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A generous person is one who may be described as "showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected." It's not uncommon for folks to put generosity in a box and look at it from a perspective of sharing with others some of what you consider to be your abundance of money, belongings, or other resources. We're going to unwrap the concept of generosity like a gift (see what I did there?) and expand our definition of "resources" through what we find. But first, let's take a look at why we don't already live and love with an unlimited ability to be generous.
Who is your enemy? Who is NOT your enemy? What does it mean to love your enemy? How can you grow empathy in the midst of your own pain?
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of reflection, evaluation, and setting intentions. As I celebrate my 40th birthday, I’ve decided to record thirty things I learned in my thirties as a thank you to everyone who contributed to my growth and learning. Enjoy!
I’ve felt increasingly challenged to remain upright in my thinking around the different ways that people I love and respect are responding to COVID-19 this week. Not coincidentally, several situations are threatening to disrupt my rhythms and norms completely separate from the stay-at-home order. In the last month, multiple family members have faced serious health issues, our family has been preparing to move in a few days, and I've been looking at yet another shift in my employment situation. As the days have dragged on this week, I've noticed rising tension in my emotional response to others’ opinions.
Remember “2020 Vision” and the intensity of a new decade that was swarming all around us only three months ago Here we are at the start of a new quarter, in the midst of a global crisis that will likely present a fallout of impact over the entire decade, and we are all set in place. At home. Whether you’re alone and lonely or surrounded by your closest people, there is an opportunity in this moment— to recapture the energy of 2020 Vision.
When we’re facing a crisis or intense season that puts us into survival mode, soul care + intentional living become even more imperative than in our ordinary daily lives. Here are four simple soul care practices to help you thrive when life gets a little bit crazy.
Vulnerability is fresh on my mind because I’m just back from another trip to Kenya. My 18th journey to my other home was unique in that I was traveling with only my very best friend. Krista Blalock, the founder of Flourish Kenya, is a friend with whom I share 17 years of history. We are the closer-than-a-brother type of friends we read about in Proverbs 18:24. We’ve traveled together many, many times, but never just the two of us for 12 days of non-stop ministry.
It’s time to go BEYOND our current level of understanding, experience, capacity, belief, and favor. It’s time to leave some things behind and let go of what we cling to for security so that we can step into the wild, wonderful, and unfathomable unknown with Jesus. Are you in?
Whether we get distracted and veer off track, lose our focus and forget our purpose, run out of inspiration, or simply get bored, no matter what our lives looks like, we can all find ourselves stuck in a rut at times. Whether you’re a nine-to-fiver in a cube, running a Fortune 500 from the C-suite, or raising babies at home all day, the monotony of day-to-day life can bring us to a halt if we aren’t self aware and proactive.
I wrote this letter as a way of processing my own struggle with parenting teens in the 21st century. It’s not really meant for teenage girls to read, but maybe yours needs to read it. Or maybe it’s just for you.
This is my story of redemption— from trauma to unplanned pregnancy to FLOURISHING in Christ!