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I must confess this realization brought me to tears this afternoon. So, meditating on the real meaning of the Greek word “matanoia” (often (mis)translated into English as “repentance”) which actually means “to change one’s mind”… I’ve come to a stunning peace about something I’ve seen people of faith struggle with my entire life – including …

What do you need to survive and thrive as a human? Sometimes we forget that the answer is not the latest car, a bigger house, a better job, or a vacation. People often get caught up in the materialism of our culture and lose sight of their basic human needs. The four human needs all …

Many believers need to learn a new skill – and FAST. We literally need the gift of “tongues”. We need to ask for this gift, lean into it, and watch it manifest in our lives. We need to be able to speak what we know to be true in some language OTHER than “churchianity”. The …

“It’s Women’s History Month. This feels to me to be a great time to open up a discussion, while we’re all focused on who, exactly, women ARE.I’ll be focusing on this for the rest of the month. I have so very much *wonder* to share with you. ❤I’m sorry my life right now doesn’t lend …

The Greek word so often mistranslated as “submit” (hupotasso) in Ephesians 5:24 is actually better translated “to identify with” or “to be in support of”. It was more of a military term at the time, meaning to be on the same team. A good modern term would be “to have one’s back”, or even “got …

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—  which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel from …

So, the Matthew 14:22-33 story was gnawing at me, waking me up at 1AM because of something I had previously overlooked, and I’ve been following that rabbit hole for the last couple of hours. (I WILL be napping during lunch today, btw ) So, that excerpt contains the story about Peter stepping out of the boat …

I just want take a moment to remember my former father-in-law and “Pops in Florida” to my precious daughters, Paul Sr., who passed yesterday morning into glory. The girls, family and I are gathering together at home tonight for a traditional “all-day Momma meal”, assembling to remember and honor our memories of our lives with …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself. – Saint Augustine – Vēritās līberābit vōs.   Episode 10 – Love After Life, Part 1 of …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ Episode 9 – “In Jesus’ Name?” Word of the Week: Onoma (Ancient Greek: ὄνομᾰ) When we pray for something “In Jesus’ Name”, what does that even mean? A huge majority of the westernized church has been …

Never mistake church-related activity and “busy-ness” with an actual relationship with the Creator of the universe. No matter what you have been told, they are not the same thing. Your enemy loves it when you stay so distracted with holy-looking behavior that you have no time to spend alone with God. Some leaders will gladly help …

The heart, Blaise Pascal said, “has its reasons which reason knows nothing of.” Something in us longs, hopes, maybe even at times believes that this is not the way things were supposed to be. Our desire fights the assault of death upon life. And so people with terminal illnesses get married. Prisoners in a concentration …

Most Christians desire very deeply to be known as gracious, kind, patient, and forgiving. We feel we “owe” it to Jesus to be seen on our best behavior. This is even truer for those of us in “the ministry” whose lives are publicly attached to Jesus. Now, some of the motivation behind this is beautiful …

Eve is given to Adam as his “ezer kenegdo”, or as many translations have it, his “help meet” or “helper.” Doesn’t sound like much, does it? It makes me think of Hamburger Helper. But Robert Alter says this is “a notoriously difficult word to translate.” It means something far more powerful than just “helper”; it …

A curious warning is given to us in Peter’s first epistle. There he tells us to be ready to give the reason for the hope that lies within us to everyone who asks (3:15). Now, what’s strange about that passage is this: no one ever asks. When was the last time someone stopped you to …

If you’re listening to someone who is telling you that you have to earn the love of God… earn the favor of God… earn ANYTHING with God… RUN. The New Testament teaches that God nailed all the scorecards to the cross with His Son. The veil between Himself and you wasn’t just half torn, partially …

One day, through the primeval wood,A calf walked home, as good calves should;But made a trail all bent askew,A crooked trail as all calves do. Since then two hundred years have fled,And, I infer, the calf is dead.But still he left behind his trail,And thereby hangs my moral tale. The trail was taken up next …

“The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” – Psalm 2:2-4 God is laughing. God, who is King over the entire Universe, …

I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry to those people who have been wounded by religion. I’m so sorry to those people who have been taught to believe “church” is a building. I’m so sorry to the precious souls who have had scripture slung at them like daggers. I’m so sorry to those who have been …

Matthew 5:22“But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” This may be one of …

Circle “yes” if you generally do or believe the following statement.Circle “no” if you generally do not believe or do the following statement. yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no …

Having a hard time trying to combat negativity in your life? I think we all do at some point in our lives. Whether you are trying to deal with negative thoughts, or negative people, there are several challenges you’ll inevitably face. It isn’t easy eliminating negativity from your life; particularly if the negative behavior has …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ Episode 8 – Think About What You’re Thinking About We’re all aware of the statistics about bullying and how harmful bullying and intolerance can be. Bullying is painful and damaging to the person who is being …

Do you find it difficult or uncomfortable to accept praise or compliments? If so, you’re not alone. According to Tess Brigham, psychotherapist and certified life coach, low self-worth is a big reason why receiving a compliment can be challenging to accept and believe. If you suffer from impostor syndrome, you may internally think that you …

Can you name your strengths, or just your weaknesses? According to Susan Surtel, a professional coach on StrengthsCanada.com, “two-thirds of adults are not aware of where their natural talents lie.” She goes on to say that, “people who are less successful are usually not aware of their natural abilities and often try to fix themselves.” …

According to CollinsDictionary.com, “a goal or target that is realistic is one which you can sensibly expect to achieve.” In order to know what a reasonable expectation is, let’s first discuss what an unreasonable expectation might look like. What Are Unreasonable Expectations? Unreasonable expectations might be thinking that if you work hard enough, someone may …

Have you ever had to deal with conflict? If so, what was your initial reaction? There is no way to avoid conflict all the time, so learning how to deal with it in a healthy manner is an important life skill. Knowing how to manage conflict is a skill that can be helpful in professional …

Overthinking can be a constant and chronic issue for many individuals. This vicious cycle can feel like mental acrobatics. And for the person who deals with impostor syndrome, overthinking seems to be part of their daily battle. Chronic overthinkers are plagued by second-guessing their decisions or imagining a horrible outcome. Replaying conversations or events over …

Impostor syndrome can go by many different names, such as “impostor phenomenon” or “fraud syndrome.” It is described as having an overwhelming feeling that you do not deserve the success you have earned. Some even say that they become fearful of being called out as a fraud after having been successful in an area of …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™  Episode 7 – What’s Been Heavy on my Mind Lately In this episode, Nicole shares a lot of personal information and where she has been lately. She also shares her personal take-aways from this experience and …

Have you lost all enthusiasm for life? Did your “get up and go” get up and leave? If so, you certainly aren’t alone! Many people lose their enthusiasm for life somewhere along the way. Whether it is due to depression, or because you are stuck in a rut; losing your enthusiasm can suck. However, there …

Living with stress can lead to poor health and is a large contributing factor in heart disease, asthma, obesity, gastrointestinal problems, and other physical health problems. In addition, stress increases your chance of experiencing depression, anxiety, and even Alzheimer’s disease – not to mention premature death. Training yourself to care less about the opinions of …

The hustle culture surrounding us can sometimes make us feel guilty for having interests or hobbies of our own, especially if it takes us away from our career or our family. Sadly, this feeling of having to spread oneself “too thin” is true for both men and women. Many of us are at a loss …

If you have trouble coming to final decisions, you may want to explore a few causes of your indecisiveness. Then, if you discover you’re doing these things, you can eliminate them and start making decisions much faster. Thinking Too Much – If you allow yourself unlimited time to make a choice, you may never make …

One way to learn to stop caring so much about irrelevant issues and thoughts of others is to dig in deep and study yourself in a new way to get to the bottom of the reasons you care so much. Three helpful ways you can use to get clear on why you care so much …

Receiving validation from other people feels rather good, so good that some people develop an addiction to receiving that outside approval instead of being motivated intrinsically. If you can’t motivate yourself without someone else’s approval, out may suffer from an approval addiction. You’re Obsessed with Getting People to Express Interest in You You like being …

You will find a lot of information online about how to eliminate negative friendships from your life. However, what if the source of negativity is coming from you? It isn’t always easy to recognize when you are being negative. Some people have no idea how their negativity is impacting others. So, if your friendships have …

Is your energy constantly being drained by emotional vampires? The people around us affect how we feel and view the world. There are plenty of reasons why some people may drain your energy more than others. You could be dealing with a narcissist, or someone who complains most of the time. If you have an …

Are you worried your best years are now well and truly behind you? As we get older, it’s common to start to feel like life just isn’t as good as it used to be. When you were younger, you had more energy, passion, and enthusiasm. You focused on learning and achieving new things. Life was …

If you are not a “morning person” you may recoil in horror at the idea of waking up even earlier to include morning rituals in your busy schedule. You do not have to wake up at 5 AM every day to benefit from introducing morning rituals into your life.If you drink a cup of coffee …

When you are trying to practice self-love, you’re going to run into a few obstacles along the way. These can really derail your progress if you aren’t prepared. By being aware of the common obstacles, you can take steps to prevent them. So, let’s look at some of the most common obstacles people face when …

Being optimistic, of course, has mindset benefits, but did you know there are physical health benefits to being more optimistic? When you think of being optimistic, do you believe that some people are naturally born with it and others simply aren’t that lucky? The good news is that while, yes, some were born with a …

Sustaining a healthy, happy lifestyle can seem like a juggling act at times. Maintaining the work, life balance is an art in and of itself. With the power of hope, optimism, and positive thinking, you can keep your balance and do so with ease. Hope, optimism, and positive thinking all sound the same, but there …

There are several benefits to leading a life of optimism. Research shows those with more optimism bounce back more quickly when getting sick, are more resilient in life in general, sleep better and even live longer. While this is wonderful news for us as individuals, how does optimism impact our relationships? How Does Your Optimism …

The pessimist might say, “How dreary, it’s raining,” while the optimist might say, “Thank goodness for this rain; the plants and flowers need it.” Here are a few of the differences between an optimist and a pessimist: Optimist Traits Sees a problem as a challenge Has a “can-do” attitude Laughs and smiles frequently Has a …

While some individuals are born with sunny dispositions, others are more prone to negative outlooks. Many factors come into play: Childhood experiences Temperament Environment Economic status Genetic predisposition While these are all valid reasons as to why one person might be more positive and optimistic than another, there is one factor which may have the …

Today’s busy life constantly comes with heavy doses of stress, anxiety, and apprehension; all of which are not conducive to a healthy happy life. To cope, people often search for therapies and guidance on how to limit or eradicate these things from daily schedules. However, the answer may be much simpler than that. If anything, …

Mastering anxiety might not seem like an easy task, but it is possible. Whether it’s a matter of eliminating anxiety or simply managing your stress, you have the opportunity to put in place a plan to deal with everyday anxiety, and you can learn how to overcome anxiety.

Writing Down Thoughts Improves The Thinking Process – So much goes on around us every single day. Therefore it is hard for our mind to remember all of it. The thought process is very complex and indeed fascinating at the same time…

There are many different ways that people choose to stimulate their brain activity. One of them that seems to be getting a great deal of attention these days is called aromatherapy. This involves lighting candles or heating up oils with various types of scents on them. These scents will trigger a variety of reactions from the brain that are positive in nature. Not everyone is a follower of such methods though because they are skeptical about such capabilities. There are other people though that will tell you that aromatherapy has changed many things in their thinking process for the better.

Why do we stay in our comfort zone? Because our comfort zone is the stress-free zone we are used to. It’s what is familiar. It’s also the place where we are the most dissatisfied with our life. When we stay in our comfort zone, we are forcing ourselves to stay stagnant. We’re afraid to change for fear of what could happen. Our brains are trained to keep us safe so we stay in our comfort zone instead of facing the unknown.

We all have high aspirations. However, it can be hard to turn those dreams and goals into a reality. The truth is many of us struggle to reach our goals. The reason frequently involves our apprehension about step out of our comfort zone. It’s true that nothing ever happens in our comfort zone. It’s the place that keeps us in the “someday” mode of pushing our goals to the side until

You’re dreaming of traveling to the beach, sitting on the sand watching the sun set. But instead of taking the steps to go, you feel fear. What if you’re needed at your job, by your family or any of your other obligations? What if the plane crashes? What if you get lost? What would happen if you let down your guard? What if…?

You’ve probably heard the saying by Roy T. Bennet, “You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” It’s true that during the times you step outside your element, you experience who you really are. It’s about facing our fears and doing …

We’ve heard a lot about getting out of our comfort zone. But have you ever thought about why you should? After all, our comfort zone is where we feel in control and safe. It’s where we can predict what will happen and how we will feel. There won’t be any surprises, that we can’t deal with.

It’s easy to simplify happiness and claim that it’s obvious that successful people are happy. However, if you really interviewed 100 successful people, you may be surprised that a large percentage of them are not as happy as you think they ought to be. The fact is, you can be a millionaire, have a

Happiness is an important ingredient in a healthy life. Many studies indicate that happiness plays a major role in your health, whether it’s living a healthy lifestyle or reducing the amount of chronic pain – happiness is the solution to many health woes.

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ Episode 6, Edification, Word of the Week: Oikodomeo, Listener Question: How can I get my husband to stop belittling me and putting me down? Hey, great to meet you! My name is Nicole Berryhill. I serve …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ Episode 5, Clear and Honest Communication, Word of the Week: Legó/Logos, Listener Question: How Can I Fix Broken Family Communications? Hey, great to meet you! My name is Nicole Berryhill. I serve people who struggle with …

Most people go through times when they have trouble getting their thoughts to align with their intentions. When that happens, it can hinder your happiness. It can get in the way of your happiness because these types of thoughts are focusing on what’s wrong, what’s missing, or the negativity of the situation instead of the …

It seems life has taken us to a place where we no longer value kindness as a trait.  In fact, kindness has been replaced with self-importance and wanting to stay impersonal. The question is why has the world become less kind? Is it that we no longer care about others? Do we believe kindness makes …

While the dictionary defines happiness as “the state of being happy” which gives you very little information about the idea or feeling of, or state of happiness. Let’s look at some different things that happiness can be, but realize that in truth, happiness is in the mind of the beholder. Your Needs are Met – …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ Episode 4, The Necessity of Self-Care, Word of the Week: Seautou, Listener Question: How Do I Make Self-Care a Priority? Hey, great to meet you! My name is Nicole Berryhill. I serve people who struggle with …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ Episode 3 – Freedom in Forgiveness; Word of the Week: Aphesis; Listener Question: How Can I Forgive and Move On? —————————————- Hey, great to meet you! My name is Nicole Berryhill. I serve people who struggle …

Live Life Loved™ – with Nicole Berryhill – Where smart and spiritual come together to reveal truly good news.™ Episode 2 – What Is Love?; Word of the Week: Metanoia; Listener Question: Are You too Damaged to Love? How to Fix It —————————– Hey, great to meet you! My name is Nicole Berryhill. I serve …