Summer has a way of slipping by.  And sometimes we're torn, trying to cram too much goodness into too few days.   Whether you want this to be the GREATEST summer of all, the LAZIEST summer of all, the most PRODUCTIVE summer of all, or maybe a combination of THEM ALL - I've got you.

Here's a simple 3 step framework for making the most of our moments, for the days are long, but the years are short and fleeting! Oh, and also, in case you struggle with a bit of FUN-guilt (like I did, thinking "I should be doing more for GOD instead of having fun!") - definitely give this episode a listen.  I'd love for you to see that that guilt does NOT come from God, but is actually a tactic the Enemy uses to diminish our light!

Oh, and here's the links mentioned in the episode -  https://www.youtube.com/@HeavenlyPlaced

https://aprilbragg.com/book/

When I was a child, I believed in Happy Ever Afters.   I believed God was going to bring me a perfect man, and I was going to fall perfectly in love, and we were going to have a perfect wedding, and live happily every after, with our couple of perfect kids.

And then I went to college, a GREAT place for that perfect man to find me (especially in the olden days - before all the dating apps) and I learned this valuable lesson - 

He couldn't find me if I was hiding all the time. Sometimes, we're taught that we as Christians should ALWAYS be waiting - that FAITH requires waiting for God to take action on our behalf.

And SOMETIMES, that is true.  But JUST sometimes.

Sometimes, FAITH looks like, well, looking!  And it's in the looking, that we learn more about ourselves.  And that is GROWTH, and that's a good thing! So, here's some unconventional advice from a Christian life coach who is very happily married (on most days, lol! - because NOBODY AND NO RELATIONSHIP IS ALWAYS PERFECTLY PERFECT!!!) 

What are your thoughts about money?

And, do they cause you to be suspicious of it, or good stewards of it?

Broadly speaking, I believe Christians have been led by the Enemy to be suspicious of money.  "The love of money is the root of all evil."   It's so clever of him to take the words of JESUS and twist them through the centuries to convince us to be afraid of money and wealth, instead of seeing it for the USEFUL tool that it is! When we as Christians, and especially as Christian women, become confident stewards of the resources God gives us, and use our God-given intelligence and our God-given gifts to INCREASE our wealth and abundance, just imagine how we can use that tool to expand our influence in the world!

Let's not fear it - and of course, let's not see it as a replacement for God in our life. I wanted to interview Danesca because she has gone from huge debt as a single mom, to conquering that mountain by applying wise biblical principles of stewardship, to NOW educating others in financial matters and also as a day trader.

I was dying to learn more - and I thought you'd like to join me! To get more info about Danesca, follow her on IG at https://www.instagram.com/danesca_7/

Want a GREAT marriage?

Here's tip #1 - Never take marriage advice from people who don't enjoy their marriage - in ALL aspects.

I was raised to believe that a "godly" marriage should look a certain way - 

Husband leads in all things,

Wife submits in all things,

Children obey in all things,

And dogs are better than cats as pets.

Dogs are loyal.  Cats are too independent.

Okay - that last part was a stretch, but not by much.

Here's the problem I see.  We are looking for the "perfect formula" to avoiding divorce, and having a great marriage, 

Not realizing that the Bible is about FAITH, not formulas.

And the "perfect formula" for marriage was - if the wife submits, the marriage will be great.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Maybe the marriage will be about 2 people devoting all their time, energy and attention to the selfishness of one person.

And that's not a great thing - not for either person.

Listen, I both LOVE to help couples stay HAPPILY married forever AND ALSO believe that "avoiding divorce at all costs" is the WRONG goal.  

Is marriage a picture of Christ and His Bride, the church?  Yes.

But an abusive marriage?  That is an EVIL corruption of God's beautiful design.

Let's not turn a blind eye to it.

Let's not be guilty of telling a woman to "submit" to abuse.

Let's not make "a forever marriage" an idol in our churches, and ignore the real needs of the people in the marriage.

A STRONG marriage, a HEALTHY marriage, a MUTUALLY loving marriage - that's the best buffer against divorce.  

Let's not rely upon a simple "submission" formula to replace the work of admonishing, exhorting, teaching, bearing one another's burdens, and mutual submission that we as Christians are called to do.

Were you told, "Train up a child, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Were you promised, if you parent correctly, everything will be okay.

Were you pressured to insist that your kids obey, promptly, completely, with a positive attitude, every time, every adult? Were you taught a PARENTING MYTH?

I've never met a parent who didn't have the desire to be the best parent possible to their kids.

And, parenting is a sensitive topic.

And parents are getting so much conflicting advice. After 22 years, I'm sharing my secret but strong opinion.

Just so you know, I don't think we're doing our kids any favors by not trusting that we know what's best for our kids. 

That's why I say that parents need to be confident!

Then, I debunk the fear myth I learned at church that would have made me into a hyper-controlling parent.

And, finally, I share why I believe raising our kids to be strong, instead of training them to be submissive, is the far superior (and Biblical) approach.

Have you ever CRAVED wisdom?

I remember when I was a little girl, and I wanted to know EVERYTHING.

I'm sure my questions drove my family nuts.  

(I KNOW they drove my teachers nuts - they told me so!)

But it just seemed to me, if you knew more, you'd make better decisions.

And better decisions would lead to a better life.

Anyway, that's what I thought when I was about age 8.

Now, at 47?  I am CONVINCED of it.

So, I thought I would share with you the stages we pass through to go from IGNORANCE (everyone's starting spot) to WISDOM - and how that can help us become SELF AWARE of our own blind spots! I think that's pretty cool - but remember, I was the nerdy kid at school asking ALL the questions!

Here's the thing to remember, especially if you are like me, with an insatiable desire for growth - 

NOT EVERONE is like you.

And that's okay.

That does not make them wrong, or you WEIRD.

It makes you WISE.  

There's a saying, Ignorance is bliss.  

The more you learn, the more you desire to learn.

If I had to choose between wisdom or bliss - 

I'd choose wisdom.  I'd envy the blissful person next to me, lol!

But I would STILL choose wisdom.

What would you choose?

So, that's my warning before you listen to this episode!

Are you looking for a better time management system so you'll have more time to spend with the ones you love, and doing the things you love to do?

Or, are you looking for a time management system that will help you get EVERYTHING done, regardless of its importance to you and your purpose and goals in life?

This episode dives into how "time management" stops being a tool, and potentially becomes a TRAP - when it is used indiscriminately.

Especially geared for Christians who feel guilty about resting when there's ALWAYS more that can be done for the Kingdom of God,

I hope that this episode will give you:

greater discernement, greater peace, and more confidence

As well as gently nudge you to make MORE time for God's gift of REST in your life.  

PS - ready to escape the time management trap and enjoy the benefits of having more time, getting more done, without hustle, without fear, but not sure where to start?  Start here by booking a Clarity call at https://aprilbragg.as.me/clarity

Ever looked at a talented friend doing something that you secretly wish you could do, but you're plagued by the thought "I could never do that.  She is so confident!"

Well, I've learned a little secret.

There's not much that we cannot LEARN how to do.  Even things like speaking on stage or video - which is the thing that I wanted to learn how to do - even though the mere thought had me breaking out in HIVES!

So, in this 100th episode of Bragg...About Life, I thought I would share with you my story of going from "I'll NEVER be on video" to now starting a YOUTUBE video!  And going through this journey showed me there are 2 questions and 1 secret ingredient I use all the time to cultivate confidence.   And that's why I'm calling it the Confidence Formula.

Now, I'd love to hear from you - what area of your life would you like to apply the confidence formula to?  Tell me and I'll cheer you on!

Ever wished you had more time? Ever feel guilty for wanting more time for yourself? What if those 2 things are linked? There's a reason why most women's time management problem is not going to be solved by "becoming more efficient" or "going to a digital calendar". I know.  I tried.  I even bought a HUGE wall calendar and wrote EVERYTHING down - and still didn't have time. Because there were 3 people stealing my time. And that's why I now know this - if we don't stop the steal, it won't help to make more time - because that extra time will just get taken too. (kinda like government with our income taxes - but I'll keep this non-political, lol!) Listen, TIME is the currency of our life.  It's what we use to buy experience and memories and share our gifts and presence with others.   May this video inspire you to see your time as your most VALUABLE asset to steward.

I'm concerned that we as Christians have accepted BUSY-ness as NORMAL.   I'm not talking about being productive.  I'm talking about that rushed feeling we all have when we believe "there's not enough time for me to do what I need to do." Does your life feel BUSY - all the time?

In this episode, I explain the difference between being "busy" for a season versus being busy as a lifestyle, and how I was taught that Godliness looks like "being busy all the time" and why I believe that is actually a lie from the Enemy rather than way God designed us to exist.

I also share the BIG reason why I have chosen to reject "busyness" as a normal state, especially for Christians.

Finally, I share a few reasons why we fall into the busy trap, and 3 steps for breaking free from it.