Kate Motaung

Are there some people in your life that you find hard to talk to, for whatever reason? Perhaps it’s because they are far away, and you prefer talking face to face with them than over the phone. Perhaps it’s because you’ve had a fractious relationship with them, or maybe even because you never developed what felt like the right language with which to address them and connect with them. Sometimes, our prayer life can feel like talking with a

Some people are reluctant to journal. It sounds to Pinterest-perfect. Can writing things down change anything? For those who finally do it, they can speak to its help. Believe it or not, keeping a journal, specifically a gratitude journal, can even halt an emotional or mental spiral. It can retrain brain pathways of negative and overwhelming thoughts. In a nutshell, it can bring hope. When you get started, it can seem like the things that come to mind seem

When we make our marital vows and declare that we will forsake all others, we tend to view it as a nod to the threats that infidelity poses. What we assume is that an affair is physical. However, Jesus revealed that what happens in the body first occurs in the mind (Matthew 5:27-28). It's the same with an emotional affair. It may seem intense, but we commit adultery, stepping outside of our marriage, when we share a part of

Relationships of all kinds bring together people who may have various similarities and differences that make their dynamic interesting. These differences may be in temperament, personality, life experiences, culture, or outlook. Unlikely friendships and connections can happen, and it’s such a joy when you find someone that you have a kinship with. Not all kinds of dynamics in relationships are happy ones, though. It could be a romantic relationship, a friendship, a parent-child situation, or a relationship between colleagues.

“Stop! Stop that now, I’m serious, Levi!!” an exasperated young mom yelled to her hyperactive child the other day in the store. To her dismay and frustration, the little boy’s behavior only worsened each time she tried to calm him down. We may feel Deja vu when we watch a scene like this if we have ever experienced the trials of raising a difficult child. Visions of screaming matches, the toy crashing, the glass smashing, and that feeling of utter

Can you find anxiety relief through art? Megan’s anxiety used to feel trapped within her own body. Anxiety would close in on her causing a racing heartbeat and brain that wouldn’t stop thinking of worst-case scenarios for all the important parts of her life. She had tried all the usual advice for anxiety relief. Ocean sounds playing in her earbuds only reminded her that she couldn’t afford a vacation, and those lavender essential oils made her sneeze. And that

The dawn of a New Year brings hope, hope for the future, and fresh starts. But unfortunately, it can also bring stress. The same problems you had on New Year’s Eve are probably still there on New Year’s Day. If only you could discover a way to find more time in your day to enjoy yourself with your family or to work on personal pursuits. Maybe you would not be as stressed as you are if you could spend

In a world of sin and greed, we often find ourselves frustrated. The Christian recognizes that no matter how righteous, anger is never pure and innocent since it is always mingled with sin. In addition, what someone does with that anger can lead them to a dark place. This is why recognizing signs of anger issues is so crucial. If you were asked to list some bad signs of anger issues, you could probably rattle off a long

Depression is a complex mood disorder that few people truly understand, even when they are experiencing it firsthand. Sometimes, it is linked to other disorders such as bipolar, ADHD, or OCD, but depression can also be a standalone medical issue or simply a result of life experiences like grief or overwork. The first step to effectively managing this condition is to identify the signs of depression, which often proves to be a difficult task. Running On Empty Most people

One of the advantages of living in the time we do is that we are constantly learning more about ourselves, and we’re figuring out new ways to tackle old problems. This is happening in almost every arena of human knowledge, no less in resolving emotional and mental health challenges. As we find out more and more about how our bodies and brains work, we can develop therapeutic techniques that are more effective than past treatments, or that can produce

Many hopeful young parents dream of the bright future they can build for their child through homeschooling. It’s easy to picture the idyllic scene of your children learning math facts around the kitchen table. You may dream of reading books together in a cozy chair and the joy of watching your child discover new things. But sometimes that dream gets derailed when you throw ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) into the mix. While it might feel like a wild ride

Emotional abandonment can be a difficult issue to resolve. Emotional abandonment comes from many different sources. People who feel abandoned due to childhood trauma or a lack of emotional availability from parents or loved ones can experience trauma from a specific event in their life. Whatever the case may be, the person experiencing this needs to resolve it so they can participate in healthy relationships in the future. This is especially true for spouses. It can be difficult to live