Tender Spots
Tender spots are sensitive issues in our lives, like wounds, fears, or other vulnerabilities. Tender spots are not weapons that we use against each other. Tender spots are opportunities to protect and support each other
the blog
Dawn Mann Sanders
More insights into how to align your life with God’s plan for you…
Taking the Initiative
“Start out the way you want to end up.” This is a wonderful piece of advice that my mother gave me on relationships. It is also the first thing that comes to mind when women ask me who should make the first move in romantic relationships
From Reginald Sanders
The devil is about to find out that you are stronger than he thinks, and that any man that steps towards you will have to step correct and godly. God will send godly people to be of help and assistance to you. God will take wonderful care of you
Love: Want An(other) Extraordinary One?
If I was going to do it again, I needed it to be different. So, I needed to be different. My time alone with Him allowed God to heal me and change me
Rise Above: Changing Your Thinking
Instead of trying to change the other person (which you don’t really have the power to do), why not focus on the one person you can change—yourself? And not just with words, change yourself by changing your thinking
Rise & Shine in the Morning
No matter what time I wake up, I purpose to rise AND shine. Because starting my day off right is a crucial step in creating and living a life I love. That means I have to have a good morning
Miscarriage & Mother’s Day
Not every woman feels like celebrating or her joy is bittersweet. For many women who have experienced a miscarriage, Mother’s Day is a painful reminder of our losses—and most women suffer in silence
Are You Resisting a Rest?
I evaluated my fear of rest reducing my productivity and found it to be unfounded. Rest is part of the cycle—growth, productivity, and accomplishment have a beginning, a middle, and an end
More Reasons for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
When I don’t get enough sleep, parts of my body, some in my brain, are not working to their full potential. Getting a good night’s sleep increases our creativity, and thus, our ability to solve complex problems threefold
Stumbling Due to Your Personal Vision?
Does the prospect of creating God-honoring designs feel overwhelming? Are you stumbling around trying to create one? Maybe you need to have your vision checked. Your personal vision, that is
Sheets, a Magnet, Ministry and New Year’s?
What do sheets, a magnet, ministry and New Year’s have to do with each other? Well if you’re not following my logic… read on… there is a design connecting them together
Remembering Loved Ones During the Holidays
Remembering loved ones is another way of coping with grief during the holidays. By remembering your loved one, I mean intentionally including your loved ones in a holiday ritual or tradition
Coping with Grief During the Holidays
Most likely this holiday will be different than previous holidays, because you are different. So, don’t expect you or the holiday to be the same. Try to remember that different doesn’t have to mean ruined
How We Connected through Abstinence
Abstinence may sound counterintuitive when it comes to deepening your connection with your significant other, but trust me it works
Three Ways to Combat Loneliness
To combat loneliness, I did three things: renewed my existing relationships, nurtured other people, and did things I enjoyed with others who enjoyed them
Will Your Circumstances Define You?
It has been over four years and I am still rebuilding my life. I can’t say that my relationship with God and my definition of myself are the same, but I don’t think they are supposed to be
Mary Jane It Up
Referring to the main character of the BET series Being Mary Jane played by Gabrielle Union. Union’s character places yellow sticky notes all over her house, with positive affirmations and quotes that she reads every morning before going to work
An “Unexpected” Source of Help
These women came alongside me and walked with me as I walked with them—they showed me that we don’t have to allow adversity to be the ending to our stories
Want An(other) Extraordinary Life?
Here I am trusting God. My new extraordinary life (my next big thing) has not arrived yet, but I finally want it and believe it is on its way. I’m on a journey to find/create/build it because there is still hope
What a Difference A Change in Perspective Makes
A guest post from a breast cancer survivor—sharing her testimony with others in hopes that they will be advocates for their own health and rely on God when enduring adversity
The Key to Knowing What to Do
“I lost myself,” stated a former student of mine. That is easy to do following a life-altering event. We focus so much on the doing that the being gets lost. At least, that is what happened to me
Are You Ready? Part VI
These tips on growing spiritually have served my whole family well over the years. No matter where you are in your faith, Scripture is a weapon you can use to overcome a multitude of challenges
Are You Ready? Part V
Money is a tool, one I want in my toolbox. That way, I am ready to move when opportunity knocks. Having the money on hand makes it easier to not hesitate when God prompts
Are You Ready? Part IV
I wasn’t ready in the past and almost missed my blessing. I don’t want to put another blessing at risk. That is still my reason, but when it comes to physical health, it goes deeper than that
Are You Ready? Part III
As your emotional health improves, so will your life by making you a happier, healthier, more positive person—positive people are more likely to attract other positive people and things in their lives
Are You Ready? Part II
I encourage you to make improving your relationship skills, and ultimately, your relationships, an ongoing part of your self-improvement process whether you are waiting for a blessing or not
Are You Ready? Part I
Whatever my next blessing is, I want to be ready to receive it. Rather than focusing on what you are missing, focus on what you can do to prepare for your blessing when it arrives, be patient in waiting and avoid distractions
It’s Time to Come Out of the Shadow
That is what I sensed God saying to me during a retreat back in June. When I heard it in my spirit, I began to cry because being in the shadow is so foreign to me
What Does Beauty Look Like?
Widely held perceptions of beauty and perfection can have a deep and lasting cultural impact. Let’s better understand potentially unrealistic standards of beauty and to see how such pressures vary around the world
Who Else Wants to Live in a Beautiful Home?
When I moved into my home almost 25 years ago, I wanted to create a beautiful space in which I loved to live. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the resources or know enough about myself to do it
Here is the Method that is Helping Me Declutter My Closet—and My Life
I hold each individual item in my hands and ask myself, “Does this bring me joy?” If it doesn’t spark joy in me, it has to go.
Get Rid of Negative Self-Talk
People often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder—the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder
What Everybody Ought to Know About Vulnerability
The ability to be vulnerable can deepen your connections and improve your relationships—don’t be afraid of how people in your life will judge you
Are You Treating the Symptom or the Disease?
My writer’s block was so severe I couldn’t even journal—but when I treated the disease, the symptoms naturally cleared up.
An Unexpected Benefit of the Unknown
No longer knowing who I am anymore, makes it difficult, if not impossible, to know what the future holds for me—but the blessing of a clean slate allows me to rewrite my ending, one glorious chapter at a time
Welcome to My Blog
My goal is to open a dialogue about how to navigate the challenges, struggles, and obstacles, we encounter in life, and ultimately, not allow these experiences to define us. I look forward to conversing with you as we navigate life together