The world is a crazy place right now. Sometimes I am concerned the whole place has gone mad. Sometimes I remark how we all “just need Jesus.” With an election, a pandemic, social distancing, life changes, and everything in between, it is easy to feel lost. The world has been in an identity crisis for some time now, but it has been glaringly obvious this past year. What is even worse, I fear Christians may be in an identity crisis themselves.
Read MoreLike a growing number of people, I met my husband thanks to a dating app. Since things turned out well, I’m glad that I decided to try using the app, but I also spent a lot of time going on multiple dates with guys that were never going to work out.
Read MoreI didn’t want to be here again, but here I am. Struggling to make sense of anything. Fighting to break out of the clouds that seem to surround me, heart and mind. It is disheartening. It’s frustrating. It’s hard to accept. Sometimes, our reality doesn’t look like we want it to.
Read MoreFor several months, I had been having surreal, petrifying nightmares startling me awake in utter panic and terror that something tragic was happening to my loved ones. These weren’t premonitions or ordinary “you-had-too-much-to-eat” nightmares, but I believe, were demonic attacks from the enemy in an attempt to strike inordinate fear and panic into my mind to keep me from the pursuit and surrender toward Christ.
Read More“Let’s get off social media for Lent this year,” she said. That was how it started. We were juniors in college when my roommate suggested we fast from using social media platforms for the forty days of Lent. We chose social media for a number of reasons: to refocus our attention on God, take a mental break, and witness what would happen to us without it.
Read MoreHi. I don’t know about you, but the last few days have been a little tense for me. I’m writing this as I watch the American election unfold from my California couch, and I’m struggling through a range of emotions. And I believe Jesus is still king, and my eternity is secured no matter who wins our presidential election. But, still, the tension of unrest is palpable.
Read MoreWhile on a trip to upstate New York earlier this year, I couldn’t help but notice how people filled their sprawling lawns with signs supporting either of the 2020 U.S. presidential candidates like badges of honor. From one-of-a-kind handcrafted signs to mass produced ones, it was clear who these residents were supporting in the upcoming election.
Read MoreWe are called to be in this world for a time, and while we are, our responsibility is to love and honor our fellow humans, showing off the love of Jesus through the way we live. This is why I implore my sisters in faith, to vote this November with a heart surrendered to Christ alone.
Read MoreRecently, I struggled to hear God’s voice in the midst of the chaos that is going on around me. I needed to grow in my relationship with God, but I felt stagnant in my efforts. Every time I tried to pray or read the Bible, God felt so distant. I felt like a bad Christian. It seemed like I was talking to an old friend, who couldn’t relate to me, and there was a barrier between us so I couldn’t clearly hear His voice. With tears in my eyes, I slowly admitted this to one of my friends… I struggled to hear God’s voice. I felt like the Lord was far from me. I read my Bible and prayed. But I still felt overwhelmed and defeated.
Read MoreMany people love to compare Bible characters. Themes in churches and society tell us we can be just like these characters. They specify us to be just like a woman character in the Bible - or for men - a male Biblical character. However, we are called to be who God created us.
Read MoreI threw my dusty suitcase in the pickup truck bed, and jumped into the back seat. I was in Idaho. A sweet couple serving as YWAM base missionaries had picked me up. We struck up a conversation about life and disappointments.
Read MoreI love the recounting of Jesus calming the storm in the gospel of Luke. I read it again yesterday, as I read in my chronological Bible and caught up from the days I'd fallen behind. I thought I'd write it out for you.
Read MoreA couple of years after finishing college, I decided to move to France to teach as an English assistant in elementary school. While I spoke French passably, it was definitely a transition to suddenly having to communicate with everyone in the language after not practicing since my last college class. It took me a month to feel comfortable enough to brave attempting to go to a church in France.
Read MoreI’ve always been a solo hiker. That’s what originally drew me to hiking...the opportunity to be alone with my own thoughts and feelings and fears. To face new challenges and push my limits. Setting myself up for success in the face of any and every possibility. My pack was perfect: Headlamp, snacks, water, extra layers, socks, rain layer, band-aids, knife, lighter..
Read MoreWait. We don’t like that word very much, do we? I know I don’t sometimes and I think that as a whole, we are people who are in a hurry more often than not. What are some things that we don’t like waiting for? How about a paycheck? Food? Perfect timing, or as close to perfect as we can reach? Possessions—cars or beautiful homes? A husband? Kids?
Read MoreWe can learn quite a bit from the first miracle Jesus performed. Although it may not be his most recognized miracle - such as giving the blind their sight, allowing the deaf to hear, or raising the dead - it was still impactful, and even today, we can learn from it.
One year ago, we were spending our Labor Day weekend in a children's hospital. What started as a routine wellness visit with the pediatrician, turned into our tiny baby boy being admitted to the hospital for "Failure to Thrive". He was three months old at the time and, despite our efforts, his weight had begun to fall away from the growth curve. The pediatrician felt it best to have his calorie intake monitored and see if a solution to his slow and fluctuating weight gain could be found.
Read MorePolitics have always been divisive, but it seems this year has reached a whole new level of the “us” vs. “them” mentality. In the middle of a very tense election season, it can be hard figuring out how to navigate politics, especially as a Christian.
Read MoreMy nephew, Charlie, is 17 months old, and it has been so much fun watching him grow. Listening to him learn new words has probably been my favorite part of this process. One of the first words, other than Mama and Daddy, that he said clearly was “book”. It was adorable! I remember being so amazed at how this small little human had expressed such a clear thought. With each new word that he says, it brings a smile to my face. It won’t be long before he expands his vocabulary further and even begins to string these solitary words into small sentences. Before we know it, he will be asking that question that parents with small children hear so often…”why?”
Read MoreThe Sabbath day of rest was a big deal in the Old Testament - in multiple places in the Scriptures, God instructs the Israelites on the importance of taking the seventh day of the week off from all work. It was a sacred commandment, a sign between God and His people, that they may know that He is the who sanctifies them. But, how is that relevant for us today?
Read More
![[Our] Social Dilemma: A Response To The Netflix Documentary](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bf4340770e8026f5a08fd46/1604612064257-ZMB9ES7Z3LQYATA960VS/film-socialdilema.jpg)
