Featured
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Magical Thinking versus a Firm Faith
Magical thinking is a trap into which many fall, particularly when difficult circumstances hit. When I was married to my first husband, a typical narcissistic abuser, I regularly fooled myself into thinking that eventually he would mature out of that stage and morph into a responsible, loving adult. Because of this magical thinking, I dedicated much prayer towards this end, and I closed myself off from what was real. In the process, I endangered both my children and myself. And magical thinking is not merely applied to relational desires. I think money is an area in which I know I tend to use magical thinking rather than taking responsibility. Weight…
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The Thrifty Givers: A Study in Constant Motion
Some of my favorite people are givers. They just seem to know how to have fun and for a sanguine exhorter like myself, fun is a necessity of life. In fact, if I could choose a redemptive gift for myself, I would have wished for that of a giver. They know how to get things done and so many of their plans come to fruition. Behaviorally, however, givers often have a hard time figuring out what their redemptive gifting really is. They don’t fit into categories easily. But like the other giftings, you can always count on one or two giveaways. The main giveaway for the givers is that they…
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The Melancholy Prophets: A Study in Extremes
Of all the redemptive gifts, the prophets are the hardest to live with. They can be hard on both themselves and others. In my experience, most people have three giftings that look like two primary and one less prominent. For me, I operate mostly in the mercy and exhorter giftings. But I have enough prophet in me to get me into trouble regularly. And of my children, I have at least two who fall into this category as a primary gifting. And believe me, they can be a challenge to raise. The difficulty in locating your redemptive gifts is that wounding can really mask who you truly are. I thought…
