the remind{h}er podcast

Hurry. Hustle. Don't miss out. Don't fall behind. Get ahead. Be efficient. Stay busy. Keep up. Whether we realize or not, this is familiar messaging that's actually forming us. And it creates an exhausting expectation. It's a standard we're striving for, but I wonder if it is the standard we were created for. If you're feeling the anxiety of hurry and hustle, listen in. The Ruthless Elimination of...

Well, it's that time of year again. The beginning of the year, actually. And it seems that every time the beginning comes around, we enter in with the best of intentions, maybe some newfound resolutions, hopes, goals. There's just something about the promise of a fresh start, a new beginning, that prompts in us the desire to refocus, recalibrate, maybe even reimagine our lives a bit. The goals we...

Today I'm offering a simple reading of and reflection on what might be a familiar passage this time of year. As we make our way through these last couple weeks of 2022, I hope it serves you well. Listen in. CLICK HERE to sign up for my NEW monthly letter! {Scroll down to the bottom of the page to enter your email info} www.remindherpodcast.com  

Desire can be a tricky thing. But I'm learning that desire might be worth paying attention to. When we choose to lean into our desires and acknowledge what it is we want, we are better enabled to become the people God created us to be. When we name them, we can better consider if our desires are leading us closer to the heart of God as we seek to grow into and resemble the character of Christ in t...

If you are listening in real-time, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day 2022. And today, I'd like to offer a simple reading of a psalm of thanksgiving, Psalm 107, followed by a few questions for reflection. And please know, even after the Thanksgiving holiday, you're invited to listen in and remember all there is to be thankful for. As always, I hope it serves you well.   www.remindherpodcast.com  

I don't know about you, but I don't always need the same things. My needs often shift and change. As we approach Thanksgiving, I'm learning to notice God's provision, knowing that God will meet me where I am and provide exactly what I need, even if it isn't necessarily what I want. Today, if you are feeling the weight of your need, listen in. Website:  www.remindherpodcast.com   I'm now booking sp...

One thing I'm learning is, there isn't a one-mold-model we need to fit into before we can belong in the kingdom of God. Yes, the likeness of Jesus is the standard we seek, but the image of God is found in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, patterns and colors, stories and perspectives. God is present, even in unexpected places. And God is at work, even in mysterious ways. Even if we don't un...

In the last episode, we talked about the importance of being where you are. And I heard from a few listeners wondering  how  to do that. While there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution, today I'm offering a spiritual practice that has proven to be helpful {for me} as we seek to be more aware of God's presence and, in turn, more fully present ourselves. Today, we are considering the Daily Examen...

Each day, we are invited to be where we are. Fully. Wholly. Present and attentive to the cadence of our lives and the location of our souls. And our ability to be present depends on our awareness of God's presence. In other words, our ability to be where we are is greatly influenced by whether or not we sense God's presence where we are. The truth is that God is always with us. Part of life as fol...

We often use the phrase, "They are salt of the earth" to describe someone we consider good, honest, and pure. The phrase originated in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and it also describes our call as followers of Jesus.  In today's episode, we are considering the implications of being called the salt of the earth and how it relates to our purpose and participation in God's kingdom work. Listen in. Sur...

While it's important to be honest about our shortcomings and to work through them faithfully, part of what I'm learning to remember is that there's always an invitation to begin again. God is always creating new blooms to greet us, always providing new mercies for fresh starts. I don't know about you, but most days, that's exactly what I need. And I'm learning to trust that it's true. That we can...

In today's episode, feel free to listen in to a simple reading of Psalm 139. May it remind you of God's care, intention, and presence in the middle of it all. Website: www.remindherpodcast.com  

In the past two episodes, we talked about the importance of holding on to who you are in Christ. Another way of saying the same thing is that we talked about the importance of abiding in Christ, of staying connected to God so that we can more fully embrace, lean into, and become the people God is calling us to be: People who love and people who bear fruit that reflects the heart of Jesus.   In lig...

For many of us, when we hear the term, "Rule of Life" it can seem a bit too structured, strict, or inflexible. We don't like the idea of being trapped by a rule. But a Rule of Life isn't meant to be constricting; it's meant to help us grow. And "structured" doesn't necessarily mean "set-in-stone." In today's episode, we will explore what a Rule of Life is, why it might be important to consider hav...

When our lives are disrupted in some way--whether the disruption is good or bad--it's easy to feel a bit disoriented and out-of-sorts as we adapt. One thing I'm learning is the importance of staying tethered and holding on to who I am in Christ in the midst of what feels uncertain or unsteady.  This looks like identifying my core values and vital behaviors and it has made all the difference for me...

Have you ever considered that maybe, God is bad at math? I'm not suggesting that God doesn't understand math, but it does seem that God chooses not to practice it in the same ways we tend to. When it comes to the heart of God, God doesn't always stick to the understood rules of a mathematical equation. It seems counting and math work differently in the kingdom of God. Today, if it feels like thing...

I recently graduated with a M.A. in Christian Spiritual Formation and Leadership and in today's episode, I'm sharing one of my biggest takeaways. In order to have a faith that is living, active, and guided by the Holy Spirit, we must breathe in the Spirit of God and we must breathe out the Spirit of God in the world around us as we participate in the building of God's kingdom, here and now. What m...

Usually, when we think of getting lost, we don't think of it as being a good thing. But there is a kind of getting lost that, in the context of our faith, might not necessarily be a bad thing. There can be something good about stepping outside the lines of a familiar path, about forging a new one, about gaining a different perspective, about having to really pay attention to where we are because m...

If you are like me, sometimes we forget what a gift it is to have the pages of Scripture at our fingertips. While there are powerful resources out there that help to highlight the heart of God in the pages of Scripture, there is something powerful, too, about letting the inspired words of Scripture stand alone, trusting that the Spirit can inspire us as we read {or listen}, too.  So today, you are...

If you're like me, your inner critic can be pretty noisy and discouraging. Which is why, sometimes, it's important to remember what you like about yourself. To remember that God not only loves you, but likes you, too. As we continue becoming the people God calls us to be, we can also remember God's delight in who we already are. Today, if you find the voice of your inner critic booming and loud, l...

In today's episode, we read about the night Jesus washed his disciples' feet and the example he set in doing so. As we look back, reflect, and remember this humble act of Jesus, we are invited to consider together the kind of posture Jesus invites us to assume; the kind of life Jesus invites us to live. Today, if you are longing for a seat at the head of the table, listen in. Transcript/Website: w...

Whether we recognize it or not, experiencing forms of emptiness is part of our reality as human beings. And the good news is, we can be honest about it. We can name our need. The even better news is that our honesty is never without hope. Our faith gives us reason to believe emptiness has potential. It reminds us that ours is a God of wild imagination, creativity, opportunity, and fresh possibilit...

It can be easy to feel anger toward certain people, toward systems, toward sin. But what about when we feel anger toward God? When prayers seemingly go unanswered, when illness isn't healed, when suffering lingers, when circumstances don't change? Are we even allowed to admit we sometimes feel that way? I'm learning that God can handle our anger and that God welcomes our honesty, and that is a bea...

As we begin the season of Lent this year, I need to remember why we observe it. Most of the time, I'd rather skip ahead to the celebration instead of understanding why we celebrate. I'd rather enjoy the garden  instead of digging in and tending to the dirt. I'd rather bask in the beauty instead of acknowledging the reality of the ashes. But Lent is an opportunity to be honest and intentionally not...

When life feels overwhelming, I find Centering Prayer to be a helpful practice/tool. While it can be awkward and difficult at the beginning, the more we engage in and practice Centering Prayer, the more we move toward our lives becoming centered prayers. We remember who God is and how God works, and we are mindful of who God is calling us to be. We live lives anchored in that truth, even when the...