cabinet refinishing project had taken five steps and as many days. Bruised, blistered, and sore, I teetered on the edge of the countertop in an effort to replace the…