Journal Gently: Spiritual Formation for Christian Women

Raise your hand if you have ever set a goal or intention at the beginning of the year and then promptly forgotten about it? Or maybe you got distracted and it simply got pushed to the side.

This is where reflection comes in. Why is reflection so important? Why do we need to pause and take a look back?

Trevor Hudson said that we don't learn from our experiences; we learn from our reflection upon those experiences. It is when we pause and think about our experiences that we are able to identify both the good and the bad, and then know what we need to know in order to move forward.

This is important both for things like goals as well as life events that we go through. When we go through a break-up, or move houses, or take on a volunteer role at church, it's important for us to take at least a few moments to pause and consider what we might learn.

Plus, God invites us to pause and notice where He is at work in our lives. If we don't pause and notice, we're likely to miss Him altogether.

And so today, even though it's actually a little more than halfway through the year, we are going to pause, look back, and then see what we can learn and take with us as we continue moving forward.

Let's dive in,

Kari

RESOURCES:

• Episode 24: An Example in Spiritual Discernment and Decision Making: Going "All In" With Love Does That (http://lovedoesthat.org/24)

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Friend, I'd love to encourage you as you encourage others. Here are two ways to get started:

1. SHOP ENCOURAGEMENT + SYMPATHY GIFTS

These are prayerfully-crafted gifts you can share with those you love as tangible expressions of care. Let your friend know she is not alone.

www.lovedoesthat.org/shop

2. SCHEDULE A SPIRITUAL DIRECTION DISCERNMENT CALL

Interested in spiritual direction? Schedule a complimentary Discernment Call where we'll talk about what's weighing on your heart and identify next steps you can take to discern God's direction.

www.lovedoesthat.org/spiritual-direction/

It was about 15 months ago when I stepped down from my job in children's ministries to go what I call "all in" with Love Does That. And as I share that story with different people, I keep getting asked, "How did you know? How did you know to step down? How did you make that decision?"

And let me tell you, it was not easy.

I know a lot of you might be facing similar decisions—whether to step down from a job, whether to move, whether to pull your kids out of public school and homeschool them, whether to put your kids back in public school, whether to pursue a specific treatment for your illness.

There are so many situations that require us to make decisions. Some are big, some are small.

Today, I'm just going to walk you through some of the prayers and practices I engaged with as I made this decision to leave my role in children's ministries. Because there is no exact formula to follow here. It's all about finding ways to connect with God and hearing what He has to say on the matter.

Let's dive in,

Kari

RESOURCES:

• Episode 5: Discerning How to Help a Grieving Friend (lovedoesthat.org/5)
• Book: Pursuing God's Will Together, by Ruth Haley Barton

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Friend, I'd love to encourage you as you encourage others. Here are two ways to get started:

1. SHOP ENCOURAGEMENT + SYMPATHY GIFTS

These are prayerfully-crafted gifts you can share with those you love as tangible expressions of care. Let your friend know she is not alone.

www.lovedoesthat.org/shop

2. SCHEDULE A SPIRITUAL DIRECTION DISCERNMENT CALL

Interested in spiritual direction? Schedule a complimentary Discernment Call where we'll talk about what's weighing on your heart and identify next steps you can take to discern God's direction.

www.lovedoesthat.org/spiritual-direction/

We are on the last day of our 5-Day Courageous Care Challenge. This challenge is going to help you replace fear and uncertainty with courage and compassion. We are going to be looking at the top five obstacles and objections to taking action when someone you love is hurting so that you don't live with regret because you didn't reach out.

Today, we're diving into the last obstacle, and that is that you are unwilling. In other words, "I don't want to."

Join me as we take a deeper look at this obstacle and what you can do to overcome it.

Kari

SIGN UP FOR THE COURAGEOUS CARE MASTERCLASS WAITLIST

http://lovedoesthat.org/care

BIBLE VERSES:

• "Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people." (Jonah 4:2 NLT)
• "You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God." (Luke 11:42 NLT)
• "If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God's love be in that person? Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." (1 John 3:17-18 NLT)
• "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:36 NLT)

RESOURCES:

• Episode 19: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day One: Uncertain
• Episode 20: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day Two: Unavailable
• Episode 21: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day Three: Unfamiliar
• Episode 22: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day Four: Uncomfortable

CONNECT:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram

We are on day 4 of our 5-Day Courageous Care Challenge. This challenge is going to help you replace fear and uncertainty with courage and compassion. We are going to be looking at the top five obstacles and objections to taking action when someone you love is hurting so that you don't live with regret because you didn't reach out.

Today, we're diving into the fourth obstacle, and that is that you are uncomfortable. In other words, "It's hard to watch my friend struggle."

Join me as we take a deeper look at this obstacle and what you can do to overcome it.

Kari

SIGN UP FOR THE COURAGEOUS CARE MASTERCLASS WAITLIST

http://lovedoesthat.org/care

BIBLE VERSES:

• "The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." (Psalm 103:8 NLT)
• "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:36 NLT)

RESOURCES:

• Episode 19: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day One: Uncertain
• Episode 20: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day Two: Unavailable
• Episode 21: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day Three: Unfamiliar

CONNECT:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram

We are on day 3 of our 5-Day Courageous Care Challenge. This challenge is going to help you replace fear and uncertainty with courage and compassion. We are going to be looking at the top five obstacles and objections to taking action when someone you love is hurting so that you don't live with regret because you didn't reach out.

Today, we're diving into the third obstacle, and that is that you are unfamiliar. In other words, "I don't know anything about what my friend is going through."

Join me as we take a deeper look at this obstacle and what you can do to overcome it.

Kari

SIGN UP FOR THE COURAGEOUS CARE MASTERCLASS WAITLIST

http://lovedoesthat.org/care

BIBLE VERSES:

• "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:36 NLT)
• "Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow's only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. 'Don't cry!' he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. 'Young man,' he said, 'I tell you, get up.' Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother." (Luke 7:11-15 NLT)

RESOURCES:

• Episode 19: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day One: Uncertain
• Episode 20: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day Two: Unavailable

CONNECT:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram

We are in the middle of the 5-Day Courageous Care Challenge. This challenge is going to help you replace fear and uncertainty with courage and compassion.

We are going to be looking at the top five obstacles and objections to taking action when someone you love is hurting so that you don't live with regret because you didn't reach out.

Today, we're diving into the second obstacle, and that is that you are unavailable. In other words, "I don't have the time."

Is that true, or is it just an excuse?

Join me as we take a deeper look at this obstacle and what you can do to overcome it.

Kari

SIGN UP FOR THE COURAGEOUS CARE MASTERCLASS WAITLIST

http://lovedoesthat.org/care

BIBLE VERSES:

• "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:36 NLT)
• "Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him." (Mark 1:41 NLT)

RESOURCES:

• Episode 19: [Courageous Care Challenge] Day One: Uncertain

CONNECT:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram

I am so excited for you to join me today as we kick off the Courageous Care Challenge. This is going to be a power-packed week that can completely transform the way you reach out to your friends and neighbors and love them—really love them—when they are struggling or hurting.

And it all starts by recognizing what is getting in the way of reaching out in the first place.

Why is it that we can have someone who means so much to us, and we see that they are hurting, and we do nothing? Absolutely nothing? How is that possible?

It's because we let fear and questions get in the way. We let them paralyze us into inaction.

In today's episode, we look at the first obstacle, uncertainty, and one thing you can do to break through.

Kari

BIBLE VERSES:

• "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:36 NLT)
• "As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick." (Matthew 14:13-14 NLT)

RESOURCES:

• Episode 17: How to Respond to Hurtful Words When You Are Grieving

CONNECT:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram

I don't know about you, but there have been several seasons in my life when I struggled to find and experience joy. And whether you are grieving or struggling with depression or medical issues, I want you to know that it really is possible to find joy in those hard and heavy places.

To help us learn how to do that, my friend Kristen Joy is chatting with us today, sharing some of her own stories and pointing us to places in God's Word that challenge our thinking about what joy is and how we find it.

We are a little ornery at parts, so just imagine you're sitting down with us in the living room and listening in to a conversation between friends. Let's dive in.

Kari

Kristen Joy is a certified Biblical Life Coach passionately serving the disappointed Christian woman who finds herself wondering, "Where is God?" and "Will I ever be able to move forward from here?" Kristen knows the heartache of feeling abandoned by God and her church family and has found Christ to be faithful. As He restored her joy, He called her to use her experiences and training to serve others who are walking on a similar path to wholeness again. It is a joy and honor to guide other Christian women on their own healing journey. Continually learning to live from a place of rest, Kristen enjoys a good book, chocolate, and any quiet place she can find in her busy household of 8.

CONNECT WITH KRISTEN:

• Pastor's Wives Conference (Small Church Summits) – this is an affiliate link for Kristen
• Free Resource: Journey to Joy
• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

CONNECT WITH KARI:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram

We are wrapping up our series about how to respond in different situations when it comes to encouragement and care. Some have been from the perspective of the helper, such as how to respond when someone asks about your hurting friend and how to respond when a friend won't let you help.

Others have been from the perspective of the one needing support and encouragement, like how to decline an offer of help gracefully, and today's episode, how to respond to hurtful comments when you are grieving.

Do we just accept it and move on? Do we set them straight? Do we tell them how hurtful their comment was?

And my answer is… it depends.

Let's dive into this situation and explore what our options are and how you might choose to respond.

Kari

COURAGEOUS CARE CHALLENGE

Break Through Your Fear of Reaching Out

July 19-23, 2021

Don't miss the Courageous Care Challenge. This is a 5-day podcast challenge to help you replace fear and uncertainty with courage and compassion. We are going to be looking at the top five obstacles and objections to taking action when someone you love is hurting so that you don't live with regret because you didn't reach out. It starts July 19th right here on the podcast. Invite a friend to join you!

RESOURCES:

• Book: What Grieving People Wish You Knew About What Really Helps (And What Really Hurts), by Nancy Guthrie
• Episode: 5 Things to Say When You Don't Know What to Say with Laura Howe

CONNECT:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram

Has there ever been a moment in your life when everything just changed? One phone call that radically altered your world? One comment that impacted how you saw everything around you? One experience that changed the trajectory of your life?

That was a traumatic experience, and today, my guest Kristen Brock is going to help us understand what trauma is, how it impacts us, and how we can better come alongside those who are experiencing it or healing from it. It's a powerful conversation you won't want to miss.

Let's encourage one another…

Kari

Kristen runs Kiongozi Consulting, an LLC that trains people and organizations in trauma-informed care. She is also the executive director of Friends of Ruwenzori a non-profit that supports an NGO in Uganda. As a single mom of a multi-racial family she writes about her experience raising her 3 sons, two of whom were adopted through the foster system as pre-teens. Marrying a passion for social empowerment and advocacy Kristen has had a varied and thriving career in the world of non-profit management spanning over three decades. Her lifelong commitment to advocating for and empowering underserved communities of all stripes has seen her work with communities including US Veterans, families living under the poverty line, at-risk youth, and HIV+ communities in Africa. You can find her at www.kristenannette.com.

CONNECT WITH KRISTEN:

• Free Guide: 7 Ways to Listen Well
• Website

CONNECT WITH KARI:

• Shop Encouragement + Sympathy Gifts
• Facebook
• Instagram