Beautiful Between

living fully in the now & not yet

When you feel consumed with anxiety, bring it to Jesus

I couldn’t simply shake these anxious feelings, as desperately as I wanted to. I couldn’t pretend I was okay. This felt all-consuming. If I didn’t deal with this properly, it would change into full-blown panic.

The Soul of the Helper Q&A with Dr. Holly Oxhandler

Dr. Holly Oxhandler has been one of the greatest surprises and delights of my work in the faith and mental health space. When we were connected by a mutual friend, I had no idea how much I would come to cherish Holly’s wisdom, tenderness, and ability to hold space for the pain of others. We’ve […]

Life After Diagnosis: The Restoration of Dignity

Receiving a mental health diagnosis is never easy. Many of us feel irreparably broken, damaged beyond repair, or just plain not enough when we receive that label. But the truth is that our God-given dignity and worth is still fully intact and undamaged, despite how we feel.  My friend Abigail Alleman knows what it’s like […]

The Beauty and Ache of “Now Time”

Brutal as the pandemic was, it also thrust me directly into beauty and the ache of now time. Suddenly I couldn’t worry too much about next month or even next week; I was intimately tethered to the present moment…

When you just need grace to grieve

When I finished the first few chapters of my friend Natalie‘s new book, I begged her to send me an advance copy. I had to know the rest of the story and let her words wash over me like water. I am overjoyed to share her with you this week! Here is a piece of […]

Stuck in the Middle: The Secret to Waiting Well

This is the part no one talks about. The hours, days and weeks both the director and the writer skip over. There is a reason that stories and movies jump from one scene to the next. No one wants to see the boring parts of the story, even if they are important. If the camera […]

Redefining the Small Things: Guest Post by Steve Austin

Photo Credit: Brandon Couch This week, I’m participating in this 7-Day Blog Challenge hosted by Jeff Goins. Today’s challenge is to guest post on another site. I’m thrilled to welcome my friend Steve Austin back here today! You may remember his powerful story from this post. After you read his story here, you can find […]

Dear God, Thanks for Letting Me Cuss at You

deargod

Have you ever been angry at God? Maybe thought he wouldn’t want you just the way you are? I sure have – for much of my life, actually. But the thing about grace is it takes you as you are, shattered as that may be. I didn’t get that my brokenness was exactly what God […]

Just a Little Weekend Update

Well, friends, it has been an exciting few weeks for me and this corner of the online world. 2016 is already surprising me with its twists and turns: unforeseen opportunities, new friends, old stories being told and healing I didn’t know I needed.I’m amazed to discover some of the things that will make their way […]

Guest Post: The One Thing That Saved Me After My Suicide Attempt

Note: I am so honored to host my new friend Steve Austin as he courageously shares his story of messy grace and redemption. (To read the original post about Steve’s suicide attempt, just click here.) If you’ve known dark days, are tired of a picture of Jesus that only brings condemnation, or are just plain weary, this […]