Posts in Lifestyle
On Mindful Balance
On Mindful Balance

A trip to the grocery store this time of year is an opportunity to witness balance at its finest; families are often seen roaming the aisles together, putting boxes of crayons and boxes of graham crackers into their shopping carts in equal quantities.  The start of the school year is right around the corner, but that doesn't mean that there still isn't time for one more camping trip, one more opportunity for quiet and reflective family time, and one more new memory of summer before the dinner table becomes a site for homework help and weeknights get busier with the start of after-school sports and clubs.

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LifestyleRebecca Flaszmindfulness, balance, peace, calmComment
Saving Face
Saving Face

I’m sick, and it’s late. I came home and my room is still a wreck. I manage to hang up my jacket. This is fine. I’ve been so jetlagged and tired the last week and a half, I haven’t worked out. The mirror shows awkward curves reforming. I force myself through a short workout, but my sore throat reminds me that I need rest. This is fine. I have a meeting in the morning, an article due tomorrow, a presentation to create, and a stack of thank you notes to write. There are so many hats on my head, I’m no longer certain which hat was there in the first place. This is fine.

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LifestyleMia Gracereputation, count as loss, prioritiesComment
How To Beat The Secret Sin Of Multitasking
How To Beat The Secret Sin Of Multitasking

As women, many of us fall into the trap of believing that we can multitask our way through life. It’s easy for us to finish up some work with the TV humming in the background, talk to our friends while scrolling through social media, and workout while listening to the latest audiobook. For a lot of areas of life, multitasking seems like a great solution. It enables us to be able to get a lot done in a short amount of time and to cross more and more tasks off our never-ending to-do lists. 

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LifestyleRachel Watsonbusyness, multitasking, attentionComment
The Pursuit Of Happiness According To HGTV
The Pursuit Of Happiness According To HGTV

If years of watching HGTV shows has taught me anything, it's that our society perpetuates an expectation of getting more than we are willing to work for. So many future homeowners set out on their way to finding the house of their dreams with a long list of the features that they believe to be non-negotiable (open floor plan, granite countertops, a large backyard for the dogs to play...), and confidently smile at their real estate agent when they announce that the amount of money they would like to pay for their new space is not much more than the total of an average grocery receipt.

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LifestyleRebecca Flaszhappiness, relationship with god, faith journeyComment
What Do I Do Now?
What Do I Do Now?

For many of us this question might be one we ask after completing a task, like when we graduate, finish a work project, finally move, or maybe when we land our dream job. But how do we answer it? How do we know when or how we take the next step? How do any of us even know what the next step is? I guess the simple answer is, we don’t know. No one, not one of us really knows what the next part of our lives looks like. We don’t even know what tomorrow looks like. And maybe, just maybe, that is a beautiful thing.

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LifestyleAshley Shraderplans, dreams, future, life's purposeComment
Following God Rather Than The World
Following God Rather Than The World

As I grow up, some of the parts of my faith that seemed so simple and clear at first have turned out to be more complex than I initially realized. If you, like me, grew up in a Christian church environment, you probably remember some of the messages and stories that were directed towards children. One that I particularly remember was based on Matthew 5:13, which my very young brain at the time paraphrased as meaning that as “the salt of the earth,” Christians were meant to stand out from the crowd and make the world better. Of course, to a child this seems like such an easy task, but it turns out that standing out from society as a Christian does not happen without intention.

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LifestyleElizabeth Demolatfollowing God, salt of the earth, God's willComment
3 Verses For When You Feel Stressed Out
3 Verses For When You Feel Stressed Out

Some days we feel like we have it all together, and other days we live life moment to moment. For a teacher, like myself, the end of the year is always an overwhelming time. The only thing I can really compare it to is the last week of college finals. Maybe you’re not a teacher or college student but you probably still have to work around deadlines, work obligations, home life, and maintaining your relationships. All of this can become extremely demanding and approaching these hectic periods is never easy. 

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LifestyleMeagan Gutierrezstress, busy, overwhelmed, encouragement, strengthComment
How To Create A Godly Relationship With Your Mental Health
How To Create A Godly Relationship With Your Mental Health

The weather is warming, and it is time to kick off our shoes, throw our hands in the air, and celebrate summer, right? For some, that may be the case, for others — specifically those struggling with mental health challenges — the season of sun may not be bringing increased feelings of happiness; the opposition of our minds does not take a summer vacation. You may be one of those people. If so, fear not, because you are never alone (Matthew 28:20).

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LifestyleRebecca Flaszmental health, positivity, self-love, self careComment
Turning From Technology To A Life-Giving God
Turning From Technology To A Life-Giving God

Over the past few years, I have come to learn more about God and also myself. I have learned that I feel the most alive when I am outside and feel the most connected to God when I listen to worship music. I hear God’s voice and am reminded of how He feels about me when I read my Bible. Through my experiences, I feel like God speaks to me most predominantly through interactions with others or through my circumstances. I use this information about myself in order to have a deeper relationship with Christ–not to limit how God can work in my life. God has created each of us differently and, as a result, we connect with Him–just like with others–in various ways.

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LifestyleMoriah Spencertechnology, social media, rest, spiritual giftsComment
Christian Books For Summer Reading
Christian Books For Summer Reading

As we near the end of the spring months, summer reading lists are beginning to pop up everywhere. There is nothing better than spending time in the long summer evenings sitting outside and reading a good book. My summer reading list tends to get ambitiously long, but I am always looking to add books that will make me think deeply long after I finish them. Since recommending books is one of my favorite things to do (I’m a middle school reading teacher so this is literally my day job!), I thought that I would share some of the Christian nonfiction books that have made an impact on my faith and daily life.  

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LifestyleElizabeth McNairChristian books, summer, reading, inspirationComment
Identity Of Busy
Identity Of Busy

Recently, I texted a friend to let her know I was thinking of her and to ask how she was doing. I got a typical response many of us get from people we know, “I’m so busy!” We continued our conversation and I said, “I hope you’re able to find some down time to rest.” And her response was, “Wouldn’t that be nice? But it’s not going to happen, I’m just so busy.”

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LifestyleJaime Roeverbusy, hustle, identity, workingComment
Are You A Mary or Martha?
Are You A Mary or Martha?

Luke 10:38-42 is about two sisters, Mary and Martha, who are welcoming Jesus and his disciples into their home. One sister, Mary, was sitting at Jesus’ feet taking in all He said. The other sister is Martha (I imagine her similar to a Southern woman who has invited guests over for a nice brunch). She is preparing fluffy pancakes, fruit, and biscuits and gravy, pouring the sweet tea and being the social butterfly in the room, accommodating all the visitors in her home.

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LifestyleWhitney MalloyMary and Martha, worry, plans, trustComment
Thirsting For A Living God
Thirsting For A Living God

There are three large screen TVs in the break area at my office, and every morning, without fail, they are all tuned to news stations. As I go about my work day, the reporters’ voices echo through the building repeating stories of violence, terror, and hate. Even if I can avoid the sounds, my eye is caught by the headlines that scroll arcoss the bottom of the screen: Murder, Shooting, Natural Disaster.

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LifestyleMolly Gonzaleznews, faithComment
How To Measure Success
How To Measure Success

Everyone wants to be successful. In our culture, achieving success is basically the pinnacle of existence. We all have interest boards full of motivational quotes about #girlbosslife and #hustle. This idea of achievement is tied to school, work, or personal life, and we spend so much of our time chasing after this ideal. And while it is true that we have to work towards what we want in life, unless you know what success means to you personally, you’ll always be chasing after someone else’s version of success.

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LifestyleElizabeth Demolatsuccess, career, workComment
Should Christians Practice Minimalism?
Should Christians Practice Minimalism?

Several years ago, I picked up a copy of Marie Kondo’s book, “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Minimalism was starting to become more popular, and I liked the idea of trying to organize my life. It didn’t take me that long into the decluttering process to realize I had so much stuff that I never use. Things that I was holding onto simply because I thought I should. It’s like I suddenly woke up and saw all the stuff that was weighing me down, and the whole idea of minimalism totally clicked for me.

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LifestyleAbigail Walkerminimalism, minimalist, lifestyle, sinComment
Creating a Sabbath Routine
Creating a Sabbath Routine

Many of us have heard about the concept of  Sabbath in the Christian faith. This article isn’t about telling you legalistic rules or condemning you for not Sabbathing. I am not here to argue about the validity of Sabbath after the New Testament and Jesus. I am here to encourage you about Sabbath and to point out some reasons why you may need one more than you think.

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LifestyleRachel WatsonSabbath, rest, anxiety, stressComment