Controlling the Chaos of the Holiday Season

Controlling the Chaos of the Holiday Season – “Stress studies show that a sense of control is essential to mental health. Those who survive captivity with the fewest mental scars are those who maintain as much control as possible even when so much is out of their control.”

When You Feel Overwhelmed

When You Feel Overwhelmed – “I’m sure there are coping mechanisms and skills to learn which would help in times such as these. But I am not a counselor, or a therapist. And while it is on my to-do list to find a good one for my own well-being, I needed to do something about the stress in my life.”

2 Ways to Conquer the Stresses and Anxieties of Life

2 Ways to Conquer the Stresses and Anxieties of Life – “Here are two ways the Lord is teaching me to deal with the stresses my life brings, big or small.”

The Blessing of Rest

The Blessing of Rest – “No matter how strong we are, how much energy we think we have, or how necessary we perceive ourselves to be, we all need to rest from time to time.”

Stressed Out Generation: 4 Ways You Can Help Today’s Teens

Stressed Out Generation: 4 Ways You Can Help Today’s Teens – “We know the only way to combat pressure is for them to grab hold of what Jesus thinks of them. Yet because stress constantly bombards teens, youth workers may find it difficult to get them to actually step out in the truth of who they are to God.”

Reducing Stress at Family Gatherings

Reducing Stress at Family Gatherings – With all we look forward to at Christmas time, the season also produces stress in a variety of ways. Here are some practical helps.

Is Stress Making Me More Holy or More Sinful?

Is Stress Making Me More Holy or More Sinful? – “In the process of sanctification, it often feels like we are going backward.”

Rest Upon the Pillow of God’s Promises

Rest Upon the Pillow of God’s Promises – When sleep is hard to come by due to worries, fears, stress, and to-do lists, there’s help. “How? Here’s a brief encouragement: a picture, a story, and a memory device.”

You Have Permission to Slow Down: Start the Day with the Voice of God

You Have Permission to Slow Down: Start the Day with the Voice of God – “Our world has become increasingly fast-paced through the exponential development of technology and accompanying factors.” 

When the Troubles of My Heart Are Enlarged

When the Troubles of My Heart Are Enlarged – “We may not be able to identify with the reason David felt desperate, but we sure can identify with desperation. And as we pray in our desperate situations, what are we asking God for? Is there a deeper reason than just our desired outcome?”

The Pain of Pretended Omniscience

The Pain of Pretended Omniscience – “In this post I want to explore one element of this phenomenon – the pain of pretended omniscience when it comes to social media, the sense of knowing too much about matters we can do nothing to change, and some of the anxieties and problems this can present us with emotionally and spiritually.”

Living Hope in a Stressful World

Living Hope in a Stressful World – “Heavenly Father, this week could easily devolve into a pool of fear and combativeness, given the issues before us—whether we call the USA or the UK, China or India home. By your grace and for your glory, we choose living hope and great mercy.”

A Different Summer

A Different Summer – “Do you remember writing about summer vacation for the first assignment of the school year? What would you write this year? I am tallying up a number of gains and losses.”

For the Heart That is Overwhelmed

For the Heart That is Overwhelmed – “We all are. Overwhelmed by losses, changes, and the unknowns. Overwhelmed by news reports and disheartening stories. Overwhelmed by what is happening in the world and in our culture. Overwhelmed by worries, fears, and stressors. Just when we think there couldn’t possibly be one more bad thing to happen this year, we learn of another event.”

Steady as the Seasons Change

Steady as the Seasons Change – “What we need more than ‘keeping up’ on the ever-changing news is to keep grounded in the unchanging attributes of God—which nature loudly and proudly declares.”

You Don’t Have to Do It All

You Don’t Have to Do It All – “So what might that look like when it seems that there is too much to do? How can we do something today without being overwhelmed by everything? Here are some suggestions.”

Plan B Beauty

Plan B Beauty – “2020 seems like a microcosm of all the things that we don’t want–pandemic, political turmoil, injustice, and natural disasters on top of everything else.” If 2020 feels like a failed Plan A, what do we do now?

COVID And Culture Shock Feel The Same To Your Brain

COVID And Culture Shock Feel The Same To Your Brain – “When someone moves to a completely new culture, many of the ‘autopilots’ your brain uses for thousands of small decisions every day become ineffective. In a similar way, your current environment has likely changed sufficiently enough that many of your own ‘autopilots’ are no longer working.”

6 Ways We Make Life Harder Than It Needs To Be

6 Ways We Make Life Harder Than It Needs To Be – “Let’s consider some of the ways that forgetting about Forever complicates today.”

Bring Your Distress to Jesus

Bring Your Distress to Jesus – “In the past several months, myriad forces of stress have intruded into the lives of millions of Americans.”