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Am I Badgering You—or Is It the Holy Spirit Nudging You?”

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Recently, I asked a couple of women why they joined one of my coaching groups.
One said with a smile on her face, “Because Kathy Burrus kept badgering me.”
Another said, “You insisted strongly… I didn’t think I could do it, but you kept encouraging me.”

Hmm? That smade me wonder. I found myself asking God,

“Am I badgering women? Am I being pushy or manipulative?”

The truth? Maybe. At least, that’s how it felt from their side.

While I did question my motivation, here’s what I know deep in my bones:…

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Joy Comes in the Morning… Even After a Long Night

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I sat with her words still echoing in my mind: “I don’t know if I’ll ever feel joy again.”
This woman wasn’t a client. She was my mentor. Only for this conversation, I was the ‘older woman’. My daughter had died 15 years before hers.

Still I didn’t have a quick answer.

In truth, I’ve asked the same thing. Through grief. Through chronic illness. Through deep, soul-level weariness, I’ve wondered if joy would ever return.

But today, something simple happened. I went to make tea.

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Honoring My Grief

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Something changed March 31st.

I didn’t think much of it at first until it was April 5 and I was still ‘down’ (exhausted, weak, unable to think clearly or make a decision) I’ve had those symptoms happen before. I struggle with them periodically, but I felt like I was doing better.

And then I wasn’t.

And I haven’t been all month.

I’ve done the things I have to do. I take an extra dose of the meds I need to manage ‘stress’ (that’s what you do when you have Addison’s disease, because my body doesn’t do that anymore.) I muster up enough energy to speak or teach or coach or write-

and then I sleep. A lot.

Being the question-asker that I am, I have tried to determine why I am ‘down’ and why for so long. I attributed it to some new meds I’m taking, or the weather change or … I have a rather long list of things I could mention here.

But then my husband says,

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Don't Give Up! Let JOY burst forth when You don't feel llke it!

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I really hate to admit this to you. Afterall, the situation is a huge part of the work I do with and for other women-- I should have that figured out for myself, right?

Well, I was told by a mentor, "your greatest pain often becomes your greatest service to your world." So...I must have some GREAT work yet ahead of me. ,,

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When Celebrating turns to Cele-dreading--- it's Time to SNAP!

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This month I am aware of the 'cele-dread' mindset that creeps up on me.  It's October.  Two years ago this month, Mom received her diagnosis of advanced stages of cancer in her body. Seven weeks later she was home with her Lord - and my Dad!  I don't plan to be impacted by grief, but sometimes it creeps up on me and leaks out through my eyes rather intensely.  During 2023, my whole being rather fell apart.  My body, heart, mind, and spirit needed space and time to 'recalibrate' everything I had experienced in 2022.  There were some pretty dark days and I could not 'manage' all of it at once.  Here I am two years later still feeling the effects of all the ups and downs. 

But one thing I can do - I S.N.A.P!   This simple 4-step process became a prayer of sorts, even on the hardest of days.

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When A Pickle Jar Teaches Priorities

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Are you focusing on what truly matters in your life?

Dive with me into the powerful "big rocks" illustration to be reminded how to prioritize the things that count—both in our personal lives and in our faith. Using a simple yet profound analogy of filling a jar with big rocks, little rocks, sand, and water, we explore how trying to fit in everything without prioritizing leaves no room for the most important things.

I put my own personal twist using a pickle jar to illustrate

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Remembering EnVision YOU Launch September 2019

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Five years ago, I had the joy of introducing my EnVision YOU book and butterfly out into the world. Getting to launch my 2nd book, EnVision YOU, at TRIBEWRITER 2019 with Jeff Goins was such a thrill. He hosted five Tribewriter conferences. I attended all five. 

I attended TW (Tribewriter) 2015 because I had a book in me that was burning a hole in my heart. The message I heard from Jeff that year was “You are a Writer.” I wasn’t sure I believed it, but I made a commitment.

I came to TW #2 (2016) with my first book...

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One last talk with my Dad!

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Pondering the value of ‘last words’ in my life, I have considered often my last face-to-face conversation with Dad over Memorial Day weekend of 2022. I shared this memory on August 6th, 2022 at his memorial service.

On July 23rd, 2022, my Daddy went 'HOME".

Since our daughter, Leisha, 'ran on home' almost almost 16 years ago, I've been very aware that this earthly home is only temporary. 

Dad and I talked about that in May when I saw him last. He spoke of what it would be like to see Leisha - after Jesus of course! How he would give her a big hug and tell her that her momma loves her.

He admitted it was hard to…

When Change means Beginning Again

This has been a place of beginning again - AGAIN!

When you look at the metamorphosis of a butterfly,
they grow from being a little egg
to becoming the caterpillar
to becoming the little “J” hanging from a leaf
and spinning into the Chrysalis
then emerging from the Chrysalis
to become the butterfly she was always meant to be.

That's a process that many of us have taken an interest in and have observed with great curiosity.

We recognize a pattern that translates into our own journey. While the butterfly only experiences that transformation once (it is their whole existence ), we can experience that multiple times in our lifetime.

Think about that moment for us as humans.