Tag: renewal

New Year, New You

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor. 5:17)

The new year brings with it the promise of a clean slate, with greater things yet to come. Each year as the calendar turns over, we hear refrains of “new year, new you” echoing everywhere—in ads on TV, on the radio, and on social media. Bloggers write about ways you can make changes and make a fresh start as the new year rolls around.

The problem with this is that we don’t leave our problems behind just because the date on the calendar has changed. Difficult situations that we faced on December 31 are still there on January 1. Continue reading “New Year, New You” →

Spring Renewal

Posted on by Staci Mauney

For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land (Song of Solomon 2:11-12).

Spring is a time of renewal, when everything is bright and fresh. I look forward to it every year, and even more so this year. As I write this, the ongoing pandemic is hopefully easing due to the vaccine rollout. The long, hard, dreary winter, which started here in Oklahoma with a historic ice storm at the end of October and ended with a historic snowstorm in February, has given way to sixty-degree days and lots of sunshine. Continue reading “Spring Renewal” →

The Process of Renewal

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Mt 11:29)

Back in January, I wrote about choosing the word “renew” word for 2020. According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, renew means “to make like new; restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection.”

I chose this word because I felt depleted. After years of nonstop busyness, from running my editing business to volunteering at church and for writing organizations, I knew I was heading for burnout. I wasn’t getting enough physical rest, but this sense of depletion felt deeper. I studied spiritual rest and discovered how it’s different than physical rest—it’s a rest for the soul and a time of drawing closer to God. Continue reading “The Process of Renewal” →

Read Books That Renew Your Mind

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:2).

Would it surprise you to learn that 26 percent of people didn’t read even part of a book in the last year? As an avid reader, that statistic boggles my mind. Books compete with a host of other forms of entertainment for our attention. If you’re not reading, you’re missing out on some great benefits, including a reduced amount of stress and improved memory and focus.

If that’s not enough proof of why you should be reading, check out this statistic: a study by researchers at the University of Toledo reported that 77 percent of participants who watched more than two hours of TV each night felt significantly more depressed, stressed, and had higher levels of anxiety than those who watched less. Continue reading “Read Books That Renew Your Mind” →

The Winter of My Soul

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour’” (Job 37:6).

During the winter, the days are cold, dark, and barren. Colors are drab and unappealing. Winter is my least favorite season, but even so, it’s important both in nature and in our spiritual life. Our lives resemble the four seasons: new beginnings like the spring, busy like the summer, harvest like the fall, and rest like the winter.

We resist experiencing winter in our lives, which is natural. We want continual spring or summer or fall. Any season but winter, really. But a winter season doesn’t mean we’re doing anything wrong. It can feel that way when our days are bleak and our souls are tired. Continue reading “The Winter of My Soul” →