Growing A Cultivated Life

What to Do When You Feel Like God Let You Down
Six years ago, I wrote a post called "God Let Me Down, Now What?" When I wrote this post, I was in the process of healing from various trauma while dealing with difficult circumstances in my faith community that compounded the effects of trauma. All this made it...

Christian Phrases That Keep Us Stuck, Hidden, and Hurting (A Series – #OhTheThingsWeSay)
Oh, the things we say. Christians say a lot of interesting things that non-believers (or newer believers) often feel confused by. Years ago, I remember hearing about something called Christianese (words, verses, and phrases used in Christian culture that sometimes...

Are Blaming and Complaining Ever Helpful?
Are Blaming and Complaining Ever Helpful? Seems like a weird question. If you search for articles and content about blaming and complaining, particularly for Christians, you'll find plenty of reasons why these two actions are not helpful. I even wrote an article for...

Receiving Grace for Growth After Seasons of Stress and Trauma
After you've endured a season of challenges in your relationships or circumstances, it's common to feel weighed down, emptied out, or frazzled without the ability to think straight anymore. For some of us, these seasons seem to stack up relentlessly. You may wonder,...

5 Ways I Use Unleash: Heart & Soul Care Sheets to Grow With God
Since the initial creation of Unleash: Heart and Soul Care Sheets, God has shown numerous ways this tool can be beneficial in a Christian's life. I've used it to deal with confusing situations, challenging emotions and thoughts, and to intentionally check in with God...

Scripture Talks About Unity in the Body of Christ
In a divisive world, it's important to remember that division is the enemy's plan, not God's. It's an attitude of heart and mind poised against Christ. Throughout scripture, God reveals His design for relationships and relational connection. It is in relationship, and...

What Can You Do if You or a Loved One Wants to Die?
A lot of us are feeling sluggish, or struggling to feel motivated. For some, the impact of isolation hits harder than ever. Gaps in relational connection become more evident. Staying connected with those we have relationship with outside our homes takes a lot of...

4 Ways to Cultivate Empathic Connection in Relationships
Ever find yourself struggling to know what to do or say when someone you know is struggling? When their crying, or upset, or unusually quiet? Have you ever felt dismissed or unheard in conversations with others? Perhaps you've done the same to someone else? I've...

What Does a Life Coach Do?
A life coach is someone who helps you move forward in life. This can be done in person, online, or on the phone. Life coaches usually focus on helping you grow and improve in one area of life. Some coaches focus on physical health, financial wellness, career pursuits,...

Cultivate Remembrance When It’s Hard to Be Thankful
November brings awareness to thankfulness more than any other time of year, at least for Americans. (Except maybe Christmas depending on how we position the holiday in our hearts.) I see thankfulness in meme's, in blog content, in online spaces, and community...