Growing up in a conservative, Slavic community, I was one of the few women to go to college and graduate, and the only one who graduated from law school. One time, a few guys from my church told my grandmother, “With one degree, maybe one of us would have married her, but with two, no one will.”
Read MoreI write this in the middle of deep silence. A sense of emptiness finds me, and I know it is not emptiness. It’s an ache. I work eight to twelve hour days, which is normal for most, and I have tried to shove too much in between. I finally found an hour to myself, and I wanted to cry. I cry a lot. When all the activity and bustle I have organized for myself no longer swirls around me, I am left to stare at all I have swept under the rug.
Read MoreI always assumed hearing God’s voice was a phenomenon reserved for people for more spiritual people than me. Previously, my opinion about people who say they “hear from God” sent up a red flag in my mind. It was a sign of delusion, not of blessing.
Read MoreAnyone who lives in a mountain town will tell you that while our home makes God's natural handiwork real in the form of crisp morning air, the sweet smell of pine trees, and the sight of majestic mountaintops peering above the tree line, it also comes with the threat of wildfire. Several months ago, as the mountain that rests within one mile of the mountain town I call home was set ablaze by the careless actions of one individual, I was jolted into reflection of what it truly means to hope in the promises of Christ - that He would keep my home, and my people, safe.
Read MoreA friend of mine lost her little girl this week. I won’t share the details out of respect for their family, but the events of this week have been on my mind and heart almost constantly. Even when I went to go to sleep last night, I couldn’t, because I was so consumed with thoughts of my friends who are walking through this tragedy. Do you ever wake up in the night hours, burdened for someone? That was me, all night long, last night. I know that whenever that happens, God is giving me that name for a reason: to wake up and to pray. I don’t usually get out of bed when I do this, but sometimes I do. I share that, because it’s so important to follow through with that thought when we’re suddenly thinking about someone we know.
Read MoreThe summer and fall after you graduate from college can be a very weird time in any young adult's life. You are high off of the excitement of finally being a college grad, but eventually, the excitement fades as you are faced with life after college and all that it entails.
Read MoreHiking is one of my things. In 2018, I visited all 56 state parks in Tennessee… and then decided to do a bit of wandering because I needed more trails (there are plenty more trails in Tennessee, but I was ready for something different). So, I took off.
Read MoreThe end of graduate school was drawing near, and I was elated as I considered that the culmination of the past year and a half of my hard work was about to come to a poetic close as I crossed the stage, accepted my diploma, and became a master in my field. Even better, I knew I had a job waiting for me after I graduated - a rare gift in the recession era of the American economy. I would be teaching at the middle school where I had been working as a research intern and substitute teacher for the entirety of my graduate school career, since both the assistant principals and teachers alike had assured me that the opening in the English department was as good as mine.
Read MoreDo you pray? Do you ever pray for yourself? I ask this, because until a few years ago, I have rarely ever prayed for myself. I know it sounds silly, but I almost felt like it was selfish to pray just for my own self. I would welcome other people to pray for me, but myself? I don’t know. It just seemed weird and I never did that.
Read MorePodcasts have grown increasingly popular over the years and it seems like you can find one on just about any topic. Today, we’re sharing with you some of the best Christian podcasts that are sure to fill you with positivity and encouragement as you go through your day.
Read MoreI struggled with friendships throughout my entire childhood. I was very quiet, more than a little shy, and extremely lacking in the confidence that helps most people in this area. I remember meeting my very first friend in kindergarten, though, and it was a girl I sat with on the bus. (Side note: I never even rode the bus except for maybe three times.) Her name was Allyson, and the first time I ever met her was a year before that in a vacation bible school at a nearby church. Her dad was the pastor of the small church in my area, and I was so glad that I saw a familiar face that day, in a sea of unfamiliar ones on that big, scary bus.
Read MoreIn college, I bought a puppy. A really cute Golden Retriever puppy to be exact. It was a dark season for me and I was so tired of being there. I just wanted to be happy. So I looked at what made other people “happy.”
Read MoreI wasn’t always close to the Lord. I became a believer and follower of Jesus when I was a young girl, but then I proceeded in those following years to live life only for myself. I would think about the Lord from time to time, and I never stopped attending church, but my walk with Him was nowhere near where it should have been. I helped out with a lot of events at church, I helped write for their weekly newsletter, and I even led worship on Wednesday nights. But other than that, I really didn’t consider my faith any other time during the week.
Read MoreTake a little extra break here, fudge on the speed limit there. Tell a white lie to get out of a commitment. Look the other way when a Sister or Brother should really be confronted. Serve the Lord or serve myself? Decisions, decisions…
Read MoreA name is powerful. One of the biggest decisions new parents have is to name a child. That name holds all the hopes, dreams, and potential for our babies. It is their identity wrapped up in a single word. For example, we named our daughter Elisha, which means “God is my salvation”. We chose that name for her because we wanted her to always know that truth. We named our son Lucas, which means “bringer of light”. He was called this because we believe this is his potential, that he will be one who brings God’s light to the world.
Read MoreHave you ever had a day where you tried to fit in as many errands as possible? You run around frantically, but when you get back home, you feel like you barely got anything done. It’s exhausting.
Read MoreAnxiety has become a buzzword in society. Everywhere we look we see people openly admitting that they have anxiety, followed by their recommendations on how to alleviate it. It’s almost becoming a normal thing to have some sort of mental illness and declare it across social media. Let’s not forget the jokes suggesting things like needing a Xanax to calm down from a day.
Read MoreIs this another ‘single girl post?’ It is if you make it one; chances are, I have felt exactly the same way you have. This is pretty personal for me to write and I am somewhat reluctant to do it, but I am going to anyway because you may need to hear this.
Read MoreThere are usually two extremes we go to when making choices: we either pick too quickly, without thought or become paralyzed with the fear of making the wrong choice. Before we move any further, let’s clarify the type of decisions we are talking about today.
Read MoreI vividly remember driving across state lines, wistfully looking out the window of the car that was packed to the brim with my belongings, daydreaming about how my life was about to change. I had packed up the things I would need, and the things that meant the most to me, and was moving across the country to begin my first year of college. The world was about to see me as an adult, and I wasn't completely sure of what that would mean for me and the relationships I had with the people I held nearest to my heart – including God. But I knew that if I loved and trusted Him the way I said I did, that He would remain with me, even in this new chapter of my life.
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