News close to home and around the world is heavy. There are so many who are hurting and grieving tragedy. Your own mind is filled with responsibilities and thoughts of people who rely on you, even if only in prayer. While feeling heavy and giving so much of yourself to all the needs, it is common to experience burn out. Often, this is because you fall into a pattern of giving of yourself instead of the overflow of God through you. This is why it’s important to know if you’re guarding your heart or not. It doesn’t mean guarding yourself against any kind of bad news or ignoring it. In fact, you can more actively step into hard situations when you’re guarding your heart in the right ways. Let’s explore how to do this.

It was warm in our kitchen. The oven was preheating to cook the deliciousness awaiting it. My little cheeks were sprinkled with flour as my momma and I rolled out the dough. A handful of sugar, a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, a dollop of butter…

Do you think you’re creative? Why or why not? Whether you think you are or not, you’re creative. You were made to create. It might not be in the traditional artistic ways you might be inclined to think, but creativity flows into everything you do. It could be through your work, your hobbies, relationships, etc. Why? Because the God who made you is creative and you were made in His image. Therefore, you were given His attribute of creativity. When you realize you are creative, then you need to discover there’s value in everything you create, especially when you invite God into the process.

When your back’s against the wall and you feel alone, God’s strength will help you out. When you feel like everything has been lost, God’s strength will provide. When you’re in a heavy season, God’s strength will help you endure. But how? How to you identify and trust in God’s strength instead of your own? How do you look for it in times of weakness? Is there something you can do to learn this now in order to be prepared later?

Have you been hurt or neglected from a relative because of addictions? What do you do when they call and want back in your life? Is it possible to be healed from such long and deep wounds? Today’s story is written by someone who courageously worked through this process with the Lord. Find out what she discovered.

You’ve been hurt. It’s a bold statement but I can say it with 100% certainty because everyone has. You live in a sin-filled world where people hurt others, whether intentionally or unintentionally, all the time. It’s hard when this happens. Your trust of that person diminishes. If you break communication with him or her, that’s the last memory you’ll hold of that relationship, which shapes your understanding and image of him/her. How do you restore your heart in moments like this? Is it possible to redeem that last memory?

Are you prepared for a financial emergency? How much should you save? What are the best account options to choose for this? Jennifer gives you a clear plan on how to prepare for an emergency before it happens!

There’s a project at Michael’s family store that I quite enjoy getting involved with the last couple years. In one particular area, I had set a record of calendars bound within an hour. Unbeknownst to me though, a threat arose! My brother-in-law had been practicing to beat my record and was inching closer to take the champion title!

Infertility can become all-consuming. It is something that can quickly take over majority of your thoughts, energy, and activities. Depending on how desperate you’re feeling in your situation, there are triggers you need to be aware of in order to help you through this trial.

Do you have a hard time remaining consistent with things, especially exercise? You push yourself to do it for a time, but then things happen (ex. getting sick, busy schedule) that causes you to stop. You get out of routine and don’t pick it back up again. Let me help you grab hold of a deeper purpose to work towards when it comes to taking care of yourself that’s lasting.