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Why Love Takes Work
Every February, we’re inundated with messages about love, and the focus is almost always on romance. While loving and serving our significant other is important, God has blessed each of us with many different types of relationships and calls us to love others as He has loved us.…
I Never Wanted To Be Divorced
When it comes to “relationships,” women tend to throw more of their time, energy, and even money into the ring to keep things “just right.” Chances are, you are one of these women, and chances are, all of your efforts are going to waste. Catherine Gates, Director of…
Is This Why Relationships Fail?
If you had three seconds to state your most important relationship, what would you come up with? If you're married, it would likely be your spouse. Single? Maybe your best friend, sibling, or even parent. No matter which life stage you're in, "relationship" is an evident…
Enjoyment: The Ultimate Source
Over the past three weeks, we've written about enjoyment: what brings you joy, how to live in the moment, and wondering if enjoyment is "easier said than done." Were you able to make time for joy this month, to take in the words written on the 4word blogs…
Enjoyment: Easier Said Than Done?
This month, we’ve talked about enjoyment and how we can add a little more enjoyment to our daily lives in the midst of hectic schedules and the demands of work and family. But is making enjoyment a priority easier said than done? Here are three tips I’ve discovered…
Enjoyment: Live in the Moment
When was the last time you slowed down and really enjoyed something? For many women, this is a luxury we feel we said goodbye to back in our school years! So how do we invite that joyfulness back into our lives in the midst of everything else we’re…
Summer Like a Kid Again
Summer is supposed to be a “carefree” time, but for most working moms, there’s nothing carefree about the crunch of kid activities, organizing childcare, vacation planning, and—before you know it—getting ready for school to start again. This is the reality of “mom summer," but "mom summer" doesn't…
I Don’t Understand, God
I wanted today's blog to be a little different. As many of you know, my daughter, Annie, has been suffering a debilitating battle. This has been one of the hardest, darkest times for my family. In the midst of all the pain and appointments and struggles to see…
You CAN Do the Impossible
My life is always a bit hectic, but there have been times when things just seemed to flow. When my family was basically happy and healthy, when my relationships were strong and my career was comfortably challenging. The past few months have not been one of those times. Life has…
Making Time For Friends
Are you feeling too busy for friends? For working women with countless demands on their lives, “keeping up with friends” too often gets pushed to the side. Maybe it’s because there isn’t enough time in a day, or because “friends time” feels like too much of a guilty…
Savor the Rest of Summer
Summer is supposed to be a “carefree” time, but for most working moms, there’s nothing carefree about the crunch of kid activities, organizing childcare, vacation-planning, and—before you know it—getting ready for school to start again. This is the reality of “mom summer," but "mom summer" doesn't have to…
4 Gifts My Father Gave Me
Last week I came across this great article by Jeffery Tobias Halter, on 10 Things Fathers of Daughters Can Do to Advocate for Women, and it got me thinking about the many things my own father did for me to help prepare me for life and my career.…
Your Careers Are Married Too
When he works and she works, how does the marriage work? It’s relatively easy to be supportive (and supported) before your marriage, when your career is basically just between you and God. A lot of young people mistakenly go into marriage thinking that they can continue that approach.…
Strangers In Their Own Church
A hot topic among Christians lately has been single or childless women in the church and how they "fit in." Church small groups, classes, and weekly activities seem to cater either to men or stay-at-home moms. Everyone else in the congregation either gets clumped together into a generic…
Courage to Do Impossible Things
My life is always a bit hectic, but there have been times when things just seemed to flow. When the family was basically happy and healthy, when my relationships were strong and my career was comfortably challenging. This is not one of those times. Life is heavy for…
Redemption After Divorce
Once upon a time, the fairy-tale version of my life was looking pretty good. By age 35, I had been married for over a decade, to a man who checked all the “right” boxes. I had a great education, a job I enjoyed, a church home, and…
Let’s Take the Time to Get Down & Dirty!
What is keeping you from building deep friendships? One of the key pillars of 4word is building connections between women. Authentic, supportive relationships with people who “get you” and can speak into your life in myriad ways. In fact I devoted an entire section of Work, Love, Pray to…
Put Your Cell Phone Away
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a multi-tasker are you? Honestly? I’m probably an 11. And I’m not entirely sure how my life would work if I weren’t that way. Sometimes, doing two things at once is the only way I get anything done…
Dear Dads: We're Awesome, Because You're Awesome
As we prepare for Father's Day this coming Sunday, I've asked a few members of the 4word team to share about some of the Dads in their lives. I love this opportunity to hear about the special men who help shape current and future 4word women. I hope…
Motherhood: Expect the Unexpected
Ladies, it’s time to shatter that perfect image you have of motherhood. If you’re already a mother, most likely that image has already been broken. How are you handling it? How will you handle it? Adapting to the challenges life brings might be one of the hardest tasks…