Post Holiday Blues

It’s mid-January. Our Christmas trees and decorations down. A few stragglers still have some work to do here, and some just don’t want it all to be over so soon. This was a short Christmas season. Thanksgiving came at the end of the month rather than at the end of the third week, and that…

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“You Say” by Lauren Daigle

This song is one that I find to be very powerful.  She is a Christian artist. I was surprised when I heard this song being played on a secular radio station.  As I listen to this song I think about how much it not only applies to my life but how much it could apply…

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Will Depression Ever Go Away?

Short answer: Yes! Long answer: eventually!   When you are struggling with depression you can’t see this proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.”  That light just doesn’t exist. It’s easy to begin to believe that this state of depression will never lift.  But guess what? It will!!   This season of depression that…

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Silent Depression

A lot of individuals struggle with this thing I like to call silent depression.  Sometimes you can look at someone and just know that they are depressed. Other times, you can look at someone and think to yourself, “Wow! They have it all together! Their life must be awesome!”  Little did you know that the…

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The Holidays:Part Five – Being Present on the Holidays

“Present(s)” is a word that we hear a lot around the holidays.  After all, this is the season of giving.  I love nothing more than giving my friends and loved ones presents on Christmas.  I love when I get them something that I know they are going to love and watching their faces when they open their gift.  Don’t…

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Of Barrenness and Burning: When Life Seems Bleak

As far as the forest is concerned, the season has switched from fall to winter.  The branches are bare, and the forest floor is evidence of a year gone by.  The other day, as I arrived at the trail I like to run on (first time since fall was in full foliage), I was surprised…

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Mental Health and Running

It’s a chilly Oregon spring day, and an 11-year-old boy is about run his first competitive race, in all his 6th grade glory; the 800-meter-dash. The short shorts and tank-top barely cover his slight frame which is subsequently covered in goose-bumps caused by chill and nerves. Through the crackly bull-horn comes, “Runners take your mark…”…

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Shame, Part 3

As we continue on in this series on shame it is important to know that shame and guilt are two different things.  Sometimes they overlap and we can get them confused.   But here is the difference, Guilt: “I did something bad.” Shame: “I am something bad.” Sometimes our guilt causes us to feel shame.…

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Shame, Part 2

When was the first time you felt shame?  Do you remember an instance when you began to feel shame?  Maybe you didn’t know it was shame, maybe you would categorize it as embarrassment.  That is where shame starts, with embarrassment.  Maybe you did something and were criticized for it.  Maybe something happened to you such…

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Shame

Welcome to our series on shame.  Shame is powerful and if we let it, it can take over.  Maybe you are wondering if you have ever experienced shame, or maybe you are struggling with shame right now and you are wondering how to break free from it.  Most of us have experienced shame at one…

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