Am I Outraged for the Right Reasons?
News can be a major source of anxiety. How do we pursue truth for the good of the world and ourselves? How can we be informed and loving?
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The Heart in Training Blog
...that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight...
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Amanda Anderson
- Jan 27
- 5 min
I'll Take that with Extra Outrage
Media isn't accidentally addictive. It's designed to be addictive. So how do we break free from this anxious stimulus.
Amanda Anderson
- Jan 19
- 5 min
How Are You Holding Up
After the death of a friend, I'm reflecting on tradition and freedom as they pertain to grief.
Amanda Anderson
- Dec 13, 2022
- 5 min
Healing Prayer Perfection Paralysis
It's an act of trust to show up to prayer busted up and ticked off. It's infinitely better than not praying at all.
Amanda Anderson
- Dec 6, 2022
- 5 min
The Good Roles and Subtle Risks of Ritual
Breaking Enslaving Traditions, Part Two Sophia, our eldest daughter, is away from home for the first time. She has chosen to attend...
Amanda Anderson
- Nov 23, 2022
- 5 min
Breaking Enslaving Traditions, Part One
Break Up With Your Anxious Life When I was a mom of two small kids, our women’s pastor Shelly came to my Mothers of Preschoolers group...
Amanda Anderson
- Nov 16, 2022
- 5 min
Choosing Productive Anxiety
Tolerating anxiety when we say "no" gives us the freedom to be in authentic relationships.
Amanda Anderson
- Nov 3, 2022
- 5 min
Conquering the Need for Approval, Part Two
Who decides what good is yours to do? Whose approval do you seek?
Amanda Anderson
- Oct 25, 2022
- 4 min
Conquering the Need for Approval, Part One
Break Up with Your Anxious Life I once had a neighbor (we’ll call her Jane) who was raising her girls to be nice Christian women. One day...
Amanda Anderson
- Oct 13, 2022
- 6 min
Giving Our Kids the Gift of Reality
Letting our children name reality unflinchingly gives them the lasting gift of keeping themselves safe.
Amanda Anderson
- Oct 5, 2022
- 4 min
Gratitude Is Not for Gaslighting
The naming of reality in Christian community is as important for our spiritual health as knowing Biblical truth.
Amanda Anderson
- Sep 30, 2022
- 4 min
Love Rejoices With the Truth
In systems where those in charge don't know how to repair, truth-tellers may be blamed rather than valued.
Amanda Anderson
- Sep 30, 2022
- 3 min
God is Not a Gaslighter
We need to discern the truth of our situations, to name the truth of our emotions, and live in communities that honor truth-telling.
Amanda Anderson
- Sep 16, 2022
- 4 min
Death by Glitter
Death by glitter is infinitely preferable to death by a tidy, productive life. Our souls need fun as well as work.
Amanda Anderson
- Sep 6, 2022
- 5 min
Podcasts Aren’t Play
God wants to meet our need for fun. Though play is necessary, play is also about what is not necessary. Hence the expression "just for fun."
Amanda Anderson
- Aug 30, 2022
- 5 min
Hope That Helps Us Stay Present
God's hope never denies reality, but helps us to face our current circumstances and stay present.
Amanda Anderson
- Aug 24, 2022
- 5 min
The Myth of the Starter House
Worrying about the future will rob us of peace in the present, counting on the future as being better than the present can also jack us up.
Amanda Anderson
- Aug 12, 2022
- 4 min
Why You Might Think the Sabbath Sucks
Rest sometimes brings "bad" feelings to the surface. But the more we do it, the better it is for our souls.
Amanda Anderson
- Aug 2, 2022
- 4 min
The Surprising Reason We Need Rest
Rest doesn't just meet a need when we are tired. Rest is a diagnostic tool that helps us recognize our needs.
Amanda Anderson
- Jul 21, 2022
- 5 min
Is Trying to Be Happy Making You Anxious?
The American obsession with feeling good can result in us feeling bad. God's purpose for us is deeper than being happy.
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