About Me

About Me

jade

still figuring out this life journey. you too? let's talk about it

Godly Self-Care

There’s a lot of talk in the world about self-care. As the church, we’ve jumped on the bandwagon, no reason not to, the concept and premise is spectacular. In reality, our culture has been self-sabotaging and this new wave of fundamental health is refreshing! Even the church has lacked sorely in this area where we should have been leading the example in healthy practices of caring for our whole bodies…well, we haven’t been. Now we have an opportunity to set an example for a group of hurting people who are trying to self-medicate! However, we also have a temptation to give in to ungodly but seemingly good self-care practices. Notice the phrase in its essence, self-care. Without taking up a religious or haughty spirit, shouldn’t we at least recognize that we can’t much take care of ourselves? Shouldn’t we be in the habit of promoting God-care? Putting that aside, let’s…

The Striving Leaves Me Empty

It always happens this way. I find myself, at the end of myself, and realize…I ran out. How long was I running? When did I stop leaning into Jesus? What motivated me to do it in my own strength? What fear overtook me and forced me into this corner of striving? What hurt or trauma enticed me to control? Have you ever found yourself in this place? Have you found yourself in that moment where you recognize that you’re not operating in His strength anymore? Not operating in His grace, or freedom, or rest, or trust? You realize that you’re completely in your flesh, and as you take a moment, you get stuck trying to remember where you crossed the line. Let’s troubleshoot. How do we backtrack and resolve what’s happening? But, even better, how do we manage or monitor the engagement of our hearts and our whole selves to…

Jesus Will Meet You Where You Are

Sometimes you hear the cliche response for the answer to your problem. “Worship the Lord, cast your cares on Him and He’ll make the burden feel lighter.” Well, that’s true, but it’s not always going to motivate you or actually help you get from A to B in your hard place, especially if you don’t understand what that means. When you come to Him in honesty and let it be hard, Jesus will meet you where you are, and then, He will start to comfort you. That’s what the process looks like. People haven’t always known how to communicate that or teach that, or even accomplish that in their own lives, but you can. Sometimes people get confused and think they need to deny their problems or their hurts and worship through it. But there’s a better way.   We are not a people in denial. Jesus wasn’t in denial…

Getting Ready for Childbirth

I get it. The most overwhelming part about being a first-time mom and getting ready for childbirth is that there is SO much to learn. The most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to not know everything. You will never be FULLY prepared. You don’t have to be, but…your heart can be prepared. In fact, your heart should be prepared, and that is the most important thing to learn regarding childbirth. That might not mean you’re completely at rest, but it does mean that you’re working towards it. When you take the time to settle your heart in truth, get rid of anxiety and face your fears (which are most likely lies, fear is just a lie…), your heart will be prepared for childbirth. Then, your mind and body will follow. When I began the journey of preparing my heart, I had two vitally important resources that I…

Addicted to Achieving

“I feel like I’ve spent too many days saying, “I did _____ and ______, but I didn’t finish this or that.” I almost always end my days declaring what I didn’t achieve. I begin my days making lists for what defines them. And often these lists and achievements are filled with things that may inevitably leave me empty or rob from me —- because they aren’t eternal.” I sat down to read today…to spend time with the Lord. And once again I found myself drifting off in my mind, but without ease. A drill sergeant barking orders and planning the next attack: my strategy for achieving through the remainder of the day. While the kids are asleep I will first clean the dishes, then make a grocery list and eat some lunch before they wake up. If I have time, I’ll read a book…but no maybe I should make the…

The Birth of Eden

I have so much to say. Birth is such a gift. Like actual childbirth, is a gift. I knew this was true before I ever gave birth, but after Jonah’s birth, I experienced that it was true. I literally felt the presence of Jesus and had a revelation of childbirth as a praise offering to the God of all creation. I’ve experienced the presence of God many times in my life in different ways, but I’ve never felt such an extravagant worship offering as the labor of birth. Your body, your whole being, is creating, forming and birthing life through the power of Life Himself. When you think of it in that respect, no wonder birth gets a bad wrap. No wonder so many women experience trauma, pain, suffering and the curse of childbirth. I’m not going to get too deep in theology here, but I don’t believe that childbirth…

Patience With Your Desires: Succeed and Continue

“We proceed through rounds of failure because we know success is available if we continue.”   The point is this: I was about to give up. Because “I don’t have the time to sow into this as much as I want.” Can you imagine if every successful individual had given up when they felt they didn’t have enough time to invest? At the first sight of opposition? If they gave up when their first attempt wasn’t “successful” in their eyes? Remember with success as we know it, often comes failure.   Succeed and continue. The reality is that inventing a light bulb doesn’t come out right on the first try. We proceed through rounds of failure because we know success is available if we continue. Why are we wired this way I wonder? What if I told you that success was available at the start and throughout every round of…

Dreaming from the Overflow

  We don’t always know how to steward our hearts for dreams. I think when I was a little girl, I was great at dreaming up big dreams and imagining fairy tales. There is a difference between the dreams of a young child and an adult who has both experienced difficulties and been hurt by trauma. So I’m challenging myself to dream again in a new way. To dream bigger not for the sake of dreaming, but to challenge myself, love myself and joyfully watch God bless my life with abundance. “More than you can think, hope, imagine.” Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… -Ephesians 3:20 That’s great. Lots of fuzzies. It’s real. It’s true. And that’s great news. It’s really the gospel if you think about it. I like…

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