Echoes of Joy Blog

Birthday Reflections

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (Eph 5:15–16)

I’m introspective by nature, and I like to take some time around my birthday to reflect on my life. This sort of self-reflection must have something to do with getting older. I’m quite sure I wasn’t so contemplative in my twenties.

A friend of mine recently posted about how he uses his birthday as a springboard to reflect and realign his life goals. I loved that idea, and then I realized I’ve been implementing it for a while. No wonder I liked it! Continue reading “Birthday Reflections” →

A Slower Pace

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Gen 2:3)

Before the pandemic, life had sped up to a frenetic pace that I couldn’t maintain. (This led to my word of the year, renew which I’ve written about several times.) When someone would ask how I was doing, my answer was good but busy. This was the case so often that I found myself trying to find ways to answer without using the word “busy,” but in all honesty, I was busy, so I struggled to come up with another word that summarized my life.

When I returned the question, the answer was always the same. Everyone was always busy. We wore busyness like a badge of honor.

Between work, volunteering, and my social activities, I had filled every last moment in my schedule. All good things, to be sure, but too many good things is still too many. Continue reading “A Slower Pace” →

Guarding Our Hearts

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Prov 4:23)

I was out for a walk recently with Lilly, my little Yorkie companion, when the recycle truck pulled up beside us. Lilly started barking as soon as he turned the corner and headed our way. She doesn’t like loud noises, and the recycle truck was anything but quiet.

The driver called to me from the cab of his truck. His daughter wanted a Yorkie, and seeing that I had one with me, he thought he’d stop and find out if they make good pets. Of course, my answer was yes, even though I had to compete with the noisy truck and Lilly’s wild barking to be heard.

“In fact,” I said, holding the leash taut and gesturing to Lilly, “they are extremely loyal and protective.”

He laughed and agreed. He drove on, and we continued our walk. But Lilly’s protective instincts, in this and many other situations, made me think about how we as Christians are to guard our hearts. Continue reading “Guarding Our Hearts” →

Developing Unity Among Believers

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8 ESV)

This year has brought challenges none of us ever imagined. I wrote recently about how the year started with promise but quickly devolved into a year of chaos. As I mentioned in that blog post, I don’t have any answers. At the same time, I will continue to seek answers for the problems I see around me.

I recently heard the term “virus fatigue,” and I think it encapsulates how many people feel about the COVID-19 pandemic. Hopes were high for the second half of the year to be “normal.” But with the COVID-19 numbers spiking, and in many cases higher than ever, fears surrounding the coronavirus still abound. Continue reading “Developing Unity Among Believers” →

2020 Mid-Year Goals Check

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Ps 33:11)

Do you set goals? Each year, I create goals with smaller, manageable action steps. This is partly based on my performance-based personality (I like checking off boxes) and also because I used to work with grant programs that required this sort of goal setting. While coming up with realistic, measurable goals can seem daunting at first, I have found that setting goals ensures that I get to where I want to go.

To make sure I’m on the right track, I evaluate my goals mid-year, and because this year has been stranger than most, I really have no idea where I stand. This is unusual for me. I usually keep track as I go, but I haven’t done so this time. I’m interested in finding out how I’m doing with my writing goals and where I need to make adjustments. Continue reading “2020 Mid-Year Goals Check” →