Big Ben has been keeping London on time since 1859—unwavering, precise, and immune to distractions (unlike the rest of us drowning in emails, notifications, and back-to-back meetings). If only our calendars ran as smoothly as that iconic clock tower.

There’s a persistent rumor floating around the universe, that I know has undoubtedly crept into your sector, and it’s as elusive as a pink polka dotted unicorn frolicking down your neighborhood street—what is this elusive unicorn you ask?

Let’s face it, we’re not all the same. Each one of us has a unique set of circumstances, responsibilities, and energy levels. What works wonders for one person might not resonate with another.

Planning is great. It’s what responsible adults do. In life, it’s necessary. In business, it’s vital for success. We meticulously create business plans, set ambitious goals, and strategize to conquer the market.

Self-made business owner. Self-made woman. Self-made millionaire. Self-made [insert your own descriptor here]. Everywhere we look, we hear the term self-made thrown around regularly. Self-made is a point of pride.

Do we treat others as if they are a blessing or as if they are an imposition? There are no mistakes in God’s kingdom. No coincidences. We’ll never know here on earth why some people cross our path. And that’s okay.

A friend was recently relaying to me how her daughter, Olivia, has been attempting to exert her perceived authority around their church. This little one’s dad is a pastor at this large church, and she walks around milking that fact for all it’s worth—as she should!

I was an enabler. For years. For a plethora of reasons. In some, I was truly powerless as a minor with few options. In others, I was kept quiet by a blanket of shame.

There are two types of people in this world: Those who have a phone filled with little red dots at any given time and those who have exactly zero little red dots. You know those round little red bubbles that alert you on any given app that you have a message or an email or a form of new information?

Time is a funny thing. We have all kinds of statements and imagery to capture how finicky it is. Sometimes it seems to happen at the speed of light. Other times it feels like trudging through mud at a snail’s pace.

AT&T recently sent me an email notifying me that my cell phone payments were almost complete. I had one final payment to make after two years of monthly installments, and then I’d be in the free and clear on technically owning my iPhone. However, I didn’t need that reminder from AT&T. It was totally unnecessary.

When we start talking about our stories for the first time, it can feel that we’re utterly exposed. If we take the proverbial skeleton out of the closet, will we ever be able to lock it back in?

If you’re anything like me, you’re a planner. You like to have not just a Plan B, but plans ranging all the way from A-Z because, hey, life’s a little crazy, and you better be prepared! Spreadsheets and color-coded sticky notes galore are your best friends. You can’t go wrong with twenty-six different plans.

All too often, in Christianese circles, when we start talking about ourselves, guarding parts of us, or putting ourselves before others, we start to get squeamish and uncomfortable. Aren’t we supposed to die to ourselves and put everyone else before our own needs?

God doesn’t despise my humanness. Nor does He despise yours. Our Creator didn’t make any mistakes. He chose humans, as an expression of his love, and he created us in his image.

“Hi, you’re reached the Joneses. And, as you know, it’s hard to keep up with the Joneses, so if you leave your name, number, and a brief message, we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.” Throughout my childhood, that was the long-standing message on our family’s answering machine.

Self-confidence. Self-esteem. Self-worth. We hear all of these “self” words thrown around in our everyday language. We’re told they’re important to have at appropriate levels; they’re healthy.

For most of my life, I’ve been a pretty A-okay upstanding citizen. I’ve never done anything crazy enough to warrant a ride in the back of a police cruiser with those all too familiar red and blue lights flashing. Although, come to think of it, I did have a run in with the sheriff in second grade after getting tangled up with some troubled youth. But, that’s a story for another day.

Healing follows faith; faith comes first. Oftentimes, we think it’s the other way around. We want to first see the healing—be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. If we experience the healing, then that experience will grow our faith. That evidence will enable us to believe.

I was sitting in the midst of a women’s bible study, discussing the Old Testament, and one of the young women spoke up and said, “I wish God would act today the way He did with Israel.” Translation: I wish He would come in the form of a burning bush or part seas or bring water from a rock.

Let’s talk about quiet time. Or Jesus-time, solitude, prayer time, being in the Word, devotional time, whatever you prefer to call it. Maybe just hearing those words makes you cringe. Maybe you think of super early mornings long before the sun has risen, dedicated study time, and unnatural lengths of quietness.

You never know what may occur on a Sunday morning in house church. With nearly a dozen kiddos under the age of 10, there’s never a dull moment. From navigating hungry tummies, to overflowing toilets, to disagreements over who had the toy first, to all out dance parties, challenging Bible questions, and seeing their little arms lifted in worship, these are moments I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Grief is a messy thing. It’s not just a series of stages that we can succinctly move through and check the appropriate boxes as we do so. Oftentimes, our journey through grief looks equivalent to a colorful, crayon drawing of a two-year-old.

Every “good” testimony should point others back to Jesus. Our testimonies are an opportunity to share what He, and He alone, has so graciously done in our lives. Ultimately, our testimonies are about giving Him the glory, not drawing attention to ourselves.

Let me introduce you to my inner tribe. These 3 strong, brilliant, compassionate, beautiful, courageous, wise women are all incredibly unique and have hearts that love Jesus.