Just Write

Do you ever feel like opting out of a meeting or a social event? My kids wish they could opt out of school or sleeping, and I have a deep desire to opt out of folding laundry! Life is full of things that we cannot opt out of, but what if one decision to opt out could make the others more bearable? Actually, it can; it’s time to opt out of staying inside .  You’ve probably noticed feeling calmer when you take a walk outside. Maybe you’ve experienced heightened creativity or longer attention span after spending time in nature. Whether you realized it or not, you’ve likely felt the effects of blood pressure decreasing and oxygen supply increasing. In addition to these noticeable changes, your brain chemistry actually changes as well. Just one of the biological reactions to walking outside is that your brain decreases production of the stress hormone, cortisol, and increases production of endorphins and serotonin - chemicals that make you feel better.  Studies have proven...

Many of us began the e-learning process this week. This platform for class meetings, that website for assignments, the other program to access a textbook...it’s mind-boggling. As a parent, I feel for my kids and all they’re missing out on by not being in school. Social interactions with friends, live instruction from teachers, special school events they’ve looked forward to and worked toward. I also feel for the teachers and all they’re missing out on by not being in school. Thousands of remarkable people who selected an undervalued career with notoriously low pay because they love interacting with children, and are now pouring massive amounts of time and effort into learning new technology and trying to find creative ways to provide meaningful instruction via computer. I also feel for parents, as we struggle to help our children navigate life when we suddenly don’t know how to navigate it ourselves.  I was reminded this week by Priscilla Shirer’s study of Gideon, that cris...

I was asked yesterday what I thought God was teaching me in this strange time. I admit, I hadn’t thought about it. Don’t get me wrong, I’d thought about His provision, His protection, and His providence, but I hadn’t asked Him what He was teaching me, specifically. I think it’s this: that in the battle between good and evil God absolutely wins, but that doesn’t negate the existence of evil. God tells us in Romans 8:28 that for those who love Him, all things work together for good. This does not mean that circumstance is good. It means that God and His work are good, and that those who love Him will experience that in spite of the present suffering (Rom. 8:18).  In every battle, before there is victory there is loss, and there are lessons.  There is always a middle; the time between when the battle begins and when the victory is claimed. It is uncomfortable and uncertain. It is sometimes even guilt-ridden because we know that God is sovereign and yet life still feels hard. ...

Recently on the Hello Mornings Blog, a post began: “You might think you need to keep your time with God separate from your planning time…” The post illustrated a potential benefit of linking the two; that keeping your To Do list close might actually improve your focus on scripture and prayer. Now let’s explore how you might benefit from another connection between two of the Hello Mornings components: Move and Plan.  It’s likely there has been a morning when you’ve promised yourself, “I’m definitely going to exercise today” and never got around to it. Perhaps you put on workout clothes while getting dressed, believing your choice of apparel will help you get to the gym. Unfortunately the gym doesn’t have a magnetic connection to the outfit, physically pulling you in. You’d think athletic wear companies could make that happen with all their modern tech fabrics! Here’s the thing: you’re busy. You’re pulled in many directions throughout the day; you have tasks and responsibilities...