Journal Gently: Spiritual Formation for Christian Women

If you're an introvert who wants to journal but feels overwhelmed the minute you face a blank page, this episode will feel like a deep exhale.  We'll talk about why the pressure to "do it right" can shut you down—and how a gentler, simpler rhythm can open you back up. You'll walk away with a journal prompt and a practical shift that makes writing feel doable again.   RELATED EPISODES: ·        Epi...

Ever feel like you're holding more than your heart can handle? In this episode, we explore what happens when life starts to pile up inside us… and the gentle invitation God offers when it does.  If you've been feeling stretched, stuffed, or overwhelmed, this quiet conversation will help you pause, breathe, and bring just one honest thing to Jesus.    RELATED EPISODES: ·        Episode 103 : 6 Stra...

Sometimes the things we love most can actually get in the way of connecting with God. In this clip from the Lead Well Conference, I share a personal story about how even journaling—something I teach and cherish—was keeping me from spending time with the Lord the way I really wanted. If you've ever felt like your "good habits" or spiritual routines are keeping you from truly engaging with God, this...

Two trees. Same kind. Standing side by side—yet one is bare while the other is full of golden leaves. In today's quiet reflection, Kari uses this simple scene from her neighborhood to remind us that healing doesn't happen at the same pace for everyone. It's easy to look at someone else's joy and wonder why we're still struggling. But God tends to each of our hearts with patience and care, layer by...

Have you ever let fear keep you quiet, hesitant to use a gift you know God has placed inside you?  In this episode, Kari unpacks a familiar verse, 2 Timothy 1:7, and discovers it means something deeper than we often realize. It's not just about overcoming fear in general—it's about refusing to let fear silence the gifts God has given us. Through Paul's letter to Timothy, we're reminded that God ca...

Have you ever felt unsure what step to take next, but also restless just sitting still?  In today's episode, Kari shares how God has been guiding her through her own season of uncertainty and reveals what's next for her ministry through Love Does That. You'll hear how one simple phrase from coach Christa Hutchins—"Clarity comes from action"—has reshaped the way she's discerning her next move. This...

Hey, friend. Whether you are someone who has been listening to the podcast since the beginning or you just found me through one of the recent conferences I spoke at, I want to say welcome, and I'm glad you're here. It would seem as if God has a funny sense of timing, and He's asking me to pause the podcast for a while. I need to practice what I preach: taking breaks, caring for my family first, an...

Imagine this scenario: Someone you dearly love is hurting. Maybe they are grieving the loss of a loved one or battling the depths of depression. Maybe they've lost their sense of purpose or just got a hard diagnosis from the doctor. What is the best thing you can do for them? Is it calling them every day? Making them meals? Being willing to sit with them in the quiet? Should you watch their kids?...

I have been incredibly blessed over the past several years to connect with other individuals who are doing similar work. Laura Howe is one of those people. Laura and I met as part of a mastermind we were both in. Where I focus on helping individual women come alongside their loved ones who are hurting, she focuses on equipping the church to support those in their congregations and communities. She...

"God doesn't talk to me." "I can't hear God's voice." "I don't know what God sounds like." Hearing from God is pivotal to the life of a Christian. Not only do we seek guidance from His Word, but we also ask Him questions about which path to take, what to do, and how He wants us to behave. We want insight into situations we find ourselves in. And we long to receive His words of love and comfort, es...

There are many ways to journal, but one of my favorites is to journal as I read the Bible. I take note of things that grab my attention, I ask questions, and I explore various ideas together with God as a result of the passage I've read. Today, I want to invite you into a Bible journaling session with me. We'll pray and journal through Psalm 23:3 together. And though it is a familiar passage, I pr...

As women, as moms, we carry a lot of responsibilities, and sometimes a lot of expectations—from ourselves and from others. Yet one thing is clear: God has called us to keep our families as a top priority. The question is, how do we do that? In this episode, I talk with life and business coach Danielle Roberts and we explore what this might look like, often sharing personal examples from our own li...

Have you ever prayed for God to open doors for you so it's clear which way you should go, which decision you should make?  But, my friend, take a minute and think about the sayings we Christians have: ·        If God shuts the door, He always opens the window. ·        God doesn't close one door without getting ready to open another with bigger and greater things. ·        He will open the doors o...

It's probably no surprise to you that I am an avid reader, averaging about one or two books a week. Not only do I read for fun, but I also get to read for work, editing and proofreading book manuscripts right before they get published.  I'm guessing that if you're listening to this episode, you like to read, too. And I've learned that books can often prompt some powerful journaling sessions with G...

Deciding on my major in college really wasn't that hard for me. I knew I wanted my studies to focus on the Bible and speech. I wanted to learn more about His Word so that I could communicate it clearly to those around me. So that's what I did: I majored in communication and minored in biblical studies, taking as many classes as I could to understand more about the Bible and spiritual formation.  T...

It's funny how pieces of our stories get set down, lost, discovered, or picked up again.  Some pieces we hide away, hoping never to look at them again. (We think if we don't acknowledge them, they never really happened, right?) Of course, some pieces always stay with us, regularly in the forefront of our minds. And some, we never really know how they're going to fit in until years down the road. B...

What hard decisions have you had to make? Maybe it regarded your job, like me. Or maybe it focused on which school your kids should go to, or where you live. Maybe someone in your family needed extra care from you, and that meant you had to step away from something else, at least for a little while. There are hard decisions, and then there are decisions you don't want to make—when your heart and y...

In high school, my best friend and I were known as the Perfectionists. We had high standards for ourselves when it came to our school work, our extracurricular activities, and our jobs. If someone asked us to do something, they knew it would be done and be done well. Extremely well. While I have relaxed some over the years, I still have a high standard I hold myself to. Remember that strength of "...

I'm pretty good at juggling multiple commitments and responsibilities. In fact, my number one strength per StrengthsFinder is "responsible" and my spiritual gifts include the gift of administration. Yet when everybody needs something at the same time, it can get really hard, really fast.  And when I start to feel overwhelmed or discouraged, I've noticed that I usually end up retreating. In other w...

Have you ever found your Bible reading to be a little dull or lifeless? Is it hard to see the people of the Bible as real individuals who encountered God? There's a practice that can help with this, and it's called imaginative prayer. Now, every time I think about explaining imaginative prayer to others, I can't help but think about my conversation with Eva Kubasiak on her podcast, Bible Study Mad...

Do you ever talk to God—and expect to hear back from Him? Back in episode 109 , I shared a little conversation that God and I had as it related to something He was calling me to do during Lent a couple of years ago. It's one of many conversations I've had with Him. Some that I've just sensed in my spirit as I've prayed about something. But some that have taken place on the pages of my journal. Tha...

I don't know about you, but I read a lot of books. And there are a lot of good books out there. Many of which I recommend to you. But there are only a few that really stir deeply in my soul. Neil Broere's upcoming book, Obedience, Suffering, & Reward was one of those. When I read it, I knew I wanted to talk to him more about it. And today, you get to hear that conversation. While obedience is a si...

I don't know what it is, but life has just felt… hard. People misunderstanding one another. Feelings getting hurt. Work to do. Family to care for. Trying to balance it all while also cleaning the house and completing other mundane but necessary tasks. All piled on top of one another and it's hard not to wonder if something deeper is going on. Is this what spiritual warfare looks like in 21st centu...

I can have a difficult time explaining how I feel about something, and when it's incredibly important to me, the words seem even harder to find. But there are other times when words feel hard, too: when you're grieving, when you're busy, when you're depressed, when you're anxious. What do you do then? Today, I want to share with you two ways you can still journal, even when you are struggling to f...

In July of 2021, I ran my first challenge as a ministry. It was the Courageous Care 5-day challenge, and it walked women through five obstacles that prevent us from reaching out to those around us who are hurting. What was a challenge became a masterclass, which became a book. And it features the key principle behind what Love Does That is all about: that God has called every one of us to care for...