Did you know that there's power in what we say? The Bible tells us that we have power in our words when we speak life or death. The meaning of speaking life is when our words are uplifting and encouraging. When we speak death, that is like saying I'm not enough or saying something that hurts someone else.
Read MoreJesus calls some to write a book, prepare a sermon, or start a podcast. He plans some to clean the toilets at church, design the cover page, manage the parking, or be a welcoming usher. As a college student, maybe he has called you to be a caring roommate and a hard-working student. At a particular time in my life, all I was called to do was be a loving wife and mother. Our roles change as we go through life. As we pray and wait on God, he shows us what we are called to do. He spells out our role!
Read MoreWhat do you do when you don’t know what to do? Cry? Scream? Freak out? Hide away? Turn to social media or the internet for answers? Life can be complicated and messy. Whether you are having trouble with a relationship, job, school, or something else, we are instructed not to turn to the world, but to the Lord.
I love that the Bible has so many verses on joy and rejoicing. St Paul who wrote to the Philippians from prison says ‘Rejoice, again I say rejoice.’ When Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and for us his children, he prays that we will enjoy the joy he enjoyed. Doesn’t that sound beautiful?
Read MoreA couple of years back when I visited Appa, he took me to his room and opened a draw, as if to show me a treasure. There in neat piles were all the letters, cards and paper clippings I had posted to him over the years. My eyes clouded with tears. That day I saw the soft tender part of my tall, dark, handsome and strong father.
Read MoreWe all pictured 2020 to look a little different than this. As we’ve all been watching the news for weeks now, this pandemic has unfolded right in front of our eyes. Never, did it cross our minds that part of 2020 would be spent quarantined at home. As we watch the news from home, all we see is death and suffering. You start to wonder, when will this all end?
Read MoreI always start hikes with a great level of enthusiasm. My pace is quick (probably too quick) and my ponytail bounces, even on the steepest of hills. Because I typically hike alone, I use an app to track my progress. It ensures that I stay on the trail and provides a resource in case the trail blazes disappear (which they occasionally do...especially in snowy conditions).
Read MoreRecently, I’ve noticed how drawn our society is to transformation stories. We watch home renovations on HGTV, we scroll through fitness before and afters on Instagram, and we fill our shelves with best-selling inspirational transformation stories. We cannot get enough of seeing how other people have made dramatic changes in their lives.
Read MoreYou’ve heard the genesis of the home for teen moms and the story of my mother. However, there’s a whole other chapter to this story. She was born in the Appalachian mountains. Born and raised. Pretty much my favorite person on the planet. Full of southern sass and the kindest heart you’ll ever meet.
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