By Wendy Maxwell QUESTION: I’m married with kids, I work full time, and I serve at my church. I haven’t had a day to myself in months, and I feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Am I doing too much, or do I just need a vacation? ANSWER: A vacation sounds lovely, and I expect it would be nice to get away. No matter how much you enjoy a vacation, however, it will not solve your problem in the long run. What would make a lasting, positive impact on your overall functioning is better boundary setting. Often when I use the “b” word with clients, their anxiety level rises due to a lack of understanding w ..read more

By Katie Ginn Editor’s note: For this year’s Women’s Issue, we’re highlighting eight women who serve Jesus on staff at Jackson Leadership Foundation (JLF).  JLF partners with Christian ministry leaders in Jackson who do everything from mentoring youth to loving on grieving mothers. JLF provides leadership training, volunteer and donor connections, and incubation and back-office support – all so the ministry leaders can be more effective in their missions, and so the city can be transformed. In addition to the leadership of JLF Executive Director Samuel Bolen, the diverse board of director ..read more

Submitted by St. Dominic On a Sunday morning last December, Ryan McBride, 46, was making breakfast before his youngest daughter’s final “Nutcracker” performance. This normal routine ended with a medical emergency. Thanks to his daughters’ swift action, Ryan received immediate treatment and is recovering from a stroke. As Ryan was flipping pancakes for his 7-year-old, Rachel Elise, he noticed his right arm started moving involuntarily. Eventually he could no longer hold the syrup. Rachel Elise recognized the change and wouldn’t let him brush it off. She ran to wake up her 14-year-old sister, R ..read more

By Katie Ginn Nobody’s at their best in high school, right? As a teenager, I was insecure, opinionated, and judgmental, and I let those traits sour into gossip. This affected my friendships, especially with other girls. Thanks to a real relationship with Jesus, I eventually repented of some of that. But I still had to give myself a pep talk before visiting a women’s Bible study as a 22-year-old: “OK, Katie. You’re going to have a good attitude, these women are going to be nice, and you’re going to make friends. It’s going to be good.” And it was! Still, though. I loved serving on the setup tea ..read more

By Jade Whitehurst Are you pushing snooze one too many times lately? Are you procrastinating and not accomplishing what you intended to? Are you lacking joy in your fitness journey? We’ve all been there. Even the “GOATs” of the fitness world find themselves in what I call the “fitness funk,” where we lack the motivation to do the work to accomplish our goals. However, these funks don’t have to last forever, and it’s important not to let them derail us from reaching our destination! Sometimes the hardest “muscle” we have to grow is the one between our ears. We can get re-energized and refocused ..read more

By Matt P. Brown, CFP® Some of my fondest memories as a child are sitting in my Papaw’s lap in Hot Springs while he flipped through the newspaper and marked the stocks he owned. I didn’t realize it then, but those times helped me place the first ties on the track to financial freedom. Since April is Financial Literacy Month, and Papaw was a railroad man, allow me to discuss this topic in railroad terms. After all, it’s important to consider our financial health.  So whether the destination is retirement, or a closer station in life such as purchasing a home, paying for college, getting ou ..read more

In honor of National Foster Care Month, we wanted to highlight some of the organizations that are providing help for kids and families throughout our state. Check out these ministries to see how you can get involved! BAPTIST CHILDREN’S VILLAGE The Baptist Children’s Village exists, as part of the Mississippi Southern Baptist church, to take the good news of Jesus Christ to at-risk children and families. Recently the BCV Leadership Team reflected on that mission and asked, “Who are we missing and how do we reach them?” The journey to answer that question led the team to commit to the following ..read more

By Dr. Shelia Spann I hear this all the time when people are trying to test their glucose (blood sugar) anywhere from one to five times a day: “I’m afraid of needles.”  “I don’t like the pain.”  “I bruise easily.” Blood glucose control is central to the management of diabetes, and taking away finger pricks through CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) makes a big difference while improving glycemic control. Continuous glucose monitors Today’s CGM technology brings diabetes management into the 21st century. The monitor is a small wearable device that provides people who have diabetes wi ..read more

By Chris Bates We rarely if ever consider one primary thing that Jesus’ disciples did perhaps more than anything: They walked. Several of them walked up to Jesus on the shore when He called them. They traversed from city to city, from one home to another. They walked together after the crucifixion and as they went out to the world. The important point is that while they walked, they carried the message and served others.  We are built as humans to relate to others. Whether we do so selfishly or in service is up to us. At the beginning of the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37 ..read more

By Katie Ginn I was browsing YouTube recently and came across an “America’s Got Talent” audition by a girl named Jane, whose stage name was Nightbirde. She was alarmingly skinny, with a pixie haircut, and looked about 14 years old. Turns out she was 30. And terminal. Fittingly, Jane sang a song with the message that it’s OK not to be OK. She was a talented lyricist with a lovely voice, she knew how to perform, and she sang with joy and conviction. After the judges gushed for a minute or two, Simon Cowell pushed the Golden Buzzer, which meant Jane would automatically advance to the live shows ..read more