✝️ Writer · Coach · Speaker · Mama in the Caucasus 🎨
Welcome to Edifying Pen
This is a space to be encouraged through creativity and faith. I’m Anna — a Canadian writer, teacher, and follower of Jesus, living and doing ministry in the country of Georgia. I write about faith, creativity, mental health, and the beauty of ordinary life surrendered to God.
Whether you’re a fellow creative, a seeker, or just someone who stumbled here — you’re welcome. Get a tea or a coffee or really any drink lol, and pull up a chair 😊☕
Recent Posts
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August Inklings: The Hemlock and The Long Run
The last time I studied Socrates must have been about twelve years ago, shuffled into an enormous room filled with 300–400 other students, learning about the philosophy of education. As a small-town girl sitting in such a big class, I was intimidated. But there I was, becoming what I always thought I would be: a…
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The Night I First Called Emergency (And What July Taught Me)
Tendrils of water slipped through my fingers as I swam and splashed through the St. Lawrence River every summer before I turned sixteen. I remember the way the sunlight fluttered across the navy blue water. It was not the bright blue lagoon colour of how I imagine a Miami beach would be, but more like…
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The Weight of Wanting to be Beautiful
A reflection on how loss of control—not vanity—often fuels body image struggles; how even “good theology” can quietly turn into self-management; how algorithms and beauty standards shape our thoughts without us noticing; and how God gently met me in the middle of all of it.
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A unique, yet not-so-unique journey to motherhood
My Story – What Culture Taught Me Growing up in the church, I was often asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?”, “When will you get one?”, “How many kids do you want?” These questions weren’t necessarily harmful, but I noticed they weren’t being asked to the boys in our youth group. Rarely did anyone ask…
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A Nuanced Reflection on International Women’s Day: Men Matter Too
I’m going to make a slightly controversial post on International Women’s Day—because I’m a woman, and I can. 😛 I want to say that I am the woman I am today because of the women AND the men in my life. Obviously, as a woman, I look up to other women who are older, wiser,…
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Apply the abundance mindset to your creativity
What is the abundance mindset?The term “abundance mindset” came about in Steven Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. It means “to believe that the world is full of enough resources and time for you to accomplish your goals“. How did I discover the “abundance mindset” myself? Well, if there’s anything I’ve learnt…