crissycates.com

Living life on purpose.

My Weak Hand

I recently attended a 2-day Christian women’s conference. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been to one, but those things are definitely my jam. I love gleaning inspiration in new ways from spirit-filled women and men of God. Connecting with fresh faces and new voices that know the same God I know, serve the same God I serve, and think, feel, and act much like I do has a way of reminding me that God is just so big.

People from many different walks of life, from all over the world – varying races, religions, languages, gender, styles, and appearances – coming together in His name with a common goal of learning and living for Him might just rattle you a little. And rattle me, it did. I’ve got a book full of notes to prove it. 

Author and speaker Bob Goff was one of the teachers, and he encouraged us to reach out to others with our weak hand, to share our vulnerabilities with others to make connections in His name. I believe this is so incredibly important. Our human existence is desperate for these types of interactions. Soaking in the highlight reels of Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, we often have ourselves convinced that we’re the only ones with any problems at all. Our spirits long for connection, but we unintentionally drive wedges between one another with the absence of any real transparency, projecting the illusion that our little piece of the world is nothing if not beautifully photographed squares. VIEW POST

The Fight for Our Attention: Every Woman’s Struggle

Multitasking women, wives, and moms are drowning in self-imposed expectations, keeping up with the Joneses, striving for Pinterest-perfect homes, meals, and children, and contributing to the household income. We have the best intentions to put God first in our lives and fit in some “me” time, because we all know we won’t be our best selves without those staples intact. We, of course, want to give our best to our husbands and children, so we read the books, browse the blogs, and subscribe to the emails to help us do, be, and know all the things. Yet at the end of the day, we go to bed exhausted, wondering if we’ve done even one thing right that day. While we’re giving a little of ourselves everywhere, we are losing ourselves somewhere. Is there even a remedy to this crazy train we so willingly jump on? Do we even want one?

VIEW POST

If You Think Your Kids Are Immune From These Influences, Think Again

Influencing Our Kids With Intention

Influences consist of everything we take in on any given day. What we see, what we read, where we go, what we hear, who we interact with…all of these things have an influence on US, our MINDS, our LIVES, and our KIDS.

In this automated era we’re living in, we take a lot for granted. We don’t have to work so hard to entertain our kids (thanks, iPad apps!), help with homework (thanks, YouTube!), or screen movies (thanks, Netflix!). Spotify keeps us from having to purchase music at all (good thing), just as much as it keeps us from knowing what our kids are listening to (bad thing). No need to get a cell phone plan for your teen or child. They can FaceTime or chat on various apps with nothing more than an internet connection. This is a new day in parenting!

The influences around us and our kids are ever-present…screaming in our faces, creeping into our minds, and occupying our hearts. Shockingly, we often remain completely passive toward them as if they’re something we can’t control. Even worse, they are sometimes of no concern whatsoever.

Influence is defined as “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.” Influences mold who we are. They’re either positive or negative, but they’re always there. What influences do you hope mold your children’s character? Your own personal development? Your children’s behavior? What influences are infiltrating your life and that of your children? VIEW POST

FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM