I was blessed to spend time with a dear friend on Sunday afternoon. She's the kind of friend that you can be real with and share your hurts, your struggles, and your deepest fears, and she still loves you. As it turns out, we're both struggling with debilitating doubts, insecurities, and fears. We are both in a place where we are being asked to lead others, but neither of us feels ready or capable to carry out that responsibility. Each of us shared that the reason we don't fe

Last week I began to have an overwhelmingly anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I haven't been able to shake it. It feels sort of like a combination of too much sugar, caffeine, and adrenaline all rolled into one, except I haven’t gone overboard on any of those lately. It has kept me awake into the wee hours of the last four nights. Amazingly, our bodies have the ability to be aware of and process life before our minds even recognize what's going on. So, what has be

When horrific tragedies like the shooting in the Oregon District occur… There are no words that can explain why. There are no words that can ease the pain of those who lost loved ones. There are no words that can erase the trauma of those who were present. We search for words to make sense of the senseless, to no avail. We search for words that will move us, as a nation, to action in hopes that we can prevent another tragedy from occurring. I have struggled to write this week

We often use sticky notes to help us remember to do important things. We stick them in places that will call our attention to items that need to be addressed. I have come to believe that recurring thoughts, dreams, and memories of painful experiences from our past are much like sticky notes. They are reminders. They are red flags that catch our attention. The problem is we often ignore them, push them aside, or stuff them deeper into our pile of emotions without realizing the

Like many people, my children find it easy to honor and celebrate their father. Many fathers exemplify Faithfulness. They are Affirming, Trustworthy, Honest, Encouraging, and Reliable. May God bless you and magnify the beauty you bestow on your children. However, this was not my experience. Father’s Day left me feeling empty inside for many years. Maybe your story is similar to mine and you can relate. How do you honor someone you are terrified of? How do you honor someone yo

My heartfelt sympathies go out to all who suffered loss and devastation overnight due to the strong storms and outbreak of tornadoes. Although it is heartbreaking that some individuals will take advantage of others through looting, it is quite a wonderful thing to see the care and concern of many who are reaching out to offer assistance to those in need. My heart is always deeply touched by the ability of Americans to come together during times like this without a second thou

With the recent loss of two precious lives in my surrounding community, this topic is still heavy on my heart. This message is one I continue to feel compelled to share. I believe that our society’s perspective on mental health, suicide, and the stigma that surrounds it must change. We need to deal with it out in the open. This complex problem is all around us and we cannot continue to deny it or try to hide it any longer. The things we try to hide because we feel ashamed oft

Hi Friends, Yesterday marked nine months since losing Randy to cancer. I dread the 25th of each month, but yesterday was a particularly difficult day. So, I decided to get out my notebook and pen and write to help let the emotion out. The following poem is the result of that process. I hope it is a help to someone else out there who is shattered and broken at the moment. I know it may not feel like it, but winter is only a season my friend and spring is coming! Remember we c

Hi Friends, This week's blog post is a little different. I just really felt like someone out there needed to hear it this week and not just read it. So please take a few minutes to listen to this week's post. I pray this message finds whoever it was meant for this week! May you be strong and courageous in your pursuit of joy my friend, even if you don't feel like it! ~Blessings! Kelly #breakingthrough #hope #healing #joy #itsachoice #kellyneffspeaks #tom #togetherovercomingmo