Made to... Inspire, Encourage and Equip

Hi all! Like many of you I'm working from home due to COVID-19 and a stay at home order in my state. It's been an interesting and challenging 5 weeks so far and I'm learning a ton about myself and my relationships aka my marriage. Man alive the first few weeks were rough as we adjusted to being with each other constantly!  I'm learning what keeps me healthy and motivated and what doesn't. I'm learning that the food I eat really truly affects how I feel about myself.  Apparently... those amazing crispy, crunchy coconut cookies from Costco aren't good for me and don't actually give me life. I'm learning how dependant I am on the people around me to feel like I have value and worth *dang it!* and how much I need joy, laughter and gratitude in my life! I'm learning that when everything else in my life is on pause God isn't and the things that he made me passionate about aren't either. In fact the more time I have that I'm not running at ...

Have you ever wondered if your emotional pain matters? I have! When I compare my pain to that of starving children, persecuted christians, and women that are being bought and sold through sex trafficking my pain seems small and insignificant. I tell myself to suck it up, deny my pain, my fear, and my anxiety because I have so much to be grateful for. Does my denial help? Nope. Pain is pain. Emotional pain is not something that can be compared or measured it needs to be acknowledged, understood and healed. I don't know about you, but I get stuck in the comparison game. I get stuck in a cycle of comparing my pain to others, denying that it matters, then guilt and shame that I can't stop myself from feeling it and letting it affect me. Here's what I'm learning and practicing: I must take the time to feel my emotional pain. A walk, a quiet moment alone, asking for a few minutes if I'm in the middle off a difficult conversation, whatever it takes to create a sa...