Kindness cannot be overrated. It is the shield that softens the blows of life. It makes dark nights bearable, it is a company in times of tears, it builds up when words have been torn down, and can even make friends of enemies.
Read MoreI am BECOMING who God always intended me to be. At thirty years of age, I’ve done a lot but there is more to be done. There are some people who may not agree with my book. However, I have chosen to be real, authentic, and honest of my journey. This is more than my journey.
Read MoreI attend Malone University, a private Christian school in Canton, OH. The community comprises of students and faculty of various backgrounds. I’ve met students from different religious backgrounds and some who are non-religious, of different ethnic backgrounds, and so on. As a Christian school, Malone is affiliated with Evangelical Friends Church. Their community guidelines adhere to the church’s guidelines. Faculty members are expected to follow the guidelines more than students. One of the guidelines is that sex must be intimate between a man and a woman– same-sex relationships aren’t allowed. As you can imagine many people would be irked by this, and this is exactly what happened six months ago on October 11th. Malone’s president announced in an email that one of the female science professors is having a relationship with another woman and intends to get married this summer. When she approached the leadership she hoped for a compromise. Instead, she was asked to resign. Many students and alumni shared their grievances on Facebook and Instagram showing their support for the professor; most of whom were members of the LBGTQ+ community and supporters.
Read MoreSomething I’ve recently realized is this: “Every ending is a beginning & every beginning is an ending.” What does this mean? When we start something new, it means another thing is finished. Like the covenant of marriage, singleness must end for marriage to begin and marriage must begin for singleness to end. Life is complex this way. Joy mixed with sorrow, sorrow mixed with joy. If you ever want to study the complexities of this more in-depth, study the book of Ecclesiastes as Solomon walks through the seasons of life.
Read MoreGroups like ANM help people receive and access the Bible - in their NATIVE language. Right now, we are partnering to promote them giving Children’s Storybook Bibles to China. These Bibles could end up in the hands of children who have NEVER been exposed to Jesus. How cool is that?
Read MoreWhen we cannot find the words
Read MoreMaya Angelou said ‘ I learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but will never forget how you made them feel.
Read MoreA new series with Tirzah!
Read MoreJanuary is almost gone and as I think of the last month, the word ‘permissible’ seems to continually come to mind. Have you ever been given an opportunity that sounds great on paper, but doesn’t seem like it is the best option for you?
Read MoreThe parable of Matthew 20:1-16 and teamwork
Read MorePractical tips and advice for a new small group leader
Read MoreAdvice to help launch your first bible study group
Read MoreHappy New Year’s Eve, sister!
We hope your December was restful and relaxing. Praying there were lots of joyful moments with family and friends. Ushering in 2022, we are imagining a new tomorrow. Praying things are headed to a positive state here in the United States and all around the world.
Read MoreOnce upon a time, I had a group of friends. It started harmless enough. We were the best of friends who loved to live life together. One day everything changed. Life started to get less and less fun. Divisions were caused and rifts were built. Suddenly, having fun was a sin.
Read More1 Corinthians 13, verses 4 through 7, has always fascinated me. As a child, I saw it as yet another unattainable thing in the Bible. It was something that Christians were supposed to be, but also something I could never be. It felt overwhelming. As a youth, I started to understand that these were qualities of Christ, yet they still felt beyond my grasp. As a young adult who walked away from the Lord, I no longer cared what the Bible said about anything
Read MoreOn this conclusion on how to burn ships and build bridges, I want to burn the ship that your actions are necessary for God’s work. Guess what I learned? All the people, places, and things I thought God needed to complete His will - they were not necessary for GOD to complete what He wanted. Others chose their stories and I miss them dearly. However, I made the choice to follow God to where HE wanted to do a miracle.
Read MoreThis left me at a crossroads...continue to work for a place I helped build (and accomplished what I wanted) or chase after my own/personal dreams and desires. I took a giant leap of faith and stepped into a very part-time job where I get to be a part of my dream for my family. As I took that step of faith, I prayed - that God would open the door for me to pursue my dreams as a speaker and writer. Yelena did not know about that prayer - nor did she know that several years ago God had given me a promise through the verse Romans 8:28.
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