Planting Seeds in Preparation for the Harvest
Stephen Covey says, “You must prepare the ground, plant the seed, cultivate, and water if you expect to reap the harvest.” Gardening echoes the journey of psychological growth and healing.
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Rooted in the Word: Back-to- School Scriptures for the Kids
Here’s Comes August Now only a few weeks away, the month of August is always an exciting one in the Cox home. We celebrate three birthdays, my two girls and my husband, and the new school year begins. This year our baby girl starts big kid school, the last run of kindergarten for our brood. Cue the tears. We also have a third grader and a seasoned middle schooler who is starting seventh grade. Our children spend the bulk of their day at school, learning new material and mastering new skills. They also face real challenges, from bullies to academic […]
Read MoreWorried & Praying? Struggles of the Anxious Christian
While I don’t remember the first time someone said this to me, I have certainly heard this saying many, many times and have spoken these words internally: “If you’re going to pray, don’t worry. If you’re going to worry, don’t pray.” So, what does this mean for the anxious Christian? Am I lacking faith if I worry? Does my worry dishonor God and His infinite wisdom and power? Am I making my problems bigger than my God? These are the questions that have plagued me, especially as I have grown closer to God and matured spiritually. I worry, too I […]
Read MoreJesus, Therapy, & Prozac: Pastors Need Help Too
I had never heard his name until just a few days ago, but I now I can’t get his name or his heartbreaking story out of my head. I am overwhelmed by grief at the loss of this man’s life and at the unbearable pain that I imagine his wife, his 3 boys, and his church family now find themselves swallowed within. At the tender age of 30, Andrew Stoecklein, lead pastor at Inland Hills Church in Chino, California, died by suicide. Multiple news outlets report that he had struggled with depression and anxiety for the past several months and […]
Read MoreBack to School Prayer
As many of you know, I have 3 children. My son is 7 and my daughters will be 4 and 11 in just a few days. A new school year is rapidly upon us and always rouses mixed feelings in the Cox house and heralds beginnings and endings simultaneously – the end of summer and fall’s arrival; late nights become the morning rush; we swap summer vacation in eager anticipation of winter’s holidays; and the crack of the baseball bat and homeruns turn into quarterback sacks and touchdowns. In preparation for the new academic year, I want to share my […]
Read MoreThis Valentine’s Day …
February is the month of love. No one can escape the commercialism that is Valentine’s Day as images of pink and red hearts, bouquets of lush red roses, and delicious chocolates flood every media outlet and our social media newsfeed. But love – real, unadulterated love, has nothing to do with any of that valentine stuff.
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