How to Choose a Word of the Year
This week on Uniquely Woman, Lisa and I discuss how we chose our “words of the year” – because there’s nothing magical about January 1st. We also talk about how we arrived at our words and how we break down our goals into practical steps, and our motives behind those particular aims for 2017.
I Kissed Dating Hello: Why Christian Girls Are Done With Courtship Culture
Christians possess all the power of God to pursue His holiness in their lives. On our own, we could never achieve virtue and honor. But by walking according to the Spirit of God in us, His character is manifested in ours. Courtship culture has ignored the role the Holy Spirit plays in relationships, and has taken up the mantle of the Spirit for itself. And like most pseudo-Holy Spirits, it doesn’t do a very good job.
We can set up physical standards, have chaperones, and be as “intentional” as we like, but if the Spirit of God is not alive and active in our hearts, we can find sin. Purity is not a list of outward actions. It is an inner change of desire and priority.
The Millennial Gospel: Jesus, Tell Me More About Me
A change of emphasis has taken place. The words, the affirmations, the identities and monikers – many of them are biblical and true. The problem lies – once again – not in whether or not the message is true but whether our overt focus on it has handicapped our spiritual maturity.
I believe it has. It is the millennial gospel – good feelings, good music, real people, and “rawness”. The not-so-good news? It’s incomplete.
How Do I Invest in Relationships When I Know I Might Get Hurt?
This week on the podcast we are answering a listener question from Sarah. She asks how we can let people into our lives when we have been hurt in the past – or know that we could be hurt in the future.
Most of us can relate to this question. How do you know when a relationship is a healthy risk – and all relationships require some kind of risk – and when it’s headed a toxic direction? Listen below or in iTunes or Stitcher, and don’t forget to subscribe!
Tattooed Pharisees: How the New Legalism is Wrecking the Church
There was a time when legalists were easy to identify.
They were the ones more interested in “Sunday best” than repentant hearts; more concerned about music and movies than an inner transformation. They judged by outward appearance and were, in turn, judged lacking in both truth and grace.
Gen-Xers and millennials know them well. We grew up hearing about them, and watched the church shift and buckle under the weight of change. It was a good change, for the most part. It exposed things. It revealed how church had become more about doing and being “good” than about God being good in us.
Jesus, Humble Me (But Not That Much)
That morning in my quiet time, I prayed for humility. I asked God to saturate my life and ministry with it; to protect me from the dangers of pride. Six hours later more steam was coming out my ears than off the onions, and I was convinced it was all Josh’s fault.
We all know we need humility. Christ Himself exemplified it and provided a model for us to follow. So we pray for it periodically, asking God to “make us humble” without really grasping what it is we ask.
How to Overcome Insecurity in Female Relationships
In today’s podcast episode Lisa and I start off the New Year with a very relevant topic: how to deal with personal insecurities when interacting with other women. There’s nothing like a talented, beautiful acquaintance to remind us of all the things that we aren’t! But we don’t have to live in that mindset. Listen in for four tips on interacting with other women.
Dear Women’s Ministry, Stop Telling Me I’m Beautiful
I shifted in my seat at the women’s conference as the speaker said it again.
“You are a beautiful, chosen, special woman of God. There is no one in the world like you!”
It’s the same message I’d heard dozens of times on the radio, in books, at conferences – even emblazoned on coffee mugs and shirts at every LifeWay Store in America. It’s the same message preached to Christian women in every corner of western culture. And it’s a message that – while well-intentioned – is completely deficient.
The Goal of Goal Setting + My Word of the Year
I write this on the cusp of my favorite day of the year: January first. The thought of closing one book and opening another – a blank page soon to be filled – thrills me with anticipation! I spent a few hours last week going through my Powersheets, deciding where to direct my energy in 2017. To be honest, I’m leaving 2016 with one word in my head: tired.
I’m tired. But there’s a twinge of satisfaction in that admission, because our word for 2017 was “push”. We challenged ourselves to push through difficulty, to push back against laziness, to push for a good marriage, and I can testify to those achievements. I know this next year holds more opportunity to push through hard things, but I’m ready for a change.
How to Be Intentional With Your Unbelieving Friends
Do you ever dread when the doorbell rings? You never know who could be outside. It could be a sales person, a delivery person or someone sharing a different gospel. In these days and times you have to be careful to whom you open the door. Even with a peephole, it is hard to tell who is on the outside.
When we deal with those who are outside of Christ, we have to be wise in our relationships. Whether it is family, co-workers, or someone you meet in passing, we have to walk in wisdom in these relationships.
How to Discipline Your Sleep Habits
If you want to be consistently productive in 2017, you need good sleep habits.
When someone asks me to help them be productive, I start by asking when they go to bed. Nine times out of ten the answer is midnight or later. The same people who put sleep on the backburner struggle to get up in the morning, be on time, get their tasks done, and cultivate healthy habits in fitness and diet. That’s why a productive lifestyle all turns on this single point: sleep.
How to Deal With Unexpected Life Changes
All of us have unexpected events in life, but what are we going to do when they come? We can either throw a fit because we aren’t getting our way, or we can walk a path of grace – because God always goes before us. This week on the podcast Lisa and I are discussing some ideas for managing life when the unexpected arrives.
Five New Books You Need to Read
Who doesn’t love new and unusual books? I love discovering books off the beaten path. I’m privileged to work with a few companies who send me recommendations for books of this kind, and this month’s list is top notch.
I’ll be honest: I was skeptical about a few of these. When they first arrived I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy them, but I am glad to say they proved me wrong! You probably haven’t heard of these titles, and you won’t find them at your local library, but I guarantee they are worth your time.
Five Productive Things to Do Instead of Netflix
There is a place and time for TV, but let’s be more intentional about when and where we use it. There is so much more beyond that screen! Real people, places, and events are far more fulfilling and life-giving than anything we watch in the living room – and the life lived beyond the sofa is far more satisfying.
How to Set Grace-Driven Goals for the New Year
When we set goals because we think we should or because we “wish” we had change in our lives, it’s no wonder we peter out in February. Unless you have a deeply rooted reason for setting a goal, you won’t have the lasting motivation to achieve it! As Christians, that reason goes soul deep: we should only set goals that reflect God’s intentions for our lives.
Productivity for the Natural Procrastinator
I already said this but I’ll say it again: overcoming procrastination often comes down to just doing it. You have to say no to laziness and do the hard thing! But as you make this a practice, it becomes easier. You start to see the reward in getting things done immediately – less anxiety, more time to relax and do things you love with complete focus, and more time with loved ones. Procrastination is your enemy, not your friend. It feels good at the time, but it will hurt your life.
Five Sanity-Saving Productivity Tips for Moms
In today’s third and final post in the productive lifestyle series, let’s chat about staying productive as a first-time (or several times over) mom! I consider myself fortunate regarding motherhood; I grew up surrounded by women who did it well. Most of them had large families, and I credit their advice with helping me create a parenting style that has been far less stress, anxiety, or frustration than our culture presents as the reality.
I was told, when pregnant with Adeline, that I’d lose my schedule, that I’d never sleep again, or that my life would be dictated by the demands of my small child. While there have been those moments, this negative, defeatist view of parenting has by no means been my experience. I believe that ANY mother can create a life of peace, joy, and stress-free parenting – but it requires effort.
How to Stay Productive in Your Career
Productivity in your career is probably the most important of the three life stages I’m discussing this week (student, career, wife/mom). It’s not that career is the most important of the three. Lack of productivity in your career has the greatest consequence. When we fail to manage our time wisely at work, we’re held accountable by the manager. This isn’t as much the case when you’re a student or stay-at-home mom.
That said, laziness or lack of time management is first a spiritual issue, so disciplining yourself at work will affect other areas of your life as well!
Below are five principles I learned in my ten years working full time. Now that I work from home, these same principles help me manage motherhood, marriage, and work with far less stress than necessary (which we’ll talk about tomorrow!).
How to Stay Productive as a Student
Since a lot of my readers are students (whether high school or college) I wasn’t surprised to receive a LOT of requests for this post! As a college guidance/admissions counselor – my career for the last six years – I am very familiar with the productivity struggles of students. For most of my career, I was also a student – I earned my B.S. degree while working full time. So if you’re a student with scheduling struggles, I got your back.
What Happened to Christian Discipline?
The Great Commission of Matthew 28:20 is the call for every believer to lead a life of spiritual productivity. We are not called to merely consume the things of God; we are mandated to produce disciples. Because the Christian life is holistic - affecting every part of...
A Typical Day in My Life as a Work-at-Home Mom
‘ve blogged about morning routines and evening routines and even shared a tutorial on creating a daily routine. I love routines! But my love for routine isn’t based on what they are, but what they do for me (sorry, Routine!). Routines are good only if they help you live your life effectively for Christ. If a routine doesn’t improve your life spiritually, physically, and emotionally, it’s not serving it’s purpose.
Five Reasons You Struggle to Be Productive
The Christian life should be a productive life.
Jesus Himself was the picture of productivity – everything He did, He did with intention. Why then do we struggle to be productive? I think the Enemy knows that distraction (even in the form of good things) will keep us from living effective lives for the gospel.
That’s why productivity isn’t just for self-help gurus. We tend to treat being productive like it’s incongruent with being spiritual, but the two are vitally connected. A productive spiritual life – achieved through discipline of mind and heart – overflows into a productive career, home, and life at large.
Real Love is a Tangled Necklace
When I got back from the gym this morning, there he was – half-dressed for work in a button down shirt – bending over the necklace. Gently, carefully, painstakingly untangling the knotted chain. Patiently working through each knot. Taking thought for the small and insignificant of my life before tending to the important of his.
The Holiday Gift Guide for Christian Young Women
The fact that I’m thinking about Christmas gifts this early in the game says something for how I’ve grown in the last two years. I’m very much a “last minute” shopper! As I reviewed some products this fall, I realized that other Christian women might enjoy the items I’d discovered. Since I’m frequently asked where I buy my coffee, Bible, commentaries, and clothes, I thought – why not compile a holiday gift list from my favorite items?
This is by no means an exhaustive list (I’ll need a separate list for books alone!) but it highlights some of my favorite products and companies of 2016.