When you are struggling with depression or anxiety, it can often feel heavy. Overwhelming. Hopeless. The worries and fears you carry around can impact every aspect of your life. The sadness can overshadow every other thing around you. I know, because I’ve been there. Have you? And in addition to counseling or coaching or seeing a doctor, journaling has also proven quite beneficial for those experiencing depression or anxiety. There’s just something about getting things down on paper that allows ...
May 21, 2024•15 min•Ep. 154
It wasn’t that long ago that I led my Journal Gently Mini Workshop, and during that time, I led women through three different journal prompts that focused on perspective. And here’s the kicker: I only offered five minutes for them to write about each one. But you know what? So many of them were surprised at how much they were able to cover in only five minutes. And I want you to discover that, too. Today, I want to address the myth that we have to journal for twenty or thirty minutes for it to h...
May 07, 2024•10 min•Ep. 153
Have you ever had someone offer some sort of support or help to you that you didn’t necessarily want, but you didn’t know how to say no without hurting their feelings? When you are hurting or struggling or need some extra help, you do get to have a say in the matter. You can choose which counselor you want to meet with. You can decide which friends to confide in. You can determine which activities are healthy for you and which ones are not. You look at what’s available to you and make a choice. ...
Apr 16, 2024•15 min•Ep. 152
Have you ever wondered what it was like to experience a spiritual direction session? What happens? What do you talk about? While some coaches will air live coaching sessions, I can’t very well do that, for two different reasons. One, I don’t do live spiritual direction sessions, since I focus on written spiritual direction. And two, spiritual direction is often deeply personal, and many women would hesitate to air that in front of an audience. But I still want to help you get a glimpse of what w...
Apr 02, 2024•13 min•Ep. 151
A few weeks ago, I led the first Journal Gently Mini Workshop. During this time, I took one piece of the Journal Gently program and expanded it to an hour of teaching and writing exercises. We focused on perspective and the role it plays not just in our journaling but in our healing, as well. And today, I’m going to play a short section from the mini workshop where I talked about one very specific requirement of our journaling practice. A lot of things about journaling are flexible and personal,...
Mar 19, 2024•9 min•Ep. 150
“Mom, I need a tank top!” “Okay, borrow one of mine.” “Mom, I’m out of body wash.” “You can use my soap until we get you some more.” “Mom, I can’t find my brush.” “Go ahead and use mine.” My daughter is now at the age where she is starting to share and borrow some of my things. And most of the time, it’s completely okay. But I will admit that there are some things she asks to use that I am a lot more reluctant to say “yes” to. Like some of my art supplies. Or my favorite chocolate. Or my seat on...
Mar 05, 2024•9 min•Ep. 149
It’s almost a If You Give a Mouse a Cookie type story. You know the one? If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to want a glass of milk. If you give him a glass of milk, he’ll probably ask you for a straw.” And so on. Well, if you vacuum while the dog’s sleeping, then you’re going to wake him up. If you wake him up, he’s going to need to go outside. If he goes outside, he might get all muddy from digging in the dirt. If he gets all muddy, he’s going to need a bath. If you give the dog a bath, ...
Feb 20, 2024•7 min•Ep. 148
“I don’t want to face that again. It feels like too much.” Many of my clients have experienced tremendous grief or trauma in their lives, and as we seek God together through our writing back and forth, there is often a pressure they are feeling—whether from themselves or family members or friends—to use journaling to write about their deepest wounds. And friend, you already know I believe in the power of journaling. It is a great practice that can help us process difficult experiences and emotio...
Feb 06, 2024•10 min•Ep. 148
When I say the word journal , the image that might very well pop into your mind is that of a woman sitting with a notebook at a quiet desk, writing for 20 or 30 minutes about her deepest thoughts and fears. Or maybe you think back to your teenage self, when you recorded the day’s events and poured out your heart on paper. Or your grandmother, keeping a diary of the prices of eggs and what birthday cards she sent out. The truth is, journaling takes a lot of different forms, and I believe it’s imp...
Jan 16, 2024•12 min•Ep. 146
Diligent. Rooted. Ask. Unhurried. Those are some of the words I’ve held through the past four years as a way to set an intention for the year, a focus or theme to keep me moving in a particular direction. Diligent and rooted were for those first years of business, doing what I needed to do to build a strong foundation and get things started right, in a way that was honoring to God. Ask represented not just a mindset of curiosity—ask lots of questions—but also a challenge to stretch out of my com...
Jan 02, 2024•13 min•Ep. 145
One of the things my clients often ask about is how to journal while they are on vacation, or if family is staying over, or even now, over the holiday season, when schedules and routines are different than the norm. And I think that is such a great question. Something that has really helped me—and them—is creating two different journaling routines. One is the normal, perhaps longer journaling session, and the other is a shorter, more focused session. Both help us get our thoughts and feelings do...
Dec 12, 2023•9 min•Ep. 144
"Start noticing what you enjoy." That was my journal entry for September 10, 2023. And to be honest, it wasn't even handwritten in a journal. It was on the Notes app on my phone. I had been reading an article online by a mixed media/abstract artist, and her words gave me pause. What do I enjoy? Today's conversation is short and sweet, but it's also a powerful invitation to notice how God is moving in your life. I can't wait to share this idea with you. Kari >> Grab your copy of my Courageo...
Dec 05, 2023•8 min•Ep. 143
How are you getting ready for the mystery of Christmas? That is a question I learned to hold when I served as a children’s ministries director. Our curriculum described Advent as the time to get ready for the mystery of Christmas, and Lent as the time to get ready for the mystery of Easter. A mystery, indeed. For why would God become flesh? Why would He choose to live among His people? How did it all happen? It truly is a wondrous season, full of curiosity, joy, and delight. And that’s why I wan...
Nov 28, 2023•9 min•Ep. 142
There are times when people come to us and end up interrupting something we were already doing. Like when our kids need help filling up their water bottles. Or when a dear friend is having an especially tough day and just needs to be with someone. Or when a family member calls and needs to figure out how to handle a situation they’re in. How would you respond in these situations? I think there are a lot of times I used to resent being interrupted. It distracted me from getting things done or it ...
Nov 21, 2023•10 min•Ep. 141
I have an announcement for you: I wrote a book. An actual book that you will be able to buy in paperback form that I plan to launch this book later this month, right as we’re going into the holiday season. Because holidays can be hard, and I know you. You want to find ways to serve and care for those who are struggling this holiday season. And this book will help you do just that. It’s called Courageous Care: Helping Others Even When You’re Afraid . Throughout the book, I teach my C.A.R.E. frame...
Nov 14, 2023•10 min•Ep. 140
It is now November, and that simple change in month means that so many of us are starting to think about the holidays—planning and buying gifts and decorating. But for some of us, holidays also bring along a bit of sadness or stress. Holidays can be hard for numerous reasons. It could be that a loved one has passed during the year, and so it’s our first time celebrating without them. It could be that we are unable to gather with our family or friends, and being alone doesn’t really feel like muc...
Nov 07, 2023•12 min•Ep. 139
Can I confess something to you? I don’t always look forward to the holiday season. Perhaps it’s my previous years in ministry, planning ahead for the events and programs and using every last ounce of energy to pull it off, only to fall exhausted on the couch when all was said and done. Sometimes when you’re in ministry or volunteer roles, you get busy leading the programs and don’t necessarily take the time to celebrate the holiday yourself. But this year, I am actually looking forward to it. Wa...
Oct 31, 2023•9 min•Ep. 138
“I want to journal; I just don’t know what to write about.” Is that you? Do you want to journal and reflect on life and maybe record some important experiences that you’ve had, but once you sit down, you have no idea what to say? Today, I’m going to share three easy ways to journal when you don’t know what to write about. This is great for those who are new to journaling as well as those who have been journaling for years. As you listen, be sure to think about which one might be the best fit for...
Oct 24, 2023•7 min•Ep. 137
I was reading a book a few weeks ago about a Christian woman who lost her husband to melanoma. While hard to read at times, it was also very enlightening and inspiring. But then I got to a part where she talked to her spiritual guide for encouragement and insight about what to do next. A spirit guide who used tarot cards and spoke to the lady’s husband after he passed. And it hit me—oh no, is that what people think I do? I serve as a Christian spiritual director, and I know that term is new for ...
Oct 17, 2023•11 min•Ep. 136
We’re all familiar with symptoms that let us know we are not feeling well physically. A fever, cough, or runny nose sends us running for medicine to help us feel better. But I’ve noticed that we each have symptoms that tell us we’re not doing well on a more personal level. Today, I am going to help you identify those signs in your own life so you can take a more proactive approach to your health emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Kari RELATED EPISODES: · Episode 103 : 6 Strategies to Manage...
Oct 10, 2023•9 min•Ep. 135
Have you ever tried to grow stronger by lifting weights? I’m not much of a weight-lifter myself, but I know the drill. Start with a low weight and slowly increase it, making it a bit heavier each time. With each successive uplevel, you build more muscle. Or what about running a marathon? Most of us don’t start out running an entire mile. We start with a block. Maybe we even just walk that block. And we slowly build the endurance we need to go longer, to go faster. The same thing happens with us ...
Oct 03, 2023•9 min•Ep. 134
Grief impacts all of us in different ways. And today, I want to share a special conversation I had with Natasha Smith. Natasha has a book that is releasing today called Can You Just Sit With Me? And, my friend, it is such a lovely book. She shares her grief story and then she writes about some of the things you’ll hear us talk about today: · Types of grief · Iterations of healing · Feelings of grief and loss · Telling our stories · Collective grief · And how to handle grief when it feels overwhe...
Sep 26, 2023•37 min•Ep. 133
I’m not sure where you live, but it seems like every location these days is experiencing some sort of disaster: wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods. It’s one thing to experience that on a personal level—let’s say your basement floods after a heavy rain. But it’s another thing to experience that as a community or entire region. I’ve learned that I often have no idea of either the short-term or long-term impact of such a disaster. Not until I had this conversation with Jamie Aten. J...
Sep 19, 2023•33 min•Ep. 132
Healing has layers. No, not in the physical sense, like you can pile one layer on top of the other. But we heal from different parts of grief at different times, and sometimes even revisit some areas we thought we had processed already. But instead of using the famous onion example of peeling back one layer at a time, I’m choosing to make it a little more personal and look at healing in layers like my art is done in layers. I’m guessing you, too, have some sort of creative streak in you, whether...
Sep 05, 2023•14 min•Ep. 131
Today’s conversation is going to be a bit of a heart-to-heart. Because I’ve seen something in my own life that I’m guessing might be happening in yours. It’s something that is hurting a lot of my relationships. It’s hurting people that I love. And I certainly don’t intend for that to be happening. Yet all too often, I don’t do what it takes to change, to fix it, to do what it takes to make things better. What I’m talking about is letting hurt from my past preventing me from loving those around m...
Aug 29, 2023•10 min•Ep. 130
I don’t know about you, but I love me a good book. There’s just something about sitting down and getting lost in another world for a while—and often gleaning a lesson or two along the way. That’s why I’ve enjoyed recommended some books to you this year. And today is no different. I have a book—well, actually a series of books—that I really couldn’t recommend more. A series that is good for you and any students you might have in your life, too. You already know the series if you’ve seen the title...
Aug 22, 2023•9 min•Ep. 129
About six weeks ago, we adopted a puppy. We weren’t necessarily planning for it, and so when we brought the dog home, we had a lot of changes we needed to make. And I’ve had to learn to ask for help when I need it. I’ve had to learn to recognize when something isn’t working and then do something to fix it. And so I want to tell you: It’s okay to have help. Not just when you’re going through a major crisis, but all the time. We need help! And we need to be willing to find that help, to ask for th...
Aug 15, 2023•11 min•Ep. 128
Bible reading is one of those core spiritual disciplines you think about when you think about the Christian life, right? We are encouraged from a young age to read the Bible every single day. Reading God’s Word helps us to recognize His voice. It helps us know His character and what He values or finds important. It teaches us to know what He cares about and how He wants us to live. Why wouldn’t we want to spend time reading the Bible? Not only does it teach us and prepare us to do His work, it i...
Aug 08, 2023•14 min•Ep. 127
This week is going to look a little different from normal, because I want to share with you one of the devotions from my devotional, Imagine . Imagine was written based on the spiritual practice of imaginative prayer, which is where you try to imagine what it might be like to be one of the people in the Bible, or to watch a Bible story unfold before your eyes. The devotional I’m going to read together with you is focused on those times when we fail—big time. Like, not just the normal, everyday f...
Aug 01, 2023•13 min•Ep. 126
It’s July. And I just ordered a new planner for the rest of the year. This is really hard for me. I don’t like leaving things unfinished. Having a half-used planner is definitely unfinished. Incomplete. It feels like failing. And I don’t know if you ever feel that way, where you want to push through something just to check it off the list and say you got it done. Or to feel like you got your money’s worth on a planner or other resource you bought. But I realized that I needed to make a change. L...
Jul 25, 2023•7 min•Ep. 125
