Nobody wakes up one day and says, "Today's the day I begin the journey to ruining my career, marriage, reputation, finances, kids, friendships, ___." Instead, small steps always precede big splatters. Always.

Whether it's allowing small grudges to fester, inviting inappropriate flirtations, or justifying "losing it," small wrong steps eventually lead to terrible outcomes.

The great news is small steps also lead to great outcomes! Today we focus on two simple steps within most people's ability in normal circumstances. Getting into the Word and getting out for a walk. Don't let the familiar fool you. It's not knowing what to do that matters; it's doing it.

(Preaching to the choir here, folks.)

Join me for a mini-series on the Ten W's that can save you from cleaning up a lot of splatter!

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#moms

#dads

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

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#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#humanbehavior

#humandesign

Using the 1944 film Gaslight as a launching point, we explore the difference between interrogating a story and talking yourself out of one. Sorting this out often requires outside help, however, don’t confuse someone stockpiling evidence to support a conclusion they’ve already reached with someone gathering data to reach a conclusion. The first is confirmation bias in action. The second is what genuine help looks like.

We expand the four-step framework to five and the importance of facing true stories -- whether they are happy or not.

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Godly Impact.

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spiritual

#emotionalhealth

#relationships

#family

#familylife

#moms

#dads

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#humanbehavior

#humandesign

#gaslighting

This episode tackles one of the trickiest territories in the story series: the stories we tell ourselves about other people’s motives. When someone doesn’t respond to a text on our schedule, doesn’t mention a couples’ event, or shows up with flowers after an argument, a story begins. This week we learn how to interrogate those stories — and what to do once we have.

We unpack a familiar scenario in marriages to show how our storytelling plays out in real life. Learn the practical four-step process for handling stories about someone else’s motives — especially in close relationships.

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Godly Impact.

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spiritual

#emotionalhealth

#relationships

#family

#familylife

#moms

#dads

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#humanbehavior

#humandesign

What you tell yourself about your spouse, children, family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors will make or break your relationships. These stories carry the most emotional weight and, often, have the most at stake.

One of the most important reminders in this episode is intensity of emotion is not an accurate measurement of how true or false a story is. We tend to be far more emotionally invested in — and defensive about — our up-close personal stories than our impersonal ones. This applies to both the negative and the positive stories we tell. And it’s especially true when it comes to our children.

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Hi(Impact)!

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spirituallystrong

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#smartrelationships

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#raisinggodlykids

#raisingadults

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

Where does racism, sexism, and classism begin? With a story. The habits we build at the micro-story level directly shape how we think at the macro level.

Macro stories tend to come in two varieties:

1. Up close and personal — Stories about people and groups we interact with directly.
2. Far away and impersonal — Stories about people and groups we’ve never met. Paradoxically, we can be more emotionally attached to these stories, precisely because they’re harder for anyone to challenge.

The micro-stories we’ve been tracking don’t just exist in isolation. They accumulate. Over time, they reveal and reshape our character, our mindset, and our expectations of others and ourselves. And many macro stories — the big ones — begin as a single micro story that grew.

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Hi(Impact)!

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spirituallystrong

#emotionallyhealthy

#relationships

#lifeskey3

#smartrelationships

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

#raisingadults

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

We can cling to our stories like we keep clothes in the closet we haven't worn in six years. Why? In Part 2 of the "It's All In Your Head" series, we move beyond the labels of “positive” and “negative” and introduce a more useful framework: true, untrue, and unknown.

Paying attention to our stories is work. But like exercise, it gets easier with consistency. Once you experience the benefits, you’ll want to keep at it. And remember: we’re not only looking for negative stories that are costing us. We’re also looking for positive ones worth preserving and protecting.

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Hi(Impact)!

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spirituallystrong

#emotionallyhealthy

#relationships

#lifeskey3

#smartrelationships

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

#raisingadults

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

Every day we tell ourselves hundreds — maybe thousands — of stories. Some are fleeting micro-stories that last only seconds; others stretch into full narratives. This episode explores why those stories matter so deeply: because they quietly shape our beliefs, drive our actions, define our character, and ultimately determine the impact we have on the world around us.

This Week’s Challenge

Begin paying attention to the stories you’re telling yourself — especially the micro-stories that play out in seconds. Here are some ways to track them:

1. Keep a journal and write down the stories you notice throughout the day.
2. Jot quick notes on index cards when a story surfaces.
3. Record voice memos on your phone in the moment.

Get curious about what you find. You might be surprised — some stories will be more judgmental or negative than you expected, and others will be more positive. Either way, don’t shame your stories back into hiding. You can’t change what you’re not willing to see.

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Hi(Impact)!

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spirituallystrong

#emotionallyhealthy

#relationships

#lifeskey3

#smartrelationships

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

#raisingadults

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

Stars have been guiding people for generations, from the wise men who followed it to the birth of Christ to mariners searching for land. Yet without the fixed north star, Polaris, navigation by stars wouldn't be possible.

In the final installment of the Core Compass of Truth series, we look at the "North Star" which serves as the guide for all people today--Scripture. While the other points on the compass are necessary, the Bible remains as the fixed point.

See why this matters and learn a fascinating bonus fact about our solar system's north star!

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Hi(Impact)!

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spirituallystrong

#emotionallyhealthy

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#lifeskey3

#smartrelationships

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

#raisingadults

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#northstar

#polaris

Discover a powerful, life-long lesson I learned one Christmas that began with a poem about a pig.

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Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

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#christmas

People. They can be hard to live with. They’re impossible to live without.

God has created us to need people for many reasons, one of which is they can help guide us towards truth. Sometimes it’s the truth we need to see about ourselves. Sometimes it’s the truth someone else needs to see. Always it’s to know the truth about who God is and how we are made in His image.

In this replay of Part 3 of the Core Compass of Truth series, see how people are crucial to your knowing and living aligned with truth — and how necessary you are to others!

Visit Stephanie Presents for resources, to book speaking engagements, and get the weekly newsletter, Hi(Impact)!

Click here to order your copy of The Great Brain Remodel of Adolescence or purchase from Amazon

#spirituallystrong

#emotionallyhealthy

#relationships

#lifeskey3

#smartrelationships

#parenting

#raisinggodlykids

#raisingadults

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity