I did a double-take when I first read the title, The Radical Pursuit of Rest---isn't "pursuit" the opposite of "rest"? Author John Koessler definitely sparked my interest, and his subtitle added to the intrigue: Escaping the Productivity Trap. In his introduction, Koessler says that while his book contains practical suggestions on how we might pursue … Continue reading Enter to Win a Free Copy of The Radical Pursuit of Rest
I had been invited to lead a session on self-care for a group of ministry leaders, but my host repeatedly referred to it as a session on "soul-care." After all, the "soul" and "self" can both refer to our inner being, and in the Bible the same word may be translated as soul or inner … Continue reading 25 Self-care Ideas for the Soul: for students, ministry leaders, and everyone
"Many of us live in affluence or at least comfort, and yet contentment always seems just out of reach," says author Sharla Fritz. "We live in a culture that constantly screams, 'More, more!' Advertising tells us we need more clothes, more cool gadgets. Our bank account tells us we need more money. Society may make … Continue reading Enough for Now: Unpacking God’s Sufficiency
When I first heard of Rachel Held Evans, I was already publishing books and articles and pastoring a church. We weren't the same age, of the same ethnicity, from the same country, with the same background or church experience, and of course I wasn't even a speck in her huge following. Yet when I retweeted … Continue reading Butterflies, Psalm 27, and the Beauty of the Lord
Since April is my birth month, I was curious to look up birthdays in Scripture. The birth of Jesus was celebrated by shepherds, angels, magi, a mysterious star in the sky, and of course by his mother, Mary, and his earthly father, Joseph. But the word "birthday" appears in the Bible just three times: the … Continue reading Happy Birthday from Psalms
Overwhelmed. I've been there too. And not in a good way like being overwhelmed by the beauty of a spring day, or overwhelmed by soaring music, or overwhelmed by love that fills your heart to bursting. It might not be a 9-1-1 emergency -- no need to panic and act quickly, but how to get … Continue reading When You Feel Overwhelmed
Who better to write an article on self-care and friendship than Michele Morin--a friend and sister Redbud writer who was part of my Four Gifts launch team, and who often writes about friendship on her blog, Living Our Days. Michele is a wife and homeschooling mum who reads, writes, gardens, and does life with her family on … Continue reading Can We Be Spiritual Friends?
In Be Held, first-time author Sue Nickel tells her own story of living with depression, weaving her personal experience together with her professional experience as a nurse and clinical counsellor, with helpful information on mental health and illness, and words of comfort and encouragement. Her purpose is to come alongside others living with depression, especially during the … Continue reading Be Held and Kept in the Promises of God
