MELINDA K. BOWENS

#BreakingTheCycle: The Defense of the Past The past is the past…right?! Well, kinda sorta. Whether it be in real life or a movie, we’ve heard someone utter the words “the past is the past.” And whether it be in real life or a movie, we’ve probably given that statement some serious side eye (with a sprinkle of deep sigh). Because even though the event itself may be over, those remnants still linger rather vividly at times. So what are those remnants? I mean those flashbacks th

#BreakingTheCycle: The Defense of Anger "Anger is a secondary emotion." I still remember one of my professors from grad school saying that statement in class one day. I also remember rolling my eyes just slightly, while contorting my face greatly to silently express my disagreement. There was nothing subtle about my facial expressions in that moment (or a lot of moments, if I'm honest). Because you mean to tell me, I had lived my entire life to this point believing there were

The Defense of Busyness We’re busy people these days and that statement really came as a shock to no one; but I thought I would start there. Before we keep going, I just want to stop and say this post does not end with a magic formula on how to get it all done. Because if it did, I would be selling that secret to fund my dream of retiring early (and be a full-time writer, of course). And by “get it all done” I mean getting everything on that never-ending to-do list of life th

#BreakingTheCycle: The Defense of “The Mask” We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,— This debt we pay to human guile; With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, And mouth with myriad subtleties. Why should the world be over-wise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask. We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries To thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh the clay is vile Beneath our feet

#BreakingTheCycle: The Defense of Procrastination Hello. My name is Melinda and I’m a procrastinator. *the rest of the group greets me back* I tell people quite often that I’m a professional procrastinator. I’m not sure why I say that like I’m introducing my profession, but at least it is an honest statement. But as a professional procrastinator, I know there are many of us out there. Just today, several of us spent time doing almost everything imaginable instead of possibly

#BreakingTheCycle: The Defense of Logic “Makes sense to me.” This simple one liner right here usually comes after we have just explained one of our newest plans to someone (or explained it to ourselves) or after someone else has presented their thoughts to us. No matter who the audience is, typically we’re looking for a plan to make sense. And if it doesn’t, we look for a really polite way to say we want no parts of the foolishness (or not so polite way depending on how craz

Heart Check Verse of the Day: Proverbs 4:23 “Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.” (CEV) “Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts...” (MSG) ”Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (NLT) “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (NIV) “Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” (KJV) FORETHOUGHT What does this verse mean

Kenya Called. We Answered. Here’s What She Said. Let me be the first to tell you that I didn't understand how people could go visit a foreign country on these things called "mission trips" for a few days, weeks or even months and return home claiming their lives had changed. I didn't comprehend how 10 days of your life in a different place could change 30 years of the life you were already living. Now, I completely understood how a week and half away in a different culture co