Fall Is Not the Beginning of the End
The first cool morning always catches me off guard. You step out for the paper or to start the car. You notice that the air has changed overnight, and you…
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When Things Fall Away: The Sacred Power of the Fall Season
There is a week in western Kentucky, usually somewhere in the middle of September, when you can feel the whole county exhale. The air changes before the calendar does. The…
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Boundaries Without Guilt: Why a Screen Door Is Still a Door
I had a client tell me once that she felt like a hallway. Everybody walked through her to get somewhere else. However, nobody stopped to see what was on the…
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Faith, Safety, and the Nervous System
Refuge. Fortress. Strong tower. Hiding place. Shelter under His wings. A very present help in trouble. Line those words up and notice what they have in common. When the writers…
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Religious Trauma: When Faith Got Used as a Weapon
“I can’t open my Bible without my chest getting tight.” The woman who said that to me loved God. That was the part tearing her up. She was not an…
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God Is Near the Broken, Not Disappointed in Them
“I thought I was a bad Christian because I still flinch.” A woman said that in my office years into her healing, and she said it the way people confess…
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Forgiving Someone You Still Have to See
Most forgiveness advice has a quiet assumption baked into it, and once you spot it, you can’t unsee it. It assumes you can leave. Block the number, move the membership,…
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Forgiveness That Protects You
We’ve reached the last stretch of this series, and I want to open it with a picture from every Southern porch I’ve ever loved. The screen door. A screen door…
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Faith After Betrayal
There’s a question you may be carrying that feels too dangerous to say in Sunday school. You prayed over that marriage. Then, you trusted God with that friendship, that church,…
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God Is Big Enough for the Truth
The last few posts tell the truth plainly, naming the wound, feeling the anger, sorting fact from fear. Before I move into the next part of this series, I want…
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You’re Allowed to Be Angry About What Happened
Somebody told you somewhere along the way that good Christians don’t get angry. That anger means your faith isn’t strong enough, or your forgiveness isn’t real yet. I want to…
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When Grief Changes Your Faith
Grief can change the way you pray. It can change the way you read Scripture. It can change the way you worship, trust, hope, and understand God’s nearness. Loss can…
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Where I Am With God Right Now
Where I Am With God Right Now. Holding faith when it doesn’t feel steady If I’m being honest, my faith doesn’t feel neat right now. It’s not wrapped up in…
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Unique Faith-Based Ways to Nurture Mental and Emotional Wellness
A note from Brandi:This guest post is shared with permission. It reflects the personal experience, research, and perspective of the writer. This post discusses faith-based mental wellness, emotional health, stress…
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Trusting God With What Is Still Tender
Faith and vulnerability Faith invites trusting God with what is still tender. Healing honors vulnerability without rushing strength. Some places in us heal more slowly. Tenderness lingers. Faith does not…
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When Your Faith Was Formed in Trauma
When Your Faith Was Formed in Trauma Untangling fear based spirituality For many people, faith was learned in the middle of chaos. You may have learned to pray harder instead…
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Jesus and the Nervous System
Jesus and the Nervous System Biblical examples of regulation and rest Jesus modeled regulation long before neuroscience named it. He withdrew from crowds. He rested. He slept. He noticed when…
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Faith and Healing After Abuse
Abuse changes everything. It can shake your sense of safety, identity, and even your faith. Sadly, many survivors of domestic violence wrestle with deep questions: “Where was God when this…
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Faith and Depression: Where Hope Meets Help
Depression can make even the brightest days feel dim. It can steal motivation, dull joy, and leave you questioning your purpose. But in the middle of that darkness, there is…
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Breaking Stigma Around Depression
Shame keeps people silent. Fear keeps them hidden. But compassion…compassion breaks chains. Depression is one of the most common mental health struggles in the world, yet so many still suffer…