Have you ever found yourself in a conversation that turned difficult, leaving you feeling frustrated or misunderstood? It's a common experience, and often, the root cause lies in a lack of understanding of each other's intentions and the impact to our emotions or feelings of worth.

Source: https://youtu.be/-4EDhdAHrOg

Loss is a natural part of life and isn't only about death. As we go through change and transition, we can experience a type of non-death loss. These may be things like ending relationships, getting a chronic illness, changing jobs, retirement, financial troubles, or getting a promotion, can be equally challenging. It's crucial to recognize that these experiences may be experienced by our body and brain as a loss and to address our emotions to heal.

We've all been there: the toddler throwing a tantrum to get a candy bar, the teenager manipulating their parents for a later curfew, the adult using guilt trips to control their partner. It's a common human tendency to seek control over our environment and the people in it. But what if the control we truly possess isn't what we think it is?

With Election Day upon us, it's no surprise that stress levels are soaring! A recent survey (1) found that 69% of adults feel more stressed than usual, a big jump from the last election, which was 52%! Christians are called to find joy, even in tough times. But how do we reconcile Paul's message of "rejoice always" (Philippians 4:4) with all this uncertainty?

From the dawn of time, humanity has grappled with a profound question: Who am I? The Genesis story, where Eve succumbs to the serpent's temptation, offers a poignant glimpse into this age-old struggle. The serpent's insidious suggestion, "You will be like gods and are not enough," planted a seed of self-doubt, leading Eve to question her worth and identity. This primal experience resonates with us today, shaping our interactions with the world and ourselves.

So often, we worry about things in life and situations that are out of our control. 

Communication can be tricky, especially in difficult relationships.  Have you ever noticed yourself being guarded about approaching a topic with certain individuals only to walk away feeling they got what they needed, but you did not?  This is all too common.  This month's blog will explore the three types of communication styles and learn simple strategies to communicate authentically, resulting in a “win/win.”

Imagine if there was one simple thing you could add to your life that would boost your marriage or relationship satisfaction and overall happiness. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, guess what? That magic ingredient actually exists, and it's called gratitude.

This month we are going to dig a little deeper into our Contentment system.  In the last two blogs we learned that our brains have three systems:

Tired of chasing happiness that seems just out of reach?

God has created mankind to be in a relationship with Him (Knabb, 2019). However, sin has confused our ability to navigate the path because the path has been broken and ill-lit. Therefore, God, in his wisdom, created the three systems of “Danger,” “Drive,” and “Contentment” to guide us in life.