Table of Contents
Appreciation 13
A Note from Joan 15
Preparing for Relief: Freedom, Here I Come!
1 Smiling Here 21
2 Easy Does It 22
3 To Be or Not to Be? 23
4 Is It Burnout? 24
5 The Over-whatevered Life 25
6 Today's Disappointment/Tomorrow's Opportunity 26
7 Break Time 27
8 Harnessing the Power 28
9 Finding the Fun 29
10 Running on Empty 30
11 Lazy? Not! 31
12 Lighten Up 32
13 Merely a Theory 33
14 Clandestine Perfectionism 34
15 Making Reasonable Decisions 35
16 Irrigating Your Soul 36
17 Don't Like the Upkeep 37
18 Hushing the Bully 38
19 Pretending No More 39
20 My Walking Companion 40
The Relief of Imperfect Relationships and Families: It's Not My Job!
21 Uncomplicated Delight 43
22 Gratefully Imperfect 44
23 Stepping Back is Sometimes Best 45
24 Superhero No More 46
25 Sugarcoated Reality 47
26 Rocking the Boat 48
27 Learning to Ask 49
28 Joy-filled Honesty 50
29 Healthy Example 51
30 You Mad at Me? 52
31 Ultimate Paradox 53
32 Speaking me Truth in Love 54
33 Lonely Lovers Song 55
34 Healthy Rescuing 56
35 Breaking and Entering 57
36 Beneficial Detachment 58
37 First Things First 59
38 Playing God 60
39 Jesus Boundaries 61
40 Win-Win Listening 62
The Relief of Imperfect Emotions, Minds and Bodies: Exquisitely Intertwined
41 Accepting My Humannesa 65
42 Calm When I Goof 66
43 Flashlight of Hope 67
44 Precious to God 68
45 Blinking in Amazement 69
46 Just for Today 70
47 Agreeing with My Maker 71
48 It's an Epidemic 72
49 Like a Refreshing Breeze 173
50 Admitting Anger 74
51 Reducing Resentment 75
52 Internal Friends 76
53 ignoring Reality 77
54 A Healthy Habit 78
55 Spiritual Tug-of-War 79
56 Forever Friends 80
57 Silence: Not Always Golden 81
58 Giving Grief Dignity 82
59 inputting Misinformation 83
60 Adjusting Childhood impressions 84
61 God Is on Your Side 85
62 Setting Myself Free 86
The Relief of Imperfect Life-Work and Service: Regaining Life
63 Reversing Direction 89
64 Unlikely Blessings 90
65 Entrance to Freedom 91
66 The Getaway 92
67 Touching Tranquility 93
68 Adrenaline Junkie 94
69 Have Fun! 95
70 Sounds Sensible to Me 96
71 Mark of a Perfect Perfectionist 97
72 More Than Your Share 98
73 Ditching Man-made Rules 99
74 The Horse Race 100
75 About Sleeping 101
76 Mr. Should Bully 102
77 Wide-open Space 103
78 Sitting with Jesus 104
79 Can Bitter Be Sweet? 105
80 Setting Mini-goals 106
81 Work 'til You Drop 107
82 Rest Regardless 106
83 Delegating the Workload 109
The Relief of Imperfect Churches and Culture: No Formula Solutions
84 Holy Ground 113
85 Living Naturally 114
86 Irrevocable Girls 115
87 Amazing Geese 116
88 Working Out 117
89 Unspoken Rules 118
90 Adding Variety to Life 119
91 Focusing 120
92 How Paradoxical 121
93 Identically Wrapped Boxes 122
94 Enjoying My Part 123
95 Live and Let Live 124
96 The God-shelf 125
97 Simple Act of Charity 126
98 Personal Respite 127
99 Turning Off the Engines 128
100 Gaining Self-worth 129
101 I'm Not Crazy 130
102 Head Held High 131
The Relief of Imperfect Dreams, Plans and Decisions: The Joy of the Imperfect Yes!
103 Learning to Flex 135
104 in the End 136
105 Lessening Your Anxiety 137
106 No Hiding 138
107 Unique Calling 139
108 Grace Notes 140
109 Moving Close 141
110 Redeeming Time 142
111 Ordinary Stuff 143
112 Internal Change 144
113 Life Isn't Period 145
114 Confronting unreasonable Fear 146
115 Out of the Abundance 147
116 Turning On the Light 148
117 Scooting Fear Out the Door 149
118 My Fluctuating Best 150
119 Pleasing God/Enjoying Life 151
120 Claiming Joy 152
121 Eliminating Miserable Misbeliefs 153
122 A Backward Process 154
123 More Than a Label 155
The Relief of Imperfect Faith, Prayer and Spirituality: Striving Too Hard Dulls Your Soul
124 Without Ceasing? 159
125 Released to Enjoy 160
126 In Love with Me? 161
127 God Isn't Like That 162
128 Makes Me Smile 163
129 Generous Resources 164
130 On the Receiving End 165
131 Reflecting God's Nature 166
132 Spiritual Calisthenics 167
133 God's Surprises 168
134 Tomorrow's Overconfidence 169
135 Into the Silence 170
136 Out with Bogus Rules 171
137 Frenzied Prayer 172
138 Nourshing Your Soul 173
139 Quit Thrashing Inside 174
140 A Beautiful Thing 175
141 Prayer Without Strings 176
142 Enjoying God 177
The Promise of Relief: Breathing Room for Your Soul
143 Good Enough! 181
144 Adventure of Faith 182
145 The Diversion Game 183
146 Little by Little 184
147 Daily Gilt 185
148 A Smile-able Truth! 186
149 Refreshed Each Dawn 197
150 Facing Frustration 166
151 Management Contract with God 189
152 Do It Scored 190
153 An Extravagant Price 191
154 Reproducing Growth 192
155 Messy Progress 193
156 Do It Again 194
157 What's on Your Rock? 165
158 Change is Possible 196
159 Daily Sobriety 197
160 Whose Expectations? 198
161 Defusing the Fear 199
162 Unique Needs 200
163 I Love You 201
Endnotes 202
Interacting with the Author 205
