![[Ep 159] Loneliness and Belonging: A Conversation with Sarah Westfall](https://is2-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts112/v4/6c/db/8b/6cdb8bba-437f-1ff9-29fe-558fe41ba622/mza_18033873119306223793.png/250x250bb.jpg)
Episodes
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Last year, our family took a trip to the Smoky Mountains. One my "must-dos" was to go into the National Park and get as high as I could to see those breathtaking views.
The problem?
Too. Many. People.
We waited an hour at the top of the mountain to inch toward the parking lot where you could get out of the car and see.
And there was nowhere to park.
When we realized this, my husband said, "Why don't you jump out and get a few pictures and catch up with us?"
It was NOT what I had planned.
But it was what I had.
So I did. I jumped out, snapped some pictures, and caught back up with them.
Someday, we'll go back when they aren't so busy so we can linger and enjoy the moment more fully. But it reminds me of this upcoming season, when things are often so busy, and we miss these opportunities to linger, to pause, to be.
I don’t want us to miss those sacred moments. I don’t want us to rush through them, either. So what can we do? We’ll explore that together today.
Kari
>> Pen Your Way to Peace: Planning tips and journaling prompts for an overwhelming holiday season
http://lovedoesthat.org/holidayworkshop
>> Pre-Holiday Journaling Challenge: From “Over It” to Overjoyed
http://lovedoesthat.org/holidayjournal
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 92: Practicing the Holy Hush Instead of the Holiday Hustle: Intentionally Inviting Moments of Deep Silence
· Episode 138: Holy Hush or Holiday Hustle: Which Will You Choose?
· Episode 139: 3 Truths to Remember During a Difficult Holiday Season (Re-Release)
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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I remember when my kiddos were little. Those months after bringing a baby home just radically change how you do life, don’t they? From trying to figure out how to get some sleep to finding time to shower to learning what temperature to warm their bottle and when they can start eating different foods… it’s just all so much.
Journaling in that season looked a lot different than it did in other, more ordinary life seasons.
And then there are situations where you stop journaling altogether, like Elizabeth McCravy shared back in episode 55. When her dad died, it was about a year before she picked up her journal again.
The choice is up to you, whether you journal during difficult seasons or not. You’ll know what’s right for you. God will guide you in that.
But if you’re finding yourself wanting to journal during this time and aren’t sure how to, I want to offer you 3 tips so that you can still reap the benefits from journaling and also stay close to God.
Kari
>> Pen Your Way to Peace: Planning tips and journaling prompts for an overwhelming holiday season
http://lovedoesthat.org/holidayworkshop
>> Pre-Holiday Journaling Challenge: From “Over It” to Overjoyed
http://lovedoesthat.org/holidayjournal
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 55: Reflection and Journaling as a Lifelong Practice with Business Strategist Elizabeth McCravy
· Episode 54: 4 Simple Ways to Start (or Keep) Journaling
· Episode 137: 3 Easy Ways to Journal When You Don't Know What to Write About
· Episode 144: How to Create Both a Short and Long Journaling Routine
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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Episodes manquant?
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(There are a few technical glitches in here. I apologize in advance!)
What wounds do you carry around with you?
I have scars on my arm from a childhood disease, places where the skin is darker than the rest. For you, it might be a physical scar from an experience that left you scraped and bleeding.
Or it might be something deeper: a fear of close relationships, the ever-present sting of betrayal, the feeling like you don’t belong.
On today’s episode I speak with Russell Joyce about how God can use these wounds in our lives to bring both freedom and healing.
Russell is the national director of church planting for The Foursquare Church and senior pastor of Faith Center in Eugene, Oregon. He’s also the co-host of the Same Jesus podcast. But today I chat with him as the author of his book, His Face Like Mine.
The foundational story of the book has to do with the fact that Russell was born with a rare craniofacial disorder where the left side of his face was not formed. And as he works through the scars from that—physical, emotional, and spiritual—he discovers how God meets us in our wounds and sets us free.
Russell and I talk about the gift of repentance, how journaling has played a role for him and how it can play a role in your own healing journey, and at the end, he shares some words to those who are walking alongside people who are healing.
This is a sacred conversation, my friends. So settle in and ask God what He has to say to you through this episode today.
Kari
RELATED RESOURCES:
· Russell’s book, His Face Like Mine (Amazon affiliate link)
· Russell’s website (access his monthly meditation)
· Russell’s Instagram
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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Do you ever have one of those moments when you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God has laid something on your heart?
Maybe it’s an idea.
Maybe it’s a truth from His Word.
Maybe it’s a calling.
It is these things that I often write down in my journal. These words from God that I want to remember and hold onto and keep thinking about.
Well, I have experienced this recently, and today I want to share with you about the most important thing in my life right now. This episode will be a bit more reflective than usual as I share some of my own thoughts and ideas about what is stirring in my heart right now. And if you’re willing, I’d love for you to email me and let me know what God has placed on your heart in this season.
Kari
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 31: Why You Can't Let Failure Stop You From Reaching Out
· Episode 35: Job the Encourager: Strengthening Those Who are Weak
· Episode 46: Run to Win: Encouragement As We Enter the New Year
· Episode 108: Just Because Something's Hard Doesn't Mean It's Wrong
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
Music by DappyTKeys
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C.S. Lewis wrote, “You can’t see anything properly while your eyes are blurred with tears.”
And tears often come when we lose something or someone that was very important to us. The truth is, grief is something we all experience, especially when we lose someone we love, but even when we experience other loss, like the loss of a job, the death of a dream, and the end of a marriage.
Journaling can be such a helpful way to process some of these complex thoughts and feelings that often come after such a loss. Because of that, I want to review five guided journals designed specifically for those experiencing grief.
Like last time, when we looked at guided journals for depression and anxiety, I’ll share more about each one and how it is created so you can discern if it might be a good fit for you or a friend of yours. And along the way, you’ll glean some tips and advice for journaling through grief.
Kari
>> Grief Journal Prompts
http://lovedoesthat.org/griefjournal
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
RESOURCES MENTIONED: (Amazon affiliate links)
Grief Journal: Navigating Difficulty After Loss, by Amanda McNeil
Grieving the Write Way, by Gary Roe
Even in Darkness, by Morgan Cheek
52-Week Devotional Journal for Grief, by Debbra Sell Bronstad
How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed: A Journal for Grief, by Megan Devine
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 50: Gritty Faith in the Midst of Grief with Prayer Artist Jessy Paulson
· Episode 55: Reflection and Journaling as a Lifelong Practice with Business Strategist Elizabeth McCravy
· Episode 102: Sitting with Others in their Grief and Loss with Grief Coach Julie Lynn Ashley
· Episode 142: [Journal Reviews] Guided Journals and Devotionals for Advent
· Episode 154: [Journal Reviews] Guided Journals for Depression and Anxiety
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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Isn’t it funny how, once you get settled into a good routine, something will change that makes it out of whack?
Your child finally starts sleeping through the night, but then they start waking up super early. Or you dedicated nights for your quiet time, but then your teenager decides to use that time to chat with you before bed. Or you theme out your work days, only to have appointments or sports or something interfere. And so you go back to the drawing board to modify your routine and make it work for you.
Not everything in life requires a major change. Sometimes it’s just changing something simple, something small. But sometimes it is, indeed, bigger than you anticipated, and you have to adjust what you are doing.
We’ve been going through some more life changes recently, and today I wanted to share a few of those with you, as well as how I’ve been re-evaluating what that means for me.
Kari
>> Join the Courageous Care Book Club Call
http://lovedoesthat.org/bookclub
RELATED RESOURCES + EPISODES:
· Episode 103: 6 Strategies to Manage Overwhelm, Stress, and Change
· Episode 60: When Seasons Change and You Have to Make Adjustments
· Episode 24: An Example in Spiritual Discernment and Decision Making: Going "All In" With Love Does That
· Episode 77: Three Prayers for Discernment: Making Difficult Choices in Difficult Seasons
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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Something that I have often struggled with as an adult is making new friends. It’s easier when you’re younger and in school. You see your classmates every day or kids from youth group each week. You’re given opportunities to interact and see if there is someone kind of like you that you could be friends with. Talk with. Hang out with.
But as an adult, time for friendships seems more limited. While we, of course, have others at church or Bible study we can turn to for fellowship and prayer, it still feels hard sometimes to find those to simply do life with.
And so we feel lonely. Left out. Like we don’t belong.
And that is part of what drew me to Sarah Westfall’s book, The Way of Belonging.
Sarah has so beautifully written about this feeling of loneliness and how to find a way to belong—or, rather, to make space for others to feel welcome and safe.
Imagine you’re sitting down with us as we ask some honest questions about what it looks like to live in community with others.
Kari
RELATED RESOURCES + EPISODES:
· Sarah Westfall’s website
· Sarah’s book, The Way of Belonging (Amazon affiliate link)
· Episode 66: [Written Spiritual Direction Session] Loneliness
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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Several years ago, my family and I got to raise a tiny caterpillar. For weeks, we hunted down milkweed to feed it. We watched it grow. And we saw it create its little chrysalis.
We even got the blessing of watching it come out of the chrysalis, and caught most of it on video. It was such a beautiful moment.
While our little pet didn’t have any major trouble, we’ve all heard, I’m sure, that if you try to help a struggling butterfly out of its chrysalis, its wings will never be strong enough to fly.
Well, there are times when that happens for us humans, too.
When we see someone who is struggling, our first instinct is often to jump in and help, but sometimes we do this to the other person’s detriment. It seems only a seasoned encourager knows when NOT to help. In other words, they know when to let the person do it for themselves.
While it appears heartless, selfish, or insensitive, it is really a deeper love than one might imagine.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” It’s followed by several examples. Perhaps the most relevant verses here are: “A time to embrace and a time to turn away… A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.”
These things are all good–in their own time.
So, when is it a time to help and when is it a time to refrain from helping?
Let’s explore that together here on the podcast today.
Kari
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
RELATED RESOURCES + EPISODES:
· Jay Holland article/episode: Boulders, Backpacks, and Boundaries
· Book: Being There, by Dave Furman (Amazon affiliate link)
· Episode 43: When Helping Hurts: Establishing Boundaries When Caring for Others with Counselor Nicole Fryling
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
Music by DappyTKeys
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A new app popped up on my phone with one of the latest updates, and it's a journaling app! Did you get it, too? Did you try it? What do you think?
I confess, even though I do some digital journaling (which I’ll talk about later in the episode), I haven’t tried any sort of journaling app yet. But I know there are several journaling apps out there.
Have you wanted to check them out? Are you worried about the confidentiality of any of these apps? Do you think it might be cool to categorize your journal entries so you can find connected topics?
Let’s take a look at some questions you can ask yourself to discern if a digital journaling app might be a good fit for you, and if so, which one you might want to try.
Kari
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 137: 3 Easy Ways to Journal When You Don't Know What to Write About
· Episode 146: Introduction to Journaling: Creating Your Own Journaling Routine
· Episode 153: Can 5 Minutes Journaling Really Make a Difference?
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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In preparation for homeschool next year, I’ve been pre-reading some missionary biographies that we’ll be using for our history curriculum. And in the one on Amy Carmichael, it shared several times when she would spend the day in prayer, seeking the Lord on one question or another.
For example, should she build a house for the Bible study she led with the “shawlies”? Should she and her group of children move to this city or stay where they were? Was it time to build a nursery for the babies?
There are times when we might feel called to spend the day in prayer, too—seeking an answer for a specific question, like Amy Carmichael did, or interceding for a friend of ours, or even just wanting to be in God’s presence in preparation for a difficult season ahead.
But what does it really mean to spend the day of prayer? How do you go about it? Where do you go? What do you do? What does it look like?
It is my hope to offer you some practical tips and suggestions today so that you, too, might spend a day in prayer with the Lord.
Kari
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 56: How to Create a Personal Spiritual Retreat (And Reflections on My Own)
· Episode 83: Posturing Your Heart to Hear from God, Part 2: Recognize
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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When you are going through something like betrayal, depression, or deep grief, it can be hard to talk about what is going on inside of you. And I dare to say, there are times when talking doesn’t actually help the situation.
I remember when I struggled with depression in college, and every time I talked about it, it just seemed to make things worse. I felt alone. I felt like no one understood. I felt like I should be able snap out of it and move on.
Talking was not helpful to me. Have you been there?
There are times when, for some of us, talking about an experience we’ve been through just doesn’t seem to help. And it is to those specific situations that I will speak to today. What might cause this? And what can we do in situations like those?
So please keep the context in mind, and let’s ask God to guide us through this conversation and lead us to what we need to know.
Kari
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 49: Finding Your Stretcher Bearers: The People Who Can Help Carry You Through a Difficult Season
· Episode 51: Who Can I Trust? Distinguishing Between Safe and Unsafe People When You Need Help
· Episode 133: Can You Just Sit With Me? A Conversation About Grief with Natasha Smith
· Episode 154: [Journal Reviews] Guided Journals for Depression and Anxiety
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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When you are struggling with depression or anxiety, it can often feel heavy. Overwhelming. Hopeless.
The worries and fears you carry around can impact every aspect of your life. The sadness can overshadow every other thing around you.
I know, because I’ve been there. Have you?
And in addition to counseling or coaching or seeing a doctor, journaling has also proven quite beneficial for those experiencing depression or anxiety. There’s just something about getting things down on paper that allows you to express what’s stirring inside of you, to release some of the heaviness, or to adopt a more playful or curious attitude about something that feels very serious and heavy.
So today, I want to review five guided journals designed specifically for those experiencing depression and anxiety. I’ll share more about each one and how it is created so you can discern if it might be a good fit for you or a friend of yours.
Kari
>> 5-Minute Journaling Session for Anxiety
http://lovedoesthat.org/anxietyjournal
RESOURCES MENTIONED: (Amazon affiliate links)
Depression Relief Journal, by Maggie C. Vaughan
No Worries, from Bella Mente Press
My Anxiety Journal, by Sophia Joyce
Put Your Worries Here, by Lisa Schab
21-Day Prayer Journal for Anxiety and Depression, by Dr. Garrett Nogan
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 122: Feeling Anxious? Try This 5-Minute Journaling Session
· Episode 123: A Conversation with Marla Beech: Journaling as a Daily Practice
· Episode 135: Identifying Signs You're Not Doing Well (And What You Can Do About It)
· Episode 142: [Journal Reviews] Guided Journals and Devotionals for Advent
· Episode 147: The Flip-Out Rule in Journaling
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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It wasn’t that long ago that I led my Journal Gently Mini Workshop, and during that time, I led women through three different journal prompts that focused on perspective.
And here’s the kicker: I only offered five minutes for them to write about each one.
But you know what? So many of them were surprised at how much they were able to cover in only five minutes.
And I want you to discover that, too.
Today, I want to address the myth that we have to journal for twenty or thirty minutes for it to have any impact on our lives. The truth is, five minutes can make a huge difference.
Let’s talk about why, and then let’s explore some ways to get that five minutes to write, even when life is hectic.
Kari
>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
RELATED EPISODES:
· Episode 118: Tips for Journaling In Front of Others
· Episode 137: 3 Easy Ways to Journal When You Don't Know What to Write About
· Episode 146: Introduction to Journaling: Creating Your Own Journaling Routine
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>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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Have you ever had someone offer some sort of support or help to you that you didn’t necessarily want, but you didn’t know how to say no without hurting their feelings?
When you are hurting or struggling or need some extra help, you do get to have a say in the matter. You can choose which counselor you want to meet with. You can decide which friends to confide in. You can determine which activities are healthy for you and which ones are not. You look at what’s available to you and make a choice.
In short, you have the power to choose.
Not everyone is going to understand your choices, and that’s okay. The important thing is that you are letting God lead you in those decisions and that you are staying close to Him. You don’t want to make decisions out of guilt or fear or because you’re mad at someone. But you do want to make smart, healthy, God-honoring decisions when you are hurting. And sometimes that means saying no to someone else.
Today, I want to help you learn how to politely decline an offer of help—especially when it comes from someone you love.
Kari
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:
· Episode 11: How to Ask for Help When You Need It
· Episode 49: Finding Your Stretcher Bearers: The People Who Can Help Carry You Through a Difficult Season
· Episode 70: What to Do When You Don't Have Anyone to Encourage You, When It Seems No One Cares
· Episode 78: Tips for When You're Afraid of Being Misunderstood
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
Music by DappyTKeys
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Have you ever wondered what it was like to experience a spiritual direction session? What happens? What do you talk about?
While some coaches will air live coaching sessions, I can’t very well do that, for two different reasons. One, I don’t do live spiritual direction sessions, since I focus on written spiritual direction. And two, spiritual direction is often deeply personal, and many women would hesitate to air that in front of an audience.
But I still want to help you get a glimpse of what written spiritual direction can look like. So today, I am going to share with you some letters that a client and I have written to each other.
Cindy has graciously given me permission to share these, and to use her real name, because she has experienced the power of spiritual direction in written form, and she is passionate about helping others experience that, too.
I invite you to pay attention to anything that it stirs up in you: any questions, any desires, any beliefs. Write those down in your journal and talk about them with God.
Kari
>> Sign up for Written Spiritual Direction
http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection
RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:
· Episode 33: Written Spiritual Direction: How Letters and Messages Can Create Space for God
· Episode 66: [Written Spiritual Direction Session] Loneliness
· Episode 87: [Written Spiritual Direction] When Temptation Comes Your Way
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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A few weeks ago, I led the first Journal Gently Mini Workshop. During this time, I took one piece of the Journal Gently program and expanded it to an hour of teaching and writing exercises. We focused on perspective and the role it plays not just in our journaling but in our healing, as well.
And today, I’m going to play a short section from the mini workshop where I talked about one very specific requirement of our journaling practice. A lot of things about journaling are flexible and personal, but this is one thing you can’t do without.
If you found this part of the workshop helpful and are interested in joining the full 8-week Journal Gently program, you can do so at lovedoesthat.org/journalgently.
Without further ado, here’s your behind-the-scenes look into the Journal Gently Mini Workshop.
Kari
RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:
· Episode 54: 4 Simple Ways to Start (or Keep) Journaling
· Episode 144: How to Create Both a Short and Long Journaling Routine
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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“Mom, I need a tank top!”
“Okay, borrow one of mine.”
“Mom, I’m out of body wash.”
“You can use my soap until we get you some more.”
“Mom, I can’t find my brush.”
“Go ahead and use mine.”
My daughter is now at the age where she is starting to share and borrow some of my things. And most of the time, it’s completely okay.
But I will admit that there are some things she asks to use that I am a lot more reluctant to say “yes” to.
Like some of my art supplies.
Or my favorite chocolate.
Or my seat on the couch.
Why is it that I hold these things more closely than the others?
It’s a question I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. And I’ve been paying more attention to other places where I might be feeling possessive, too.
So I thought I might explore this idea together with you today. What are you feeling possessive of—and why? And what might God be inviting us to do with it?
Kari
RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:
· Episode 130: Is Your Hurt Preventing You From Loving Others Well?
· Episode 135: Identifying Signs You're Not Doing Well (And What You Can Do About It)
· Episode 98: Grief Has A Way Of… Well, Getting In The Way: A Personal Letter From Me To You
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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It’s almost a If You Give a Mouse a Cookie type story. You know the one? If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to want a glass of milk. If you give him a glass of milk, he’ll probably ask you for a straw.” And so on.
Well, if you vacuum while the dog’s sleeping, then you’re going to wake him up.
If you wake him up, he’s going to need to go outside.
If he goes outside, he might get all muddy from digging in the dirt.
If he gets all muddy, he’s going to need a bath.
If you give the dog a bath, you’re going to get all wet.
If you get all wet, you’ll need to change your clothes.
And on and on it can go.
There are a lot of responsibilities we juggle as women, and while maybe a bit silly, I think my example shows that we can have some guidelines to keep us focused on what matters most and taking advantage of opportunities that come our way.
Let me share a few more examples of how we might prioritize our tasks and still finish what needs to get done by keeping things in their proper order.
Kari
RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:
· Episode 32: Using Pockets of Time in Your Schedule to Encourage Others
· Episode 48: The Power of Pre-Deciding in Difficult Seasons
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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“I don’t want to face that again. It feels like too much.”
Many of my clients have experienced tremendous grief or trauma in their lives, and as we seek God together through our writing back and forth, there is often a pressure they are feeling—whether from themselves or family members or friends—to use journaling to write about their deepest wounds.
And friend, you already know I believe in the power of journaling. It is a great practice that can help us process difficult experiences and emotions and be more aware of how God is moving in our lives.
And yet… we do have to use some wisdom in what we write about. We have to pay attention to how our journaling is impacting us.
Because there are times when you might fear that journaling about a specific experience will be too much, that it will bring back memories or feelings that you have no desire to re-live. What do you do in that situation?
Today, I want to teach you about the Flip-Out Rule and what it means for both your journaling practice and your journey of healing. I think it will be a great guideline as you discern what you should—and should not—write about. Are you ready?
Kari
RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:
· Journal Gently Mini Workshop: http://lovedoesthat.org/jgworkshop
· John 16:12-13 (NLT): “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”
· Bonus Episode 15: I Will Not Be Afraid
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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When I say the word journal, the image that might very well pop into your mind is that of a woman sitting with a notebook at a quiet desk, writing for 20 or 30 minutes about her deepest thoughts and fears.
Or maybe you think back to your teenage self, when you recorded the day’s events and poured out your heart on paper.
Or your grandmother, keeping a diary of the prices of eggs and what birthday cards she sent out.
The truth is, journaling takes a lot of different forms, and I believe it’s important enough for everyone to practice it in some way.
So today, I’m going to give you a crash course in journaling—including what it is, why it’s important, and some of the benefits of journaling—along with some things to consider as you create your own journaling routine. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Kari
RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:
· Lightworks Lenten Retreat: http://lovedoesthat.org/lightworks
· Episode 137: 3 Easy Ways to Journal When You Don't Know What to Write About
· Episode 118: Tips for Journaling In Front of Others
· Episode 54: 4 Simple Ways to Start (or Keep) Journaling
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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 ways to encounter God on the pages of your journal
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop
>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God
http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently
>> Grab your copy of my Courageous Care book
http://lovedoesthat.org/care
Music by DappyTKeys
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