Blog Posts

There may be seasons in life when you keep moving forward, yet inside you feel lost or exhausted. You may still be functioning, caring for others, and doing what needs to be done, but emotionally things feel heavy, uncertain, or drained. In moments like these, hope doesn’t always feel accessible. It can feel distant, quiet, or even gone altogether. I am a mom and bonus mom to six boys. Like many families, we enjoy all sorts of movies, and for a time Frozen and Frozen 2 wer

Empathy is everywhere right now. It’s in leadership seminars, therapy-speak on social media, church small groups, parenting podcasts, and corporate mission statements. We are told to “lead with empathy,” “practice radical empathy,” and “be more empathetic” as if empathy itself is the moral high ground. And yet—despite all this empathy—we are not experiencing less loneliness, less burnout, or less relational fracture. Which raises an uncomfortable question: What if empathy, as

January has a way of showing up with expectations. Fresh starts. Clean slates. Big goals. Better habits. A subtle pressure that says, “This is your moment to get it right.” But here’s the truth we don’t talk about enough: The calendar flipping doesn’t magically make life lighter. You don’t wake up on January 1st healed. Grief doesn’t expire. Burnout doesn’t reset overnight. Anxiety doesn’t check the date and decide to leave. And that doesn’t mean you’re failing the new year.

🚨 SPOILER WARNING  🚨 This article contains MAJOR spoilers  for Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 5 (“Chapter Five: Shock Jock”) . If you have not watched this episode yet and want to experience it unspoiled, pause here, go watch it , and come back. This reflection dives deeply into specific scenes, dialogue, and emotional moments from the episode. There are episodes of television that entertain you. And then there are episodes that quietly tell the truth about you. Stranger

Recently, while helping patients find their way to a diabetes class, I had a moment that stayed with me. One patient shared their concern right away: “I’m not sure what this class will be like. Are they going to shame us?” Hearing that made my heart sink, but it also revealed something important. Many people approach health-related spaces already carrying fear, guilt, and shame—especially when it comes to mental health, nutrition, and chronic illness. The stigma surrounding t

A 5-Step Framework for Setting Mindfulness Goals in 2026 The end of the year carries a quiet weight. Christmas has passed. The decorations linger a little longer than the joy did. And before January 1 arrives with its promises and pressure, many of us are left standing in this in-between space—tired, reflective, and unsure how to move forward well. Everyone seems to be asking the same question: What are your goals for the new year? But before you answer that, I want to invite

A Dietitian’s Reflection on Moderation, Grace, and the Days After Christmas

A Cosmic War, a Crying Baby, and the Hope That Still Holds Most of us learned the Christmas story early. A quiet night. A star. A stable. A baby in a manger. It’s tender. It’s warm. It’s safe. And if we’re honest—after decades of hearing it—it can start to feel… small. Not untrue. Just familiar. But Scripture tells the Christmas story in more than one register. Luke gives us the cradle-level view. Matthew shows us political paranoia and slaughter. And then there’s a telling o

“I don’t feel like doing anything. Not even the things I usually enjoy. I can’t even take small steps. I feel like I’m wasting away....

Disclaimer:  This post isn’t about shaming you for coping the best way you know how. It’s about gently inviting you to pause, breathe,...

❗ Disclaimer: The song “Good Enough” by Lø Spirit includes some explicit language and heavy emotional themes. It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s...

How Reframing My Inner Dialogue Changed My Life—and Can Change Yours Too There was a time in my life when I would brush things off with a...

A Faith-Based Reflection on Anger, Fear, and Projection in Our Dreams This morning, I woke up angry. Not because something happened. Not...

Why It’s More Than Just a Bible Verse or Sunday Morning Vibe We hear it all the time in church settings: “Just rest in the Lord.” “God’s...

We live in a world where we’re constantly encouraged to “just pray about it,” “cast your cares on Jesus,” or “be anxious for nothing.”...

I didn’t start climbing for the thrill or the views. I started because I was stuck. Life had collapsed in on itself. I was going to...

It usually starts small. One decision. One conversation coming up. One unresolved situation. But somehow, your mind turns that one thing...

Why Letting Go Doesn’t Mean Pretending It Didn’t Hurt Have you ever been told to “just let it go”? Maybe someone said it in passing,...

This morning, in the quiet before the rush of the day began, I opened up my worn copy of New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp. The May...

And Why That’s No Longer My Fear I used to sit in church pews wondering if everyone else had it more together than I did. If their...