Emily Loveall

Devotions for Sacred Parenting: A Lasting Mark

Post author:Emily
Post published:September 23, 2020

Each week (roughly), I'm posting my reflections on a chapter in Devotions for Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas. You can read all of them here. This week is about setting a good example for our children in our lifestyle. Thomas asks us to consider what morals we're teaching our family and what type of legacy we'll leave behind. Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.Proverbs 14:26 I…

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15 Journal Prompts for Spirituality and Mindfulness

Post author:Emily
Post published:September 19, 2020

I love Joan Didion's quote, "I don't know what I think until I write it down." I find writing, and especially journaling, a great tool to form actual ideas and thoughts from the mass of swirling emotions, memories, and images in my mind. Do you journal? I encourage you to try it today. It's a helpful tool to get in touch with and process your emotions. In our search for mindfulness, writing things down can bring your…

Devotions for Sacred Parenting: The Right Person for the Job

Post author:Emily
Post published:September 13, 2020

Each week, I'm going through a devotion in Devotions for Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas. This devotion focused on how we may feel inadequate as parents or that we don't have "what it takes" to be a good parent. We all deal with self-doubt, especially in our capitalist society, which generally places our self-worth on what money, time, or skills on what we can contribute. Thomas encourages us to remember that God is sovereign and they* have…

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Devotions for Sacred Parenting: God is in the Room

Post author:Emily
Post published:September 4, 2020

I got the book Devotions for Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas for my birthday (thanks, Ryan!). There are 52 devotions, so I plan to do one every Friday and write up a post of my reflections over the weekend. This week started off with these verses from Psalm 139: "Where can I go from your Spirit?Where can I flee from your presence?If I go up to the heavens, you are there:if I make my bed in my…

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The Women’s Wheel of Life Book Review

Post author:Emily
Post published:August 30, 2020

I've been fascinated with archetypes ever since discovering Joseph Campbell and his studies on mythology. What, exactly, are archetypes? Jean Bolen, author of Goddesses in Everywoman, defines them as "powerful inner patterns... dominant forces within us" linked strongly to myth, which Joseph Campbell calls "depersonalized dream." Within myths are characters who express singular aspects of our existence and potential. These are archetypes, alive in human imagination since the beginning of time.The Women's Wheel of Life, Chapter 1:…

How to “Be in Your Body” and Why It’s Important

Post author:Emily
Post published:August 24, 2020

The mindfulness movement talks a lot about "being in your body." I've read a lot of recommendations for my Enneagram Type, the Peacemaker (Type 9), to get in touch with my body. Why is being in your body important? Many traditional religions today emphasize the differences between body and soul. Christianity, especially, focuses on how the body is sinful and how only the soul can be holy. While I understand the reasoning behind it is to call…

Dark: Embracing Oblivion

Post author:Emily
Post published:August 16, 2020

An obscure Netflix series called Dark just released its final season a few weeks ago. This German science fiction show explores a small town called Winden where people can time travel. The story follows a young man named Jonas as he unravels mysteries, uncovers long-hidden secrets, and tries to save those he loves. Throughout its three seasons, the characters find themselves stuck in certain loops where they cause the very things they're attempting to prevent, parents and…

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Love is Letting Go of Fear Book Review

Post author:Emily
Post published:July 30, 2020

One evening a few years ago, I was walking around Corvallis. Ryan had left for work, and it was my favorite time of day, when the sun is setting and everything is getting dark and quiet. I went to the river and found a bench. Behind me, a group of friends ran through the water and laughed and took videos and pictures of themselves. I watched the wind move through the trees between me and and wondered…

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My Ego Death

Post author:Emily
Post published:July 25, 2020

Have you heard about the “ego death”? It’s a stage in a spiritual or psychedelic or mythic experience when the self dies and there is a “complete loss of subjective self-identity.” Joseph Campbell talks about it in the hero’s journey; Jung used it in his psychological studies; and Timothy Leary linked it to the first stage of a psychedelic trip. Boundaries fall away, and one surrenders and feels completely at one with all things. Many people on…

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What does it mean to be present?

Post author:Emily
Post published:July 22, 2020

We were finally here. It'd been a stressful week. We'd gotten in an argument last night. We left early that morning and drove for hours down logging roads, scratching up the car, searching for the perfect spot to camp. Even when we found our spot, it took a lot of work to get there. Half a mile's walk from the car in the hot sun, then we had to traverse down a rocky hill with what felt…