How the Holy Spirit helps us quiet our reactions and listen with love Our journey through the Fruit of the Spirit brings us to the final quality Paul names in Galatians 5:22–23: self-control. We often associate self-control with managing anger, resisting temptation, or knowing when to stop eating. But self-control also shapes something we do […]
Blog
Gentleness: A Safe Place for Weary Souls
How the gentle and humble heart of Jesus teaches us to handle hurting people with care “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22–23 Over the past several months, we have explored how the Fruit of the Spirit helps us live connected with hurting […]
Faithfulness: The Love That Keeps Showing Up
How the Fruit of the Spirit helps us remain connected when healing takes time “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…”—Galatians 5:22 Over the past two months, we have explored how kindness and goodness help us live connected with hurting people. Kindness notices someone’s need and moves toward […]
When Kindness Becomes Goodness
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness…”—Galatians 5:22 Last month, we considered how the fruit of kindness is key to living-connected.. This month, we turn to the closely related fruit of goodness as the extension of the connection kindness creates. Until this series, I hadn’t really thought about all […]
JUNE — Kindness Creates Connection
“Be kind and compassionate to one another…” — Ephesians 4:32 When is being kind different than being nice, and how is it much more of a connection tool? What makes someone feel truly seen? Not noticed. Not acknowledged. Not merely greeted. But genuinely seen. Think for a moment…do you remember anyone who made you feel […]
MAY – PATIENCE
Staying Connected When Love Isn’t Easy This month, I am asking an honest question: Have you ever quietly quit on someone? A stranger. A friend. A neighbor. Someone you loved. Yes…UGH! Not officially.Not loudly.Not with some dramatic announcement. You just stopped moving toward them. Maybe they do not think like you. Maybe they do not […]
APRIL – Pausing to Bring Peace
Understanding the Power of Pausing to Lower the Temperature in the Room. You remember the moment when a discussion escalated and became a disconnected argument. The tone changed.Words sharpened.You could feel it escalating. You were getting frustrated—maybe even angry because it felt like they weren’t hearing you, they weren’t valuing what you had to say, […]
March – Anchored Joy in Unstable Times
Helping Others Find The Joy Of Stability When Life Feels Like It Could Collapse Living connected in a way that heals means carrying anchored joy into someone’s pain— So you can sit with them in it… and then help them see beyond it. Larry Crabb writes: When two people connect with the soul, something is […]
February — Love
Choosing People Over Positions In January, we showed why connection is needed: we live in a world that feels ready to ignite — polarized in opinion, quick to escalate, and eager to defend rather than listen. We don’t just disagree anymore.We categorize.We defend.We attack.We disconnect. Often, without realizing it, we stop relating to people and start […]
2026 A New Year Invitation: The Miracle of Encouragement in an Angry World
As we step into a new year, it feels as though the world itself is holding its breath. America — and much of the world — feels like a powder keg of conflict, ready to ignite at the next slightest spark. Conversations escalate quickly. Differences harden into conflict. And people increasingly brace themselves for attack […]