Is your to-do list out of control? Do you struggle with trying to check everything off of it? Do want to get things done but don't feel like you are making much progress?  If you want to know the secrets to conquering your to-do list so it doesn't conquer you...this conversation is for you!  

As busy Christian women leaders, we often are trying to manage ALL of the things and get it ALL done and yet as hard as we work, we still feel like we are falling short.   

• What if you knew exactly what to do? 
• What if you had space and time to step in the gap to help serve others?
• What if you could celebrate what you accomplished rather than regretting that you didn't do it all? 
• What if you actually aren't supposed to do it all in the first place?  

Your to-do list is not the boss of you! So let's chat about how you can conquer it before it conquers you!!!  

Shape the Margin Maker Conversations

If there...

How does space and margin integrate or intertwine with tragedy, grief, or loss? Do you tend to feel guilty for creating space when there's chaos happening in the world, in your community, or in your own life? Or do you feel like you have permission to step back and create boundaries...even in the midst of grief and loss?

In this episode, I share my thoughts and observations from interactions with other women leaders as we wrestle with making margin alongside the recent heartache that has gripped our country and the church. 

Many of us are trying to process the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. It's difficult to find the time and the right people. At the same time, there is a profound sense of hurt that has been exposed more fully as the Southern Baptist Convention released its report giving details on those responsible for hundreds of cases of abuse within the church. Many of us have gone through the pain of being violated physically or emotionally...

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. 

                                     -Benjamin Franklin

If you're like me, you have a vision of what you want this summer. But here's what ends up happening...time goes by. Before you know it, the summer is over and there is so much that never happened.

Planning helps you be thoughtful and intentional about the time ahead. Planning takes your vision from an idea to reality. 

Here's How You Can Plan for the Season Ahead

Set aside 30 minutes to spend time with God. Put this commitment on your calendar and keep it as you would any other appointment.

Questions to Ask as You Plan Your Summer

• God, what is your vision for me over these next few months?
• What do you envision for my life, my family, my leadership? This can include things like your relationship with Him, your physical health, mental health, emotional...

Tired of being overwhelmed as a leader and never having enough time for the things that are the most important to you? Are you tired of living and leading in a way that keeps you from being your true self? If you want things to change...if you’re ready for things to change...if you find yourself wishing that somehow things would just change…this is for you!

It's time to stop making excuses about why you can't have the healthy rhythms and boundaries you need to thrive in life and leadership. You don't have to stay stuck. And there is a community that will help you every step of the way!

The Margin Maker Collective

No more excuses! Start making the margin you need to thrive in your life and leadership! As a member of the Margin Maker Collective, you will receive:

• Monthly Group Coaching call with Q&A
• Monthly Soul Care + Spiritual Direction group coaching call
• Monthly Accountability group call
• Quarterly Online Planning Retreat (January, April, July, October)
• ...

Are you looking for new ways to renew your soul? Sometimes we can get in a rut and spiritual practices that have worked so well for us in the past don't seem to be as helpful. In order to be healthy pastors and leaders as well as women living in the freedom of Christ, we should be growing closer to the Lord each and every day. While there is nothing "magical" about a spiritual practice per se, trying a new spiritual discipline, even one that may be a bit uncomfortable, is a great way to stay connected with Jesus and learn to hear Him and See Him in fresh new ways.

In this episode, I share 4 spiritual disciplines you can use to help you renew your soul and grow closer to God. Here are the spiritual disciplines we cover:

EXAMEN

SILENCE AND SOLITUDE

MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE

PRAYING A PSALM IN NATURE

Questions to Consider for EXAMEN

• Where did you sense God and His presence?
• How were you loved by God today?
• Where did you not feel God present?
• In what part of your day was...

Let me ask you…Are you an automatic YES person? Do you always say yes when someone asks you to do something? Is that your default answer? Or, what about this one…Maybe you’d like to say no but you don’t know how to break that cycle. Or maybe you don’t even know what answer to give, is this something you SHOULD do or not…or perhaps you wonder…do I have a choice?? In today’s episode I am going to share with you some tips on how you can discover and learn whether you should say yes or whether you should say no…and we’ll also chat about HOW to communicate your decision.

3 Tips to Help You Discern Whether to Say YES or NO

Don't Give An Answer Right Away. Create space between the ask and the answer. Say something like, "let me check on a few things and get back to you." There is power in pausing. This helps use be thoughtful

Ask God. We tend to only ask God about the "big" things. But every yes adds up. God...

Do you feel like you’ve tried to make margin but nothing seems to work? Are you getting frustrated and want to throw in the towel? Before you think that healthy rhythms and boundaries are simply not possible for you, let me share with you 4 common mistakes that people make when it comes to creating the space they need. 

Common Mistakes We Make

1. You aren't sure what you want.

Are you clear on the margin you need to make? Do you know what it would look like? Do you have a plan. The more specific you get the more progress you'll make!

2. You are trying to do it all.

Doing a few thing well will help you make the most progress. Resist the temptation to change everything at once. What will help you make the most progress? What will be the most helpful? What would make everything else easier? Start there.

3. You give up too soon.

Let's face it, we usually expect instant results. But here's the reality...this is a life-long journey. You don't...

You know you want to create margin and integrate healthy rhythms into your life and leadership but where do you start? What are some ideas of practical things you can put into place. In this episode I’m going to share with you some ideas for margin to help you get started.

I was leading a workshop on making margin at a women's clergy conference and someone raised their hand and said...I know that this is going to be different for each of us, but what are some practical examples of what margin could look like in our lives? Where do we start?

I loved this question! Yes, the type of margin we need will be different for each of us. In fact, it will shift and change in our own lives as we live and lead through different seasons. But there are some ways you can begin. And in this episode I share how you can get started.

Ideas for Making Margin in Life and Leadership

• Sabbath
• Starts and Finishes
• Movement and Meals
• Add in Fun

Need More Help?

Grab the...

Is the way you’re living and leading making you more than just tired? As you think about your weariness, does it feel like you are carrying the weight of so many expectations? Are you faced with following the rules for life and leadership that someone else has set for you?

If you are, you are not alone. Jesus has an invitation just for you and I have a question I want you to ask you to consider. I’ve got to warn you…it may be a bit uncomfortable. But in your wrestling, I believe God will reveal the truth…and as Jesus says, the truth will set you free.

You Are Invited

Jesus offers us a wonderful invitation in Matthew 11:28-30. He says:

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

Many of us wonder...

...Could...

Have you lost your energy? Is it harder to get things done? Do you struggle focusing on others and showing empathy? We all go through seasons of pouring ourselves out, but how do you know when you’ve more than just tired? In this episode, I am going to unpack my working definition of burnout and share a few signs that might indicate there’s more going on than just you being tired.

Working Definition of Burnout

"Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place.”

Here are some signs that you are more than tired:

• Anger
• Bitterness, resentment
• Blaming everyone else for why you’re struggling
• Don’t really care about the outcomes…(different than caring but...