Michele Cushatt's Blog, page 9

Secure in Christ: Soul Rest is Possible

GUEST POST: Glynnis Whitwer

Today I welcome my friend and Proverbs 31 Ministries author, Glynnis Whitwer, to share from her new book, Doing Busy Better. Glynnis is also giving away a copy of Doing Busy Better to one of my readers. Plus, she has free downloads for all of you! Here’s Glynnis:

I’ve struggled with the biblical definition of God’s gift of rest for years.

Rest can feel elusive. That which should make us feel rested often doesn’t. Consider waking up after a restless night and yo...

GIVEAWAY: Michele’s Story on LifeToday TV!

Those who know me well know I’m not much of a TV person. However, in the middle of my summer sabbatical, God surprised me. I packed up a small suitcase and a stomach full of nerves, jumped on a plane to Dallas, Texas, and recorded my first ever television show:

I know, right?!

It was an amazing experience, a highlight of my summer. Not only did I get to see my friend, Sheila Walsh, but I met two amazing gentlemen who are leading faithfully and humbly in their corners of the world: Derwyn G...

Conflict, Lemonade & the Necessity of Respect

The conflict began with eight kids, a lemonade stand, and crazy high hopes.

Of course, there was no hint of conflict when the Country Time was mixed with the water and ice. Nor was there any tension when I baked two pans of chocolatey cookies to boost their product sales (and curb their appetite). It was all smiles and dollar signs.

We need a garbage sack. Every store has a trash! 

How about a table? 

Go tell your mom we need a bigger pitcher. 

And signs! We need signs! 

An hour or two pas...

The Agony of Intimacy

She excused her ten-year-old self from the intimacy of our family dinner table, consumed with anger. Indignation and frustration drove her to her room.

After hearing her door slam, I put my fork down and followed up the stairs, pausing at the top step.

Should I go in? Or should I leave her alone?

It’s not always easy to know the right thing to do, especially when a relationship is hurting.

After a short hesitation, I opened her door and entered in, sat on the side of her bed where she’d bu...

4 Lessons I Learned From Doing Less

Sometimes less is the only means to more. In his beautiful book,

The end of striving makes room for dwelling. {pg. 154}

Today marks my first day back online after a two+ month sabbatical. This was my second year unplugging from my public and professional life for the summer months in order to spend focused time, thought and energy on my personal and private life.

It will not be the last.

Like a woman rousing herself from a deep slumber, I’m slowly lifting the window shades and opening the...

My Recommended Summer Reads

You’ve heard it said: Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders. I’m now one month into

I’M IN HEAVEN.

Recently, a member of my Inspired Life Mastermind asked me how I go about choosing books to read. She noted from social media and our conversations that my taste in reading material seems to be quite eclectic.

She’s correct. I read a wide variety of books, for a wide variety of reasons. Some books I read for my own personal development. Others I read to gain some type of business insig...

Summer Sabbatical

10 Ways to Rest Your Soul

It is rest that revives the soul for real life. And it is often rest we neglect while trying to live.

As I mentioned in last week’s post—Finding Life in the Fallow—I refuse to sell my soul for the sake of distorted definition of success. For that reason, I’m completely unplugging for the months of June and July. I will not be on email, Facebook or Twitter, nor will I be blogging. I *might* post an occasional family picture on Instagram, and I’ve prescheduled a few...

Finding Life In The Fallow

I came close to murder. Blinded as I was by brown brittle branches, I didn’t see any signs of life. Thus, I reached for a shovel and gloves, ready to rip its lifeless form from the fallow ground.

But when I pushed the mulch away to get a better grip, I noticed tiny green shoots pushing up from the earth.

“It’s alive!”

I called to my husband. He’d planted the shrub a year or two before when he’d built a sprawling patio and fire pit for sweet summer nights. But the bushes never seemed to tak...

When You Need to Find Your Way Home

ANNOUNCEMENT: For the month of May, the e-book version of I Am: A 60-day Journey To Knowing Who You Are Because of Who He Is is only $1.99! Can you believe it?! An easy idea for a graduation gift or your summer book club or Bible study. Get your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lifeway, ChristianBook.com, or any other major bookseller. Three cheers!

It’s a tough reality to find yourself lost in the middle of your own life. In spite of our control-freak culture, it happens to the best of us...

The Unexpected Gain of Giving Away

It was my dream for as long as I can remember, back when a girl imagined a Prince Charming and a palace full of children: I’d be the mom who baked homemade chocolate-chip cookies for her children every day after school. I knew my children would giggle with glee at the surprise on the kitchen counter, the chocolate still soft.

Thus, when I married, it didn’t take long to set up a mixer and buy butter, sugar, and vanilla. I filled my cabinets with all the makings for magic. Even before child...