Category: Learning

Let Striving Cease

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Cease striving and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:1 NASB1995)

Since I started this blog in 2011, I have written many times about anxiety and how I often find myself living from a place of fear. It’s like my default mode, and I don’t recognize it until I am deep into it, exhausted and overextended and trying to get out. It often happens when I seek to help someone, to be needed, to fill a gap for people I wasn’t meant to fill.

If you’ve read my blog for long, you know that I’m an introspective person. Recently, I set out to discover why I keep reverting to this mindset. I find myself wondering, Have I prayed enough? Have I done enough? (See that—doing is the problem, but I keep trying to do more.) Continue reading “Let Striving Cease” →

Another Birthday

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Another birthday crept up on me and flew past this last week. The older I get, the faster they come around. This one isn’t a milestone, but for some reason, it feels like a big one. Maybe because I’m on the precipice of a milestone birthday (the big 5-0 next year), and many of my friends and former classmates have already surpassed it.

For me, birthdays are a time of reflection. What have I learned in the last year? The last five years? The last ten years? Ten years ago, I was about to embark on a major life upheaval. Within a few months of my birthday, I had quit my job, started editing full time, and moved to the big city. I had a handful of friends and acquaintances but only a couple of close friends. Now, I still live in the big city, but I work a full-time office job and edit part-time. I have several close friends—more than this shy introvert ever thought possible, really. Continue reading “Another Birthday” →

Struggling to Set Boundaries

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’” (Luke 4:42–43)

Have you ever struggled with boundaries? I’ve been working on creating boundaries—and sticking with them—for a long time. Somewhere along the way, I picked up the idea that a good Christian is always available when someone needs them. I’m a helper by nature, and when asked to help, I often jump in without thinking things through. This leads to frustration with myself, because I feel taken advantage of, and to exhaustion, because I overextend myself.

I’m a relatively cautious person in other areas of my life (meaning I typically overthink things), so why do I do this? When I’m asked to help, it feels good, so I want to do it. The helper part of me doesn’t want to see someone I care about struggling, especially if I think there’s something I can do to relieve their pain. What I’ve discovered is, I can’t fix things for them, only Jesus can. Continue reading “Struggling to Set Boundaries” →

Flourish: My Word for 2023

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (Prov. 19:21)

Many years ago now, I learned about the word of the year challenge through a radio program. I looked into it and decided I wanted to try for myself and see if choosing a word to focus on would help me grow closer to God. It did. Continue reading “Flourish: My Word for 2023” →

Training Charlie

Posted on by Staci Mauney

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16–17)

Having a new puppy means I spend a lot of my time training him. We’re working on potty training, walking on a leash, staying calm at mealtimes, and not nipping when he plays or wants attention.

A lot goes into training a puppy, and I know I can’t do it all on my own. Until Charlie has all his puppy vaccines, I can’t take him to a professional trainer, and I want to do what I can to help him establish good habits before the bad ones become his normal behavior. To do this, I watch YouTube videos, read articles, and talk to friends who have dogs. Continue reading “Training Charlie” →