How free are you with your tears? Some of us are much more comfortable with them than others. But even as they flow, we apologize, we're stricken with shame and vulnerability, thus hiding ourselves away, as though they're a signal of weakness, a banner of defeat or a judgment of immaturity. In Free to Weep: Finding the Courage to Grieve and Embracing the God Who Heals, Brittany Allen shows us there's no need to minimize our tears, for when we do we're robbing "ourselves of th

One of the more surprising moments in counselling happens when I ask about physical health. Sleep, exercise, diet. There’s often a pause, sometimes even confusion. What does that have to do with anxiety? But over time, it becomes clear that how we care for our bodies shapes far more than we tend to admit. Many of us have been taught to think of the Christian life as something that happens primarily in the heart and mind. We focus on beliefs, and spiritual disciplines, while t

We all want joy. Not just the fleeting kind that comes and goes with a good day, but something deeper, more steady. And yet, for many of us, joy can feel just out of reach. We read the call in Scripture to “rejoice always,” and wonder why it doesn’t seem to come naturally. Life is full. Responsibilities press in. We carry the weight of family, work, ministry, and responsibilities no one else sees. There are still many good moments, to be sure. A shared laugh, a beautiful suns

There’s a pressure many of us carry in our walk with God—the sense that we should be doing more. Reading more, praying more, showing up more consistently. We often measure our faithfulness by what we accomplish, often with the best of intentions. But what if spiritual growth doesn’t begin with striving, but with rest? What if abiding in Christ is less about keeping pace and more about staying rooted? What would change if we believed our spiritual growth wasn’t personal impr