Created to
F lourish by Carol McLeod
CHOOSING GRACE INSTEAD OF CONFLICT
Kristyn Getty Talks About Making Your Soul by Shelly Esser with Constance B. Fink
Sing
THE WELLMANNERED MARRIAGE SELF CARE FOR CAREGIVERS THRIVING IN YOUR SINGLENESS
spring 2021 | F I N D
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welcome from the editor SHELLY ESSER
You were created to flourish! Isn’t this just the most wonderful news? To flourish simply means to grow well, to thrive. It’s the definition of a life well-lived. And that’s exactly what God wants for each of us. He doesn’t want us to live life “just getting by.” He wants us to thrive and to live abundant lives filled with continuous growth and the ability to embrace His goodness and beauty all around us. No matter what season we’re in, God intends for us to flourish—and He not only desires it, He makes it possible. Every year, Just Between Us picks a word for the year—and this year, you guessed it, it’s flourish. I think God knew, after the long, difficult year we’ve just come through, that we needed an inspiring word, an uplifting word that just makes our hearts happy, our souls sing, and fills us up with hope. Flourish and all that it means does that for me, and I pray it does that for you as well.
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Sharon Garlough Brown
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Psalm 92:13 says, “Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of God.” We invite you to join us on this flourishing adventure over the next year and watch what God does in your life. He created you to be a flourisher! Happy New Year! We’re so glad you’re part of the JBU family.
spring 2021
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To get us started, here is some en“flourish”ment for your soul! We’re excited about the variety of articles in this issue starting with Carol McLeod’s excellent article on page 16 encouraging us on “how the ability to flourish is a prerequisite for living a vibrant life.” Another highlight is our interview with singer/songwriter Kristyn Getty (our cover model). Find Kristyn’s engaging interview “A Song in Her Heart” on page 22. There is no greater way, especially through the different seasons of our lives, for our souls to flourish than through the gift of song with lyrics that connect our hearts to God. And “Taking Care of You!” on page 38 will help you flourish as you focus on others while taking care of yourself.
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is a spiritual director, speaker, and cofounder of Abiding Way Ministries, providing spiritual formation retreats and resources. She is the author of the bestselling Sensible Shoes Series of spiritual fiction novels, as well as her most recent books Shades of Light and Remember Me.
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We are going to be asking: “How do we really, truly flourish—in our relationship with God, with others, the world, emotionally, physically, and in every other way?” We’re going to discover that there are ways to flourish in all areas of our lives—and it begins this moment. God created us to thrive, to find meaning and purpose, vigor and vitality, goodness and generosity, and fulfillment in everything in our lives so we can live the best life He has for us. “We flourish,” as Margaret Feinberg says, “when we pursue the life God intends for us.”
It’s my prayer and hope for this new year that you—our beloved regular readers and those who have just joined us—will come to understand what this wonderful word means in all of its fullness, and that this will be a year of flourishing…a year where you see God’s abundance in every area of your life.
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contents
VOLUME 31
NO. 2
features 20 Anchored Through Every Storm
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Identifying storm triggers before they become too overwhelming and cause you to lose your anchor. by Catriona Futter
Leaning Into the Limitless Love of God Discover how it will exceed all of
CREDITS
SPRING 2021
22 faith chats
A Song in Her Heart
Singer-songwriter Kristyn Getty is making beautiful music to make your soul sing. by Shelly Esser with Constance B. Fink
your expectations. by Elizabeth Murphy
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Life Was a Highway One woman’s story of accepting God’s new direction for her life amidst a life-changing medical crisis. by Kelley Wotherspoon
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When You Have Been Wounded We are all broken people who are givers and receivers of brokenness. It’s what we do with our brokenness that matters. by Jen Allee
6 Between Us 8 Happy Home 9 EncouragingWORDS 10 Between You and Me 11 Frameable Poetry 12 Heart to Heart Transparent 1 4 Moments
28 The Well-Mannered Marriage
Does the way you treat your spouse need some fine-tuning? by Susan A. Vernick
34 Thriving in Singleness
Saying yes to God’s invitations even when
your dreams are collapsing and life isn’t how you pictured it. by Kristen Kieckhaefer
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44 Living Well 45 Strengthening Your Soul
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Discovering the Word
Instead of Conflict
spring 2021
Editorial Assistants Carol Becwar Ann Cook Constance B. Fink Gayle Gengler Betty Hinds Cherry Hoffner Melinda Papador Jen Symmonds Danae Templeton Susan Vanselow Art Director Julie Krinke
Marketing Julie Santiago Director of Mission Advancement/ Social Media Ashley Schmidt Subscriptions Greg Loesche Rebecca Loesche Julie Matthews Phil Perso Mary Richards Lin Sebena Photography Kristin Barlowe, provided courtesy of Getty Music.
Advisory Board Anita Carman Pam Farrel Judy Briscoe Golz Nancy Grisham Pam MacRae Elizabeth Murphy Jackie Oesch Stephanie Seefeldt
ADVERTISING Ellie Dunn For more information call (856) 582-0690 ext. 2# or email ellie@carldunn.com. SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription Price: $19.95 per year for four issues. Outside US, add $6 per year prepaid US currency; $5 in Canada. Gift Your Ministries: Group subscriptions are now available at reduced rates. Encourage and inspire the women who make ministry happen at your church or other places of outreach or service to others. Energize their relationships, refresh their faith, and become equipped as a team for facing ministry challenges through JBU. For more information, call 800-260-3342 today!
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ON THE COVER
Singer/songwriter Kristyn Getty, our interview this issue, graces our cover.
spring 2021
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To order by phone, or for more information: call 800-260-3342. From Canada call (262) 786-6478. Email: jbu@justbetweenus.org Website: www.justbetweenus.org
Learn to get at the root of conflict and have
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General Manager Mary Perso
Make all checks and money orders payable to: Just Between Us, Subscription Orders 777 S. Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045
40 Choosing Grace and Peace
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Administrative Specialist Sharon Vaught
Just Between Us (ISSN 1069-3459) is published quarterly by Just Between Us, 777 South Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045-3701.
To be the best caregiver for others,
you can’t forget about caring for yourself! by Lisa Elliott
28
new
15 Minutes in the Word
38 Taking Care of You!
more peaceful relationships by avoiding the five R’s: rejection, resentment, resistance, revenge, and repeating the cycle. by PeggySue Wells
Editor Shelly Esser
Web Director Mary Ann Prasser
in every issue columns 3 Welcome from Outside Your 42 the Editor Front Door
The ability to flourish is a prerequisite for living a vibrant life. by Carol McLeod
Circulation Manager Suzan Braun
Assistant Editor Suzan Braun
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on the cover 16 You Are God’s August!
Founder/Executive Editor Jill Briscoe
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