Having mindfulness is intentionally focusing on God so that His voice is louder than our judgements.  And mindfulness is produced through the practice of meditation. Christian mindfulness is walking out what 2 Corinthians 10:5 says in “taking every thought captive.”  Meditation develops the skill of gaining control over what you think about yourself and life and submitting it to God.

Once again research has confirmed what is found in scripture, that having fun is a key to resilience. It allows you the mental and emotional break to be creative and relieve stress. This will prevent you from getting stuck when walking through life’s difficult moments.

Having regular rhythms of rest and understanding your unique signs that you need rest is a discipline that will allow you to avoid getting stuck when you face adversity.   Rest is necessary to have endurance, a clear mind, and the emotional capacity necessary to not be overcome by life’s challenges.

We are created to be in relationship – with God and with others.  By staying connected we become more resilient, allowing us to bounce back from struggle or hardship quicker.

Regardless of how much you try to stay neutral and maintain boundaries, there is a loss of objectivity because the relationship between the support provider and the user is often personal. Because there is a closer relationship and connection between care ministry members and the person who is looking for support, we need to be more mindful about how our support can cross over into trying to rescue or save someone.

If you don’t have a team helping you support those in your congregation you are going to wear yourself and those who come to you out if you try to do it all on your own. When you are seeking out people to be on a care team, look for natural helpers. Having a diverse group of care volunteers will strengthen your care team and create an environment that will encourage people to seek out support rather than suffer in isolation.  

Most ministry leaders don’t realize that churches are often the number one front-line mental health resource for their members. It’s necessary to have a care team and an intentional care plan for those who are looking to your church for support.     So download the 17 page guide on 3 Steps to Building Sustainable Care Ministry in your Church.

For a limited time I’m offering a free guide on building a sustainable care ministry in your churc

Download: 3 tips on how to say no with grace   How many times have you been in a situation when someone is asking you to do something and you think” I really should say no but I feel bad”  So are faced with a decision.  Do you say no and feel guilty, or you say...

“I” statements are a simple way of speaking that will help you avoid the defensive trap by reducing feelings of blame. A good “I” statement takes responsibility for one’s own feelings, while tactfully describing a problem.

H.A.L.T. It stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired.  It’s a quick and easy reminder that if you feel any of these things you should halt, stop immediately and meet these needs prior to having difficult conversations.