Tag: perspective confessions

The Quiet Faithfulness of Showing Up

The Quiet Faithfulness of Showing Up

Another goal I set this year: Write and publish one blog post per week.

And with one week left in the year, I can say—I did it.

The days I published weren’t always the same. Some weeks were carefully planned, others were written in pockets of time I had to fight for. But each week, a post went live. Today’s post makes 51 blog posts for the year.

That number still surprises me.

I’m proud of this commitment—not because it was perfect, but because it was faithful.

Writing Without a Map

If I’m honest, there were plenty of weeks when I didn’t know what I was going to write about. That uncertainty brought anxiety at times. I like plans. I like clarity. I like knowing what’s ahead.

But week after week, a topic surfaced. A thought. A reflection. A nudge.

Each post evolved into what it needed to be. Looking back, I don’t think that was accidental. I believe those ideas were promptings—quiet ones—from the Holy Spirit. The words came just in time, not all at once.

And that’s a reminder for me to create space for the Holy Spirit. To listen and discern His voice. And remember that even with all my plans, His plans are greater and much better than mine.

Writing Through a Busy Year

Keeping this commitment wasn’t easy.

Starting a new job in July added stress and pulled my attention in new directions. Life didn’t slow down to accommodate my writing schedule. If anything, it sped up.

But keeping this promise to myself mattered. Writing has always been a place where I process, reflect, and make sense of the world. Choosing to keep showing up—especially when it would’ve been easier not to—was an act of intention.

And it wasn’t just writing for Perspective Confessions.

If you’d told me on January 1, 2025, that I would write over 38,000 words this year, I probably would’ve laughed. It sounds overwhelming. Impossible, even.

But it didn’t happen all at once.
It happened one week at a time.

The Beauty of Day-In, Day-Out Work

This year has reminded me of something simple and profound: progress is made quietly.

There’s nothing glamorous about sitting down week after week to write. There’s no applause. No instant payoff. Most of the work happens unseen.

No matter the goal, progress is built in quiet faithfulness—the daily or weekly decision to keep going.

This is the same theme I’ve been writing about in my other goal reflections this year.

  • With fitness, progress didn’t come from dramatic results overnight, but from consistent movement and honoring commitments.
  • With Bible reading, success didn’t mean perfection—it meant showing up more than I ever had before, learning from what didn’t work, and adjusting.

And now, with writing, the lesson holds true again.

If It Feels Too Big

Maybe you’re staring at a goal that feels overwhelming right now. Too big. Too far away. Too much.

Here’s what this year has taught me:
You don’t have to finish it today. You just have to start—and then keep showing up.

Fifty-two weeks from now, you’ll be much further along than if you never began.

As the saying goes, if you aim for the moon and miss, you’ll still land among the stars.

That’s what this year has been for me—a quiet landing among the stars, built through ordinary, faithful work.

And that kind of progress?
It’s more powerful than it looks.

100 Days of Prayer

100 Days of Prayer

Last year, an account I follow on Instagram, @bailshenry, shared the goal of not eating out at restaurants for all of 2024!

Considering how busy our lives are…this was an interesting goal. It would be a challenging goal.

Needless to say, she attracted a lot of followers, including me. We watched what she was making at home and serving her family. We watched as she and her family fulfilled their goal.

Bailey also lives in Mississippi and is a graduate from Mississippi State University, both of which are bonuses in my book! #hailstate

Recently, Bailey shared about the practice of 100 days of prayer.

When she shared about this practice, she didn’t think there would be much response. Instead, she was pleasantly surprised.

Many were curious and wanted to know how she did it.

She has a highlight reel on her account about it and shared how she structures hers.

Since the beginning of October, I’ve been struggling with some challenges. I was already praying about it.

Then, I remembered the 100 days of prayer practice that Bailey shared. I re-watched her highlight reels on how she structures hers and then set out to do my own.

I started by writing down the 2 situations that I wanted to pray about for 100 days.

Nothing too in depth. Bullet points about both situations.

I wrote out above the 2 prayer circumstances what the starting date of my 100 days would be and then end date.

It’s important to note that while you can track the 100 days…God is not impressed with the amount of days you are praying.

What is important is that God wants to hear from His children.

And even though He already knows the needs, the circumstances, and situations, He wants to hear from you about it.

If you are a mom or dad, don’t you want to know what on your children’s hearts and minds?

Especially if they are struggling?

Even if you know they are struggling?

With God, it’s no different. He wants to hear from His children.

I’ve never prayed with the same or similar prayer for 100 days.

As I write this, I’m 38 days into the 100 days.

Here are 5 things that I’ve noticed:

  1. For 38 days, I’ve prayed the same or similar prayer over the 2 situations out loud.
  2. There have been times I’ve gotten on my knees to pray. Not every time.
    • Kneeling isn’t something I’ve done often in my prayer life either, however, I can say that it humbles me.
    • It’s a symbol of reverence. He is God, I am not.
  3. These prayers are not limited to only the 2 circumstances.
    • I use this time to pray for other people and situations too.
  4. I’ve been surprised how I like the repetition of praying the same or similar prayer.
    • It is becoming a rhythm in my day. I don’t have to come up with a prayer. I already know and then can add on as needed.
    • Sometimes praying can feel overwhelming with the uncertainty of what to say. The repetition is helpful.
    • I find that I am praying more confidently.
  5. Jeff and I have prayed together more often.
    • We take turns praying.

I didn’t know what to expect when I began this practice. I’m so glad I started and have been consistently praying.

While I don’t have total clarity over the 2 situations, I have slight clarity on a piece of it.

God is moving. And He will answer.

It may not be the answers that I’m looking for or what I want.

That’s ok, too.

I want His voice to be the loudest in my life.

Less of me and more of Him.

Amen.

Cedar Rock Ministries – Marriage Retreat

Cedar Rock Ministries - Marriage Retreat

How I Found Cedar Rock Ministries

I’m not 100% sure where or when I first heard about Cedar Rock Ministries. If I had to guess, it would be through Jessica Hefley…from her social media and podcast, Prosperity with Purpose.

Jessica is a Christian Leadership Coach who has had tremendous success in network marketing, and she’s someone I’ve admired from afar for quite some time.

If you’ve read my series on my experiences with Awaken Silent Retreats, you already know this isn’t the first time I’ve followed one of Jessica’s recommendations — and those retreats have been such a blessing in my life. So when she mentioned Cedar Rock Ministries, I paid attention.

What Is Cedar Rock Ministries?

Cedar Rock is a relationship development ministry that helps individuals and couples find the rest and connection they need to become more fully known and deeply loved.

“The righteous will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; He is my Rock.’”

Psalm 92:12-15

Cedar Rock’s core values are powerful presence, restful receiving, unhurried pace, frequent subtraction, curious exploration, intentional play, and holistic growth. Each of these values is woven into the experience of their retreats — not just as ideas, but as ways of life.

Why We Chose Cedar Rock Ministries

One of the focuses of Perspective Confessions is well-being.

Constant stress, busyness, and a non-stop pace are not recipes for well-being — and yet, that’s how many of us live. The truth is, if we don’t intentionally choose to slow down, we never will. Our relationships, and our own hearts, eventually pay the price.

If you’ve read this far, that probably resonates with you. We have a real problem in Western culture with hurried living. Life doesn’t give us permission to slow down. We have to decide to do that for ourselves…to make intentional choices that prioritize rest, relationships, and silence.

That’s what led my husband, Jeff, and me to set a goal for 2025: to attend a One Couple Retreat with Cedar Rock Ministries. We wanted to pause, reconnect, and invest in our marriage…not just for us, but for the legacy we’re building together.

Our Experience: A One Couple Retreat

Our retreat took place at Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs, Colorado — one of the most breathtaking places we’ve ever been. Nestled between red rock cliffs (right beside Garden of the Gods) and tall evergreens, the castle and grounds created the most peaceful venue. It felt like sacred ground — quiet, restorative, and wrapped in God’s presence.

The retreat itself was unlike anything we had experienced before. This wasn’t traditional marriage counseling or group therapy. It was deeply personal, one-on-one time with Nick and Renée Fouts, the founders of Cedar Rock Ministries, who welcomed us not as clients, but as friends.

They were so generous with their time with us. They listened deeply to our story: the challenges of blending families, the nuances of second marriages, the baggage we were both carrying with us, and the ways we wanted to grow closer to each other and to God.

What made it so powerful was hearing from both of them — husband and wife, man and woman. Their insights balanced and complemented each other beautifully, giving us perspective that a single counselor simply couldn’t.

Nick and Renée’s approach was gentle, wise, and deeply rooted in Scripture. There was no rush, no formula, just a rhythm of grace and honest conversation. We felt completely seen, known, and loved.

It wasn’t therapy — it was ministry. And it shifted something in us.

In the stillness of Glen Eyrie, surrounded by creation’s beauty, we experienced slowing down to listen to one another, and to make room for God to move.

As Jeff and I left our time with Nick and Renee, we both felt a quiet peace settle over us — the kind of peace that lingers. We left with renewed hearts, softened toward one another and more aware of God’s presence in our marriage.

That’s the beauty of slowing down long enough to listen — to God, to your spouse, and even to yourself. Somewhere between the conversations, the stillness, and the prayers, we found what our souls are craving: connection, understanding, and rest.

Marriage isn’t something you set on autopilot. It takes tending, grace, and a willingness to see your spouse not as an obstacle or project, but as a gift. This retreat reminded us that our relationship is a reflection God’s love, patience, and faithfulness.

If you’ve been feeling the weight of constant motion…like life is moving faster than your heart can keep up…maybe this is your reminder to pause. To step away from the noise, to seek God together, and to let Him renew what the world so easily tears apart.

Our time with Cedar Rock Ministries at Glen Eyrie was more than a retreat. It was an invitation to live slower, love deeper, and remember that when we make space for God, He restores and renews.

Conversations with God – Video

Conversations with God - Video

We have so many voices speaking into our lives these days. More than our parents and grandparents because of the social media platforms, the internet, and streaming services, etc, that we have nowadays.

This is the video version of my Conversations with God. I wrote about it recently, linked here. If a 40 second video is more your speed than reading, I’ve got you covered. Just press play below.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected from God recently, take a few moments to ask God, “how do you delight in me?”. Then, listen for His response. How He speaks to you will be unique to you just like it was for me. My cat being brought to my mind was unique and specific in how He spoke to me.

God is listening and He wants to hear from you.

Conversations with God

In this post, we will explore how to have conversations with God. It’s easier than what you might think!

Conversations with God

What does a cat have to do with talking with God?

Well, in this conversation with God, a lot!

There have been quite a few times that I’ve retreated for quiet time with God and this furbaby comes to find me. He’s a very cute and cuddly interruption. 😆

Purrcy is my sweet boy.

A few years ago, I completed a weekend retreat. While there, I learned how to make space for God. I learned that it’s not nearly as important as what I say in prayer as it is being with God…thus being silent and still. In this way, it’s much easier to hear God when He speaks. And He does speak to us, we just have to make space and learn to discern His voice.

Don’t we need to hear from Him now more than ever?!

A while before this weekend retreat, I had started asking God questions and listening. One Saturday morning before I got out of bed, I asked God, “how do you delight in me?” The first thing that popped into my mind was a picture of Purrcy and my eyes welled up with tears. If God delights in me like I delight in Purrcy, that says a lot to me. God knew just how to answer my question that morning. It was an impactful answer…that He delights in me, He loves me freely with no holds barred. He delights in holding me close. He delights in my personality, in my heart, and how He made me. He loves me easily and He can even use a special furry friend to show me.

I hope you are seeing and hearing God in all the places in your life, because He is whispering. He is everywhere around us. As your week or day wraps up, I hope you find space to ask God “how do you delight in me?”. Then, listen for his prompting. For me, this practice helps me combat anxiety and the stress from my crazy, busy life. I want this same thing for you too. To know that you are delighted in, that you are loved by a mighty Heavenly Father, and that you are held by Him.

Want more resources for how you can practice silence and stillness, and combat our noisy, modern world? Check out this post.

Feelings and Resiliency

Feelings and Resiliency

My full time job has been marked with lots of feelings this year.

My company has had 15 – 20% headcount reductions (read as layoffs).

I was in the first round of reductions. Thankfully, I am still gainfully employed.

That is not true for many people, including the team I was a part for the last 2 years.

My former team’s positions were eliminated entirely. At the end of the first round, 2 teammates elected to retire or voluntarily leave; 4 were left standing (meaning they were laid off); and 3 of us were placed in other positions.

How rapidly it all happened was shocking. One day we were a team and the next I would not see some of my team members anymore.

Corporate world can be and is brutal. I’ve personally experienced headcount reductions 4 times in my 14 year career so far. I’m certain there will be more.

Beginning at the end of 2024, my team and others began preparing employees for what was coming.

The uncertainty that lingers for months in advance of knowing if you have a job or not is stressful!

We lean on tools to strengthen our resiliency during these times. These tools equip us for what will ultimately come. They remind us to be flexible and lean into strengths. Focus on what we can control and loosen our grip on what we cannot.

They are good reminders during this time. And while these tools don’t take away the hardship of enduring one of these reductions, it can help shift our mindset..

In February of 2025, I gave a presentation about Feelings and Resilience. Here is what I shared.

Referring to the Feeling Wheel, if you had to name the feeling(s) you have right now, what would it be?

Are you surprised that there are so many feelings? And yet, they can connect back to 6 core feelings.

What feelings do you tend to ignore?

Do you think it’s possible to ignore “bad” feelings and only experience “good” feelings? Why or why not?

Early this year, I finished reading Brene Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection.

What I didn’t know before I read the book was how much resiliency is incorporated into imperfection.

Brene writes, when we become more accepting of uncomfortable feelings, we become more flexible and can enjoy life more fully even with feelings of discomfort.

In her book she notes:

  • Shame, guilt, fear, despair, disappointment, and sadness are difficult feelings that tend to cause vunerability, discomfort, and pain.
  • The most powerful feelings we experience have very sharp points, like the tip of a thorn.
  • Which usually leads to modes of distraction to get away from the uncomfortable feelings. Such as…mindless scrolling, eating, drinking, shopping, staying busy, work, choas, etc.

Everyone moves away from feelings of discomfort.

We also must remember that we cannot selectively ignore feelings.

“When we numb the dark, we numb the light.”

We can’t make a list of “bad” feelings and say, “I’m going to ignore these” and then list the positive feelings and say, “I’m going to fully engage in these!”

It doesn’t work that way.

Let’s explore the feeling of Joy.

To love and/or believe in something with your whole heart; to engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees…these involve the risk of vulnerability and often pain.

AND

Great joy can come from them.

Feelings of hopelessness, fear, blame, pain, discomfort, vulnerability, and disconnection sabotage our resilience and well being.

The only experience broad and fierce enough to combat a list like that is the belief that we’re all in this together and that something greater than ourselves has the capacity to bring love and compassion into our lives.

Practicing spirituality is what brings about healing and creates resilience.

Spirituality is being able to adhere to beliefs, principles or values needed to persevere and prevail in accomplishing missions.

Here is an example of the ways I’ve leaned into my spirituality practice.

Having a sense of purpose, meaning, and perspective in our lives allows us to develop understanding and move forward. Without purpose, meaning, and perspective, it is easy to lose hope, numb our emotions, or become overwhelmed by our circumstances.

We feel reduced, less capable, and lost in the face of struggle. The heart of spirituality is connection and through that, we won’t feel alone.

How do you know that you are ignoring uncomfortable feelings?

Recognizing and leaning into (not away) from discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude, and grace.

We live in a both/and world.

We can experience discomfort and joy. They are not mutually exclusive.

When you have the awareness, what can you do to practice leaning into the discomfort?

How can you lean into the discomfort of vulnerability and let joy in as well?

Exercise Prompt:

Hold up both hands, palms up and open. Can you practice holding the feelings of discomfort in one hand and the “good” feelings in the other hand? In fact, write on one open palm your feelings of discomfort and then write the “good” feelings on the other open palm. Practicing holding and experiencing both.

Battling the Hard Parts of Life with Therapy

Battling the Hard Parts of Life with Therapy

May – Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and I would like to share my journey with therapy with you. You might recall the Career Confessions series I wrote recently. Part of the “confession” was my struggle with anxiety. Early on, it interfered with my work and job search. 

Why Therapy?

The journey with therapy, however, started for me in college. A visit here and there to the on-campus therapist was grounding. At the time, my mom had cancer and being away from home for this first time was hard. I had tough life questions. The therapist on campus helped me zoom out and then zoom in to the questions. This process allowed me to have a more balanced thought process. How many times are we so focused on a question or situation? We can’t zoom out from it to gain a better perspective. For me, it’s often. 😊 A therapist can help with that! 

Therapy Journey

A large part to my therapy journey is about my mom. She was sick much of my childhood. I was one of her caretakers while growing up. I was a primary caretaker from the ages of 15 – 18 (until I went off to college). I grew up fast! I was nominated as “Most Dependable” my senior year of high school. While it was an honor to receive that nomination, I earned it in my private home life. I learned the ultimate dependability by being my mom’s caretaker. 

There are a lot of positives that come from learning responsibility at a young age. However, it can also be very confusing. Caretaking an adult is hard for an adult let alone a child doing so. At the age of 25, my mom passed away. She was 55. I don’t think anyone is prepared to lose a parent. Losing my mom unearthed some “life stuff” I needed to address. I sought out therapy to talk through my mom’s death. There was a lot of processing I needed to do. Sometimes we are so close to a situation that we can’t see the full picture. A therapist can help with that. 

Therapy = Advocacy

I have learned through therapy that my mother’s sickness shaped me, both good and bad. The good is easier to hold some days than the bad. It’s easy to become fixated on one or the other. The point of therapy is to help you hold or see all aspects about yourself. At first, if you struggle with doing this, your therapist is there to help you until you are able to do it on your own. This is where advocacy comes into play and why it means so much at my core. My therapist has been my advocate in so many ways. Giving words to situations when I had none. She gave me a voice when I didn’t have one. And she has been there to hold my hand in all the hard things that I’ve been through. I can honestly say I would not be here right now if it weren’t for the gift of therapy. It has been life-changing. I have learned life-changing skills in therapy from navigating difficult relationships, to work challenges, to having compassion for myself. And having compassion for yourself is key to having compassion for others. Looking in the mirror, in my opinion, can be the biggest adversary you face. I know it has been for me. I can certainly stand in my own way. Therapy can help you get out of your own way! 

Life is Short

Therapy is hard, not going to lie. I don’t always like my therapist. She pushes me to look at the hard parts of life. She encourages me to talk about and process them too. Therapy has given me centeredness, truth, and grounding that is priceless. Maybe I would have gotten to this place on my own. Even if I had, it would have taken me so much longer. And don’t we deserve to get to a better place in life as fast as we can? Life is a vapor, James 4:14.  

Work on Yourself…for You and Others

A wise friend told me once, “Our work on ourselves is a lifetime and one day.” This means we are always inching toward being better versions of ourselves. Another quote that resonated with me: “The more we can understand our own thoughts, feelings, and emotions, the more we can understand someone else’s.” This is so true! The better you can see yourself, the better you can see others. There’s certainly more I could write about, but I will pause here. I hope this helps you seek a therapist if you’ve been thinking about it. And if you’ve never thought about it, I hope this helps you see a different side to therapy. I think we could all use a good therapist in our lives. Life is hard enough, and we deserve to be better people, for ourselves and each other. 

What is Perspective Confessions?

Perspective Confessions

Hi! I’m Carlynn creator of Perspective Confessions. Welcome! I’m so glad you are here! The idea of Perspective Confessions was born in 2015. Writing has been a practice in my life starting in grade school and it made sense to create Perspective Confessions to be able to share articles, journal entries, musings, etc. about topics such as career, financial health, and overall wellbeing with all of you. When I write, I am able to connect with myself, unearth hidden truths much more easily than when I’m talking to a friend. Did you know that truth telling = confession? To confess is to tell the truth. Most, if not all of us, don’t stay connected to ourselves all the time. Our lives are filled with distractions and it takes work to get connected back up with yourself to understand how you might feel about something, know what decision to make, or to get connected to what’s true. Writing helps me do all those things. At some point, the writings in my journal shifted from writing just for myself to writing so that others could read it too. The truths that I’ve unearthed for myself I want to share it more broadly because my words might be the words that someone else needs, can relate to, and/or help them think about a situation from a different perspective. By the way, the quote below is from an amazing book, Living Fearless by Jamie Winship. Highly recommend!

“Truth always sets you free. Hiding truth always makes you a slave. If you will not tell the truth, you’re in bondage to the lie, the deception, and the rationalization.” – Living Fearless by Jamie Winship

Coach

As my professional life has advanced, I received my Financial Coaching certification and in my full-time Corporate America job, I am a Leadership Coach. You can learn more about financial health here, and you can read more about my experience with coaching in this post. Whether it be with writing or working one on one with others, the commonality is that I enjoy helping and connecting with people.

Career Confessions

Before I was able to climb the corporate ladder, I struggled mightily. A lot with anxiety. In my mid to late twenties, I went through some big life changes that included moving from a small town to a big city, combating severe anxiety, losing my mom, and divorce. I wrote a full series on my Career Confessions that you can read about here. I share tips about how I found new ways of working with anxiety, shifted my mindset, and slowly climbed the career ladder.

Wellbeing

Yes, writing about all those struggles makes me vulnerable. I hold the belief that we can learn from one another. Sharing helps us not feel alone or like we are the “only ones”. I listened to a podcast a long time ago that said we would not need therapists or counselors if we lived in good, healthy community because that good, healthy community would give us supportive and constructive feedback, come alongside the hard parts of life, share tools to help with life, etc. I believe that is true. The vast majority of us, though, live in isolation especially with today’s technology. And because of that, the need to be mindful and intentional with our wellbeing is paramount.

I’d love it if you’d join me as we learn about career, financial health, and overall wellbeing. Curiosity is key  in exploring differing perspectives…zooming out to see the big picture and zooming in to look at things more closely. It’s the push and pull of these vantage points that we can learn the most. Perspective Confessions is the source for inspiration for those who want to learn and grow. I am continually growing and learning; unearthing discoveries, and sharing truth or confessions I’ve learned along with the way from varying perspectives.. Perspective Confessions is about getting to the root of challenges as it relates to career, financial, and overall wellbeing and creating a toolbox of resources from what’s learned to equip you for the next step. If you want tools to manage your career and finances, value slowing down for a better quality of life, and aren’t afraid of being challenged; then you are in the right place.

If you know of someone that:

  • is struggling with their career,
  • struggles with anxiety or with big life changes,
  • wants to get their finances back on track,
  • wants to find a better balance in their life from the fast track, fast paced life they’re living, please share perspectiveconfessions.com with them!

And by all means, don’t miss any Perspective Confessions posts. Make sure you subscribe!

Financial Health, Career, and Wellbeing