Growing Forward Blog

One of my habits is to reflect at year’s end for a whole day or two. So, on December 29, I parked at Starbucks and

Decay. Makes me think of tooth decay–you know, the icky pictures of the mouths of people who haven’t gone to the dentist in decades. Or

I’m not into mythology at all, but I recently read that Julius Caesar, the guy who instituted the modern calendar, named January 1 as the

“When we are under attack, we’ve got to hang on to the truth.” –John Eldredge Just about all of us lose our cool once in

A pleaser mentality often displaces your best present/future for your life. Yet, I catch myself in “pleaser mode” quite frequently each day. Not speaking directly.

Every one of us has a false self, an imposter that presents itself to defend against pain. We think that it’s our best choice in

Someone around you is just waiting on you to step up and take courage.  Every one of us has standing- still as a default mode

A few years ago (yes, I must admit I’m now “into” my forties!) I began a list of how I wanted my life to be

“To live a driven life, you have to literally shove your heart down, or drive it with a whip.”  –John Eldredge I have always been

We all have challenges that push us to the brink of throwing in the towel, of despairing, of “taking our ball and going home.” If

The kids are back in school. My question for you is, “Are you still in school?” Not formally, though some of you are continuing your

What are you getting more skillful at this year, than you were last year? I took some time to figure this out for myself earlier

As I reflected back on last year, I noticed that there were some pivotal people and experiences that either encouraged me, opened doors for me,

“We must head into country that has no clear trail.” –John Eldredge Have you noticed that when you try something new, it invigorates you? Or,

One of my learnings from last year (which I finally typed up!) was that without true rest and replenishment at least one day per week,

Most of us HATE confronting people! Don’t you agree? We’d rather push it under the rug, take it on the chin, walk on eggshells–than get

I’ve had a personal mission statement for several years now. It’s the reason I believe God put me on the planet, and it’s a great

Where do I get my material for blogs? Well, the first category I would call Helicopters. These are insights that swoop down on me out

Ok, not really. But I was re-reading my journal and found a great lesson that I realized from snow that applies to our lives this

Paradigms are ways of thinking on an issue. Most of ours are in cement due to the family system we grew up in, our other

Ever left a conversation, wanting to say what was on your mind, but not having the courage to do it–and then leaving with a feeling

“We pick people at the same level of immaturity as us.” –John Townsend Of course, we want to be validated and accepted–core needs everyone has. 

When I think of bouncing, I think of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh: vibrant enthusiasm, carefree-ness, optimism, and an invitation to play. On a scale

The other day I heard in a podcast that we should measure our wealth by the quality of our friendships. I really liked that because

“Asked of Socrates: ‘How can I reach Mt. Olympus?’..Socrates replied, ‘Just make every step you take go in that direction.’  A noble sense of direction

“The question, ‘What am I really made of?’ will most likely be asked on a day when you face a significant test (betrayed, cheated…)” “Character

“Management of life requires goals.” “Contribution begins with great goals.” I like these quotes because they show intentionality in taking life by the tail, instead

In 2 Samuel 5:10, we find that King David “proceeded with a longer stride, a larger embrace since the God-of-the-Angel-Armies was with him.” As I

Oh, to have this reputation, that David had in I Samuel 29:3: “I’ve found nothing to be suspicious of, nothing to complain about….” 29:6: “You’ve

“A human being does not grow beyond a problem that has deep emotional significance for him until he comes to terms with that problem: until