When It’s Not a Happy New Year

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, challenges, choices, crisis, expectations, family, Life, New Year, perspective, Quotes, Reality, stress 19 Comments

We’re eight days into the new year and may I just say I’d like a do-over? Of course, I know that’s not how life works. There’s no rewind button in life. No pause button, either. We do life in forward motion – sometimes fast-forward. Circumstances? Well, they are often beyond our control. The first week of this brand-new year has …

Honesty and Hope for the Holidays

Beth Vogtacceptance, Beth K. Vogt, challenges, choices, Christmas, crisis, family, grace, gratitude, holidays, hope, Life, perspective, Quotes, Reality, Relationships, suffering, Thanksgiving 8 Comments

@bethvogt   I was still in elementary school when I learned that tragedy – sorrow, grief – doesn’t take time off for the holidays. All the houses in our neighborhood were decorated with lights, festive wreaths on the front doors, a few lawns decorated with statues of snowmen or reindeer or candles. All the houses, save one. One of the …

When Words are Powerful Enough to Change Our Perspective

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, change, expectations, Friendship, goals, In Others' Words, One Word, perspective, Quotes, words 21 Comments

  @bethvogt It’s that time of year again, friends. What time of year? The time when I ask, “Are you a resolution kind of person or a One Word kind of person?” I’m wrapping up my 14th year choosing One Word for the year and I haven’t missed New Year’s resolutions. At all.  Writing up a list? Don’t miss it. …

The Problem of Letting “What If?” Lead Us into Our Future

Beth Vogtanxiety, Beth K. Vogt, choices, emotions, Faith, perspective, Quotes, trust 8 Comments

@bethvogt   Most mornings I wake up and wander into the bathroom down the hall, step on to the small electronic scale, and start the morning off with a quick check of my weight. Some mornings it’s an “all good” kind of day. And some mornings it’s an “uh-oh” kind of day. My reaction is directly related to my actions …

When Do We Stop Worrying About What People Think of Us?

Beth Vogtacceptance, Beth K. Vogt, brokenness, challenges, change, choices, confidence, contentment, emotions, expectations, Faith, grace, Identity, In Others' Words, perspective, Quotes, writers conference 16 Comments

@bethvogt This is one of my “thinking out loud” moments and you – yes, all of you – get to listen in. It’s 4:10 a.m. when I’m writing this as I try to figure out something. Sometimes I do that by putting words on paper. This time, I decided to let my scribblings become a blog post. Last Wednesday I …

Choosing to Open Our Hearts to Encouragement

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, challenges, change, choices, confidence, expectations, Faith, grace, hope, In Others' Words, Love, perspective, prayer, Quotes, trust 14 Comments

@bethvogt Some stories are worth retelling. This is one of those stories. It’s a true story, one I love to share with others because what happened 21 years ago changed me and influences me to this day. Let me tell you why I love hummingbirds. *** After eight years living in Niceville, FL (yes, Niceville), my roots ran deep into …

Grandmotherly Advice as You Start College — A Conversation with My Daughter and Her Mimaw

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, challenges, change, choices, confidence, courage, expectations, family, goals, guest post, Identity, In Others' Words, Life, perspective, Quotes 27 Comments

Guest Post by Christa Vogt Last weekend, my husband and I visited his 100-year-old mother. Our youngest daughter, Christa, came along to visit her “Mimaw,” since she leaves for college this week. When we arrived at the skilled nursing facility where Rob’s mom has been staying for the past two months (too long of a story for this blog post), …

How Do You Conquer a Season of Transition?

Beth Vogtacceptance, Beth K. Vogt, challenges, change, choices, family, In Others' Words, Life, perseverance, perspective, Quotes, Reality, stress 16 Comments

There’s a lot of change going on around me right now. My son and his wife are awaiting the arrival of their baby, which is due in early August. They’re also moving into a new home before then. Well, that’s the plan, anyway. We all know due dates are approximations, right? My middle daughter and her husband are moving back …

Three Things to Consider as You Graduate from High School

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, challenges, change, choices, confidence, dreams, In Others' Words, Life, perspective, quote about life, Quotes, success 8 Comments

Graduate — and Keep Dreaming @bethvogt My youngest daughter graduates from high school on Friday. Christa is my caboose kiddo. She was born 12 ½ years after my husband Rob and I were finished having children, when her older siblings were 17, 14 and 12. Her arrival was one of those unexpected blessings of life that initially make you think, …

When You Meet a Family Crisis on a Street Corner

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, brokenness, challenges, choices, crisis, family, kindness, Life, perspective, Quotes, Reality, Relationships 17 Comments

Learning to Listen with Our Hearts @bethvogt   I went for a walk with my friend Mary yesterday morning. We’re long-time walking buddies, but this was our first opportunity in months to go walking together. You know how life gets busy and days go by and you keep thinking, “Maybe tomorrow there’ll be time to do (fill in the blank.)” …