The Peace and Piece of God's Heart
My interactive relationship with Immanuel often involves quite a bit of right brain imagery. Sometimes it’s too difficult to separate what are my thoughts and his thoughts. This “journey” is a good example of a mutual mind experience that I had with the Lord. The appreciation I feel for the work He did in my […]
That Time Immanuel Sang Bryan Adams to Me
Today I want to share with you an excerpt from my Immanuel Journal. It’s not necessarily in the “Joyful Journey” format, but I think it demonstrates His ability to walk me through hard things so well that it’s worth sharing! I hope that you get a glimpse of His love as you read this, knowing […]
Who am I? (Hint: The Answer Should Be Joyful!)
Who am I? It’s not just a question that I need to fill out on an “About Me” page, nor is it an easily answered question. Each one of us is constantly on a journey of discovering who we are. Often, we use what others say (both vocally and through their reactions and behavior) about […]
Six Ways to Kick Fear to the Curb
Joy is the ultimate fuel for your brain. You are designed to run on joy. Your brain was built to experience joy as it’s life-giving substance. Having “glad to be with you” experiences is the high-octane fuel that provides the smoothest ride for your life. However, without joy, the brain uses a different fuel. This […]
Things That Make You Go “Ahhhh”
I may be dating myself with this post but once a child of the 80’s, always a child of the 80’s. If you’re also a child of the 80’s you probably already heard a beat in your head when you read the title of this blogpost. Please accept my apologies if that song gets stuck […]
Feeling Bad for Feeling Bad? You May Experience This Type of Trauma.
Sometimes when I mention that I am a Certified Professional Recovery Coach, people dismiss the possibility that they might benefit from working with me. They immediately picture the addict, fresh out of rehab as the person needing a “Recovery Coach”. But the truth is, not just addicts need recovery. Everyone who hasn’t reached their full […]
What if You Could Go Beyond Quiet Time? Here's How:
To say I’m excited about this year’s Annual Gathering is an understatement! I don’t get as many chances to these attend intensive trainings. This upcoming Gathering is going to go a step farther than the last one I went to. It focuses on the Immanuel Lifestyle! And that’s something to get excited about for sure! Not sure […]
Weakness, and the Moment I Knew I Was Stronger
I could hear the sound of my blood pumping my heart loudly in my ears. It was louder than the sound of the waterfall I hiked next to. This particular hike was not one I enjoyed, and it held the first of many lessons I’d find on a trail in the woods over the next […]
How to Teach Your Brain(s) to Work Together
Joy Starts Here is so much more than just a book. Sure, it’s loaded with theological and neuroscientific explanations of how our brain works in relationships that can change your life. But that’s only part of it. The File Cabinet In fact, one of the things that you might learn reading Joy Starts Here is […]
What are RCs and why do I need them anyway?
magef joy is the feeling that we get when someone is glad to be with us, How come so many of us don’t feel joy in situations with people who supposedly love us? When we learn all about this “joy” stuff, why do some of us start looking around and wondering where all the people […]
Relationship Basics: Three Skills as Essential as Keys, Wallets & Cell Phones
Have you ever left the house and remembered you forgot your wallet or your phone? Or worse, forgotten your keys inside on the counter behind the locked door? I’ve done all 3. It didn’t take me long to get that “uh-oh” feeling in the pit of my stomach and each time I returned to grab […]
Two Necessities of Life You Might Not Know About
If you randomly asked most people what the basic necessities were in life you’d probably get answers like food, water, and shelter. You also might get a few answers for other things like love and companionship. All of those answers are right. But there are two more things we need in life that most people don’t […]
What it Feels Like to Know God is With You
Immanuel, “God with us,” is both a name and a statement of truth. Do you know Immanuel, is with you? Stop for a minute and don’t just knee-jerk that answer with a left-brained knowledge of what the word means. Knowing that the sky is blue is something most of us can say with utter confidence. […]
Top 10 Relational Moments on TV!
The more I learn about relational skills and relational circuits, the more I look for examples of them! Sometimes I find the examples of when they are OFF and not being used, and sometimes I find examples of when relational skills are being used and relational circuits are clearly on. My brain learns best when […]
How Do You Ensure Life Long Mental and Spiritual Health?
Every time I go on a hike, I reach a point when I need to rest. Sometimes it happens frequently, such as along a difficult pass. Other times it’s just because I’ve reached the apex and the views around me beg that I just “be” there amongst the beauty. I can assure you that hiking […]
How Do You Ensure Life Long Mental and Spiritual Health?
Every time I go on a hike, I reach a point when I need to rest. Sometimes it happens frequently, such as along a difficult pass. Other times it’s just because I’ve reached the apex and the views around me beg that I just “be” there amongst the beauty. I can assure you that hiking […]
Relationship Skill: Stop Overwhelming People (and being overwhelmed yourself!)
Have you ever been around someone who talks endlessly? I think we’ve all met that one person who never even seems to breathe between sentences, let alone allows you to respond in between streams of thoughts. Have you ever sat in a classroom or a conference or even a sermon and had the speaker/teacher just […]