- Kimberley Guillemet
- Jan 1
Dr. Anita Phillips, LCSW-C is a trauma therapist, life coach, spiritual teacher, and the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Garden Within. Widely recognized as a thought leader at the intersection of mental health, faith, and culture, Dr. Anita’s mental health advocacy work has reached hundreds of thousands and her podcast, In the Light with Dr. Anita, is transforming lives around the globe.
A New Jersey native, Dr. Anita is the daughter of Pastor David Graham and Evangelist Shirley Graham. She had early exposure to the importance of the intersection of mental health and faith as her older sister suffered from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and addiction throughout her entire life. Dr. Anita writes, “I asked for divine revelation about mental illness that would change and save lives. I’m so grateful He granted my request. My sister’s illness broke me in too many ways to explain, but like the child who gave Jesus his tiny lunch to feed the masses, I put myself in the savior’s hands. I asked Him to make me an answer; to multiply my broken pieces for those starving for understanding and deliverance. Now, God is doing exactly that in ways I never imagined possible and I am deeply grateful.”
Dr. Anita holds degrees from the University of Maryland and the Regent University School of Psychology & Counseling, and she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also serves as a fellow at Concordia University. Her dynamic voice has been heard from some of the largest faith platforms in the world. As a media personality she has been relied upon as an expert consultant by Tamron Hall, The Talk, Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Red Table Talk, and the Today Show.
- Kimberley Guillemet
- Sep 1, 2024
― Barbara Jordan
I recently visited Boston, Massachusetts, one of the oldest areas of our country. The old colonial architecture was beautiful; I truly appreciated the opportunity to see and touch places that I had only read about in history books. As I considered our democracy, I began to ponder a thought: our democracy was born out of the desire to permit free speech, facilitate the free exchange of ideas, and the ability to engage in personal choice, but today despite all of our advances in various arenas, we seem to have gotten away from this framework as we treat one another in unkind and intolerant ways and succumb to “cancel culture.”
Cancel culture is the idea that a person or a group of people can and should be eliminated, rendered non-factors, excommunicated from society, culture, or an “in-group” because they have done or said something with which others do not agree. The cancelation of people for having different viewpoints, or even making mistakes, has become so prevalent that even our elementary-aged children readily understand what it means for someone to be canceled. Indeed, they often engage in the practice themselves.
I believe that cancel culture is especially damaging for our young people. Adults have the benefit of life experience and perspective. We know that even our worst moments will pass and our worst mistakes will fade from memory. Missteps will be forgiven, and mercy will ultimately be shown. Things that seem insurmountable today will be something we will laugh at in the future. Youth unfortunately, do not have the benefit of the foresight that often comes with life experience and for them, cancelation can feel permanent and, even, fatal. For them, it's difficult to see beyond the moment, look forward to a brighter day or understand there will be joy in the morning, even if weeping endures for a night.
We must make a collective decision to facilitate a social culture of grace, forgiveness and mutual respect. As citizens of a democracy, we must all understand that sometimes one person’s exercise of their rights will conflict with or even offend our own. Sometimes we will not agree. Sometimes other people’s choices will make us angry, but we should never make it our goal to dismantle another human being or break their spirit. There are many people with whom I do not agree, but I understand they are entitled to their opinions and choices, as am I.
As we enter a season during which we will be invited to exercise one of our most important rights as Americans--the right to vote--I hope that we will remember to engage one another, especially those with whom we disagree, with respect. As we do, our own perspectives may shift as we learn about people who think and live differently than we do and we may be able to help expand perspectives of others as we share who we are.d have enough.
- Kimberley Guillemet
- Dec 7, 2023
― Kimberley Baker Guillemet
Like many of us, I have a whole list of things I would endeavor to accomplish if I had unlimited amounts of time and resources. I would increase my morning devotional and meditation time. I would take up piano again, practice my Spanish more often and even pick up another language, or two. I would write another book. I would remodel our house to make it bigger so that we can host more family and friends. I would travel more often, and widely. I would engage in more regular and more intentional self-care practices. The list goes on and on.
But I don't do these things in the amount and with the regularity that I would like to. And some of them I have not started at all. Why? I have told myself that I do not have “enough.” I don't have enough time. I don't have enough money. I don’t have enough resources. I don’t have enough of whatever is needed.
A few weeks ago, I was challenged in that mindset by a sermon by Pastor Steve Furtick. He likened the “not enough” mentality with a scarcity mindset. Upon hearing this, I immediately felt uncomfortable. I thought, Does this apply to me? Seeking reprieve from conviction, I initially rebuffed the thought, telling myself, I am a master at time management and I'm quite frugal. I really, actually, truthfully do not have what is needed to accomplish the things on my aspirational list. I need more time. I need more resources. I need more money. I just need more.
But then I thought some more and asked myself, Do I?
My husband and I discussed the issue a few nights later and as we talked, we remembered a time in our marriage when we made less than a third of what we make today in salary, but still had to clothe, feed and house the same four children we have now. We remember praying for a salary increase so that we could make ends meet. Since that time, God has provided for us in spades, such that not only have all our needs been met, but we have been able to bless family members, friends, and even strangers with time, resources, food, company and more.
Yet, here I am, still saying that it's not enough.
Really, when is it enough? When do we decide that we have enough? I have had to challenge my thinking in this area and what I have come to realize is that it becomes enough when I decide it's enough. Please understand that I am not advocating a delusional mindset where we convince ourselves that we have resources that we do not or time that does not exist. The reality is that time, money and other resources are indeed finite. However, we have choice in how we use them. We have choice in how we choose to steward our money and we have choice in how we utilize our limited time.
Starting from a foundation of grace and understanding that nothing in life has perfect timing or execution, I'm giving myself permission to allocate time and resources to pursuits that give me joy and that I feel help me fulfill my purpose and mission on this planet. Of course, that cannot be to the exclusion of required activities that ensure that we're able to feed, clothe and house ourselves and provide for those who depend on us. However, I don't believe that our heart calls us to move in specific directions and engage in various endeavors for no good reason.
As we close out 2023 and prepare for 2024, let’s give ourselves permission to come from a mindset of abundance and assume that we do indeed have enough.
