Tag: trust

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.” (Proverbs 18:13)

I struggle with personalization—where I think someone’s actions or comments are aimed at me, specifically, even when there’s no clear indication that the person meant it that way. For instance, if a friend doesn’t respond to a text by the time I think she should, I might start to think that she doesn’t want to talk to me. That leads to a spiral where I replay everything I’ve said or done that could have been misinterpreted as offensive. Then I end up believing that, not only does she not want to talk to me, but I have also done irreparable damage to our friendship (by doing something I have no memory of). When she eventually responds and tells me about her sick child and the complications of running the household while also being sick herself, I realize the delayed response had nothing to do with me. Continue reading “The Stories We Tell Ourselves” →

The Rescue Attempt

Posted on by Staci Mauney

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

If you follow me on social media, then you may have read the first part of this story. This blog contains the conclusion and lessons learned.

When I got home from work, I let my dog, Charlie Bones, out into the backyard, where he found an injured bird—a little robin. I placed it in a shoebox, lined the box with a towel to keep the bird from slipping, and with help and advice from friends and family, set out to keep it alive while it was in my care. Continue reading “The Rescue Attempt” →

When Faith Falters

Posted on by Staci Mauney

He [Jesus] replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (Matthew 8:26)

Hey, readers! It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post (or anything else), and if you’ve moved on, I understand. But if you’re still here, or if you’ve just stumbled across this post, please know how happy I am to have you.

Around this time last year, I realized that the freelance writing and editing business I’d worked so hard to build was in trouble. I wasn’t bringing in new clients, and my long-term, reliable clients didn’t have much work for me. After eight years of hustling to find work, and almost three years of steady work, I was burned out. As much as I hated to, I knew that I needed to find an alternative source of income not related to writing and editing. Continue reading “When Faith Falters” →

Charlie Bones and the Dreaded Dizzy Spells

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. (Ps. 62:5)

It’s been a while since I provided you with an update about Charlie Bones and the effects of his head injury. Every few weeks since his concussion in March (which you can read about here), Charlie has a dizzy spell where he becomes wobbly and has trouble walking.

This week, he had a bad spell that started at ten in the morning and got progressively worse throughout the day. The vet has instructed me to give him a steroid pill when these spells start—the steroid will reduce the inflammation in his neck that’s causing his dizziness—but this time, the pill didn’t work because his neck had locked up. After a trip to the vet for an adjustment, he was finally able to keep his legs under him and move around without as much pain.

Each time this happens, I worry about my young puppy being in so much pain, just as I’m sure any parent of either furry children or human ones would feel. I want to make him better, but unfortunately, it’s out of my control. Continue reading “Charlie Bones and the Dreaded Dizzy Spells” →

Details Matter

Posted on by Staci Mauney

So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it . . . (Genesis 6:14–15)

As a writer and editor, I know that details matter. If a comma is out of place or missing, it can change the meaning of a sentence. When writing a scene for my cozy mystery, it’s important to include details so that the reader can “see” what’s happening in the story.

It can be tempting to think the details of our lives don’t matter to God—that he’s too busy running the universe and helping people with bigger problems than our own. Continue reading “Details Matter” →