Tag: Jesus

Focus on God, Not Fear

Posted on by Staci Mauney

This blog was originally posted on September 10, 2017.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3

During the hottest part of the summer, I woke up at 6:00 a.m. to walk my dog, Lilly. Even though we left early, the temperature was already in the low 80s. Oklahoma summers can be brutal. One of the parks that we go to has a really pretty fountain on one end. On this particular day, we walked over to the fountain. It’s located in slight depression, so Lilly and I walked down the steps and circled the fountain a couple of times. She jumped up on the edge of the fountain, peered into the water, and promptly jumped in, startling me. She resurfaced and started paddling for the edge, but she couldn’t reach it to get out on her own. I lifted her out of the water, and she took off running to dry off, dragging me behind her as I held onto her leash with all my strength. Continue reading “Focus on God, Not Fear” →

Back to School

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. (Prov 9:9)

When fall approaches, I start thinking about going back to school. I always enjoyed school, from learning new things to seeing my friends to joining clubs.

Even as I got older, I continued my love of learning. I studied English literature and writing as an undergrad and secondary education as a graduate student. Sometimes, I think about going back to get my Master of Fine Arts or maybe even my doctorate. Continue reading “Back to School” →

When Saying No Is the Boldest Choice

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Mt 5:37)

A couple of months ago, I wrote about the transitions I would face after moving into the past president position of the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI). (You can read that post here.) Currently, I’m in the middle of that transition period. While I knew that adjusting to a new routine would take time, I’ve struggled more than I thought I would.

After devoting so much of my time to OWFI, I’m now able to take on other projects. But lest I burn out (a very real possibility), I’ve decided not to take on any new projects for at least six months, maybe even a year. Continue reading “When Saying No Is the Boldest Choice” →

It’s Not About Me

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Ps 86:11)

For the last couple of years, I’ve read at least one spiritual growth book every month. From revealing insecurities to inspiring change, God has used the words in these books to provide an avenue of personal and spiritual growth for me.

Recently, I read Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It’s Not about You by Sharon Hodde Miller. This book spoke to me in a powerful way, and I want to deviate from my normal blog format to share what I learned.

In this book, Miller examines how our insecurities show up in various, hidden ways in our lives. We make things about us that aren’t really about us, and this is a manifestation of our insecurities. Continue reading “It’s Not About Me” →

The Joys of Reading

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Ps 32:8)

As a child, I would read until I heard my mom’s raised voice, asking me to dry dishes for her. I knew I was in trouble at that point – it meant she’d called for me at least two or three times. I wasn’t ignoring her; I just didn’t hear her because I’d been transported to another world.

My mom’s voice brought me crashing back to the real world pretty quickly. I would hurry through the task so that I could get back to my book. I took books to family holiday gatherings, and I always had enough books to fill an entire suitcase when I went on vacation. (This was before the Kindle.) I even had to pay extra for my luggage one time because I bought so many books while on vacation. Continue reading “The Joys of Reading” →