Part 1: “ Recognizing the Anxiety Spiral and Taking it Captive” Anxiety often shows up as a sense of overwhelm. It can feel like panic…racing thoughts…or intense fear about failure. Sometimes it shows up before a job interview.Sometimes it hits students before a big exam or project.Other times, it comes after a conversation you replay…

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free…” Freedom is one of the most misunderstood gifts we’ve been given. It’s easy to think freedom means doing whatever we want… following every feeling, every impulse, every desire.But Scripture gently redirects us. Freedom is not found in indulging the flesh.Freedom is found in loving well.…

This has been on my heart lately.We say things like, “I prayed about it, and God told me no.”Or, “God led me in a different direction.” But sometimes… if we’re honest… it wasn’t God.It was us. Recently, I reached out to a therapist about working with one of my children. She later responded that after…

“Cultivating Bread; Cultivating Hearts” Making Sourdough bread has become a trend. I hear friends talking about it all the time and everywhere I look contains endless information about making and prepping the most delicious bread. As I’ve spent hours learning about and preparing sourdough bread… I began to ask myself a question, “Do I spend…

This weekend at a women’s retreat, I experienced something I will never forget. A woman prayed over me, and in the middle of her prayer she said: “Lord, when You and Crystal were attacked in that devastating attack in Australia…” The moment she said it, tears flooded my eyes. I had never thought about it…

“Don’t Let a Hard Day Steal a Beautiful One” I found myself sitting outside today after a long day of work.The wind was gently blowing, just enough of a chill to feel refreshing… and for a moment, everything slowed. It had been one of those days.You know the kind. The kind where nothing seems to…

I’ve been on a long journey of healing after being deeply hurt within the church, by pastors, and experiencing great trauma and loss within the walls of God’s house. As a result, my heart has carried significant and ongoing trust issues. This journey of healing has been ongoing and deeply rooted, as it harmed the…

There is something healing about a beach day. The warmth of the sun.The rhythm of the waves.The beauty of creation all around. Time slows down in nature. Conversations come easier. Laughter feels lighter. Relationships deepen when we step away from the noise of life and simply be present together. There is actually a practice called…

As humans, we have a deep desire to know. We want answers.We want plans.We want to understand what’s coming next so we can prepare ourselves for it. When we don’t know, something inside of us often reacts. Anxiety creeps in. Our minds start racing. We try to predict outcomes, solve problems that haven’t happened yet,…

Box Breathing with God’s Presence; An Anxiety Exercise…By Crystal Ridlon, LPC —A Trauma-Informed, Christ-Centered Grounding Exercise— Have you been struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, or panic attacks? This exercise will help you better manage all your mental health symptoms and overwhelming life trials. This is a common and well-known anxiety tool, box-breathing or square-breathing. As a…