In this blog post, I’m going to introduce the discussion of the harmful effects of gaslighting in religious contexts, sharing personal experiences with pat answers and assumptions made by church leaders and fellow believers. Gaslighting can manifest in various forms, including unspoken criticisms, judgments, and manipulations, leading to a distorted understanding of God and one’s Read More
Category: Intentions
Everyone has them. Some are lying about them… and don’t even know it.
Why Your Vision May Be Hard to Articulate… and Share with Others
Find out why your vision may be hard to articulate and share with others. Understanding how your vision develops helps others to get on board. Many times it begins with a life-altering moment. A need is revealed or experienced and solving that needs becomes a life calling that does not fade with time. In fact, Read More
Communication Assumptions are Deadly!
Are you being challenged in your relationships? Whether that relationship is with your spouse, your friend or a congregational member, making assumptions about what they “really” mean – can be deadly. The death of many a relationship has been caused solely by blind assumptions regarding motives and intentions. As a leader in a church, or Read More
Is it Racial or Behavioral?
Yesterday I received, along with a host of other people, a string of Tweets from someone we all know and love dearly. This sweet man was visiting a city that he was not completely familiar with. While there, he decided to take a walk and, as is his nature, became deeply engrossed in his thoughts Read More
Is It REALLY What You Think It Is?
Several years ago, I stood at the back of the church after service as my husband finished preaching. The presence of the Lord was sweet and tangible. Many families had already left, but a few people lingered. One of the benefits of being a pastor is that you know the behind-the-scenes stories of the members Read More
Are You Relevant? To Whom?
As I shared some thoughts with a friend through a series of emails, this moment stuck out to me the most in our discussions about how to communicate and make a difference with those who we love and care about. The following rose up in my spirit and I’d like to share it with you Read More
How to Uncover Your Purpose and Passion
There is a questionnaire that I have posted on the old Sarah’s Tent website that people still find from time to time. The answers that many people write tell me immediately what kind of person they are, what means the most to them and what they are good yet. Yet amazingly … many will end Read More
On Hold, Stuck or Numb? How To Break Free and Live Again
It’s not just the pastor’s wife that gets lost in her world and wonders from time to time what her dream use to be. In fact, just remembering your name can be a feat on certain days! Before you can teach anyone else something, you must have first walked that path and teach from experience. Read More
Self Limiting Beliefs
Blockages are the result of self-limiting beliefs. Every time you begin to notice that you “aren’t getting anywhere” or notice that you are constantly getting the same results, it’s time to uncover your self-limiting beliefs. Many of the thoughts and emotions that we entertain on a daily basis are actually habitual. The payoff for remaining Read More
Noticing What You Notice
Each new year brings the promise of fresh beginnings, re-setting goals that weren’t accomplished as you had hoped they would be, and new aspirations. That to-do and to-be list that you are writing in your mind and thoughts can be your best friend … or worse enemy. We are all familiar with the ‘worse enemy’ Read More
Perfect Peace is a Choice
Every one of us has, or is, or will face a challenge so great, we aren’t sure that we’ll be able to maintain our “sanity” riding out the storm. Whether it is a financial situation, a relationship, health or some other sudden or growing crisis, our peace hangs in the balance. Truly, our relationship with Read More
Too Fast and Furious Too
Hey! Here’s a good one … After inquiring about a ministry project that a fellow minister was working on, I received a stream of excuses about why they had not progressed since the last time I’d asked. First it was that the devil was beating them up. (Amazingly, this had been occuring every three months, Read More