In my renewed pursuit of growing my relationship with Christ these last few months, I've been praying about growing my dependence on God - yes, it's kind of weird to pray to God about having a deeper love for Him and a hunger for His truth, but it's what I wanted in my lukewarm state, so I prayed. And this weekend, God gave me a glimpse of that.
Read MoreI was saved on Halloween when I was five years old. Yes, you read that right. Although my family faithfully went to church, it took a salvation tract (a pamphlet, religious in nature, intended to share scripture and salvation with others) in my Halloween loot for me to make the decision to allow God into my heart. It was a cartoon called “The Fool,” about how only a fool won´t prepare for eternity.
Read MoreIt’s Alycia - our leader here at Tirzah! I’m jumping on today to let y’all know that there is a new movie coming out today called “Miracle in East Texas”. It’s in theatres now if you enjoy a good evening and popcorn at your local movie theater.
Read MoreAs a newly minted college graduate who is still trying to figure out who I am in God and just life in general, as I look through my social media channels and the blogsphere and see people still in that college phase, I have this urgency to tell you to step outside of that college bubble. So here it goes - words that go against everything you're told and probably against what you want. But, I pray that you'll read this with an open mind and a love for Christ. That's all it takes for the Holy Spirit to work in you.
Read MoreIf the last chapter of my life could be labeled, it would be “Breaking Generational Cycles.” For those who are unaware, generational cycles are patterns passed down from each generation of your family - they can be both good & bad! The chapter I’m currently living is titled “Foundations.”
Read MoreOur theology series (see Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7) has moved from the history of the church in the Bible to the history of the church in England to the divisions in the church and reformation to modern-day denominations! This month I thought I would bring to you a battle of the Baptists.
Read More“I still remember the days I prayed for what I have now.” This is a saying I have seen over the years, and every time I read it, it makes me stop and say a prayer of thanks to God.
Read MoreAs I’m reading through the books of Kings, I’m struck by the difference of how Israel approached God and how we approach Him today. Yes, times have changed, but God has not and so haven’t humans. In the beginning of the first book of Kings, it is written about the life of Solomon and the temple he constructed for the Lord. There are chapters dedicated to describing the intricate details of this temple – the elaborate designs, only the finest of materials, and the grandeur that building exhibited.
Read MoreThe circumstances I went through is what brought me back to Christ, through the years of legalistic rules that were now ingrained in my head made it difficult to align my thoughts with God’s love for me as I was persistently being spiritually attacked with fear and doubt.
Read MoreOn Sunday, we had two missionaries visit our church and both of them spoke about the organization they work for, the mission trips they've been on and the miracles they've experienced. And I sat there and listened....and felt incredibly selfish and defensive.
Read MoreI was now working as a forensic nurse. It was truly such a special job, but it definitely required a calling to be able to work in that field, just due to the nature of the job. As a forensic nurse, most people assumed two things: I worked with dead people, or that I was at crime scenes doing CSI work. NOT QUITE.
Read MoreLately, I've been praying a lot about ministry - it's a topic that's always been quite foreign to me, but lately I've felt a need to dedicate my life to ministry. Yet, I wasn't sure what that meant exactly. Growing up, the word ministry brought to mind missionaries and church leaders - of people like Mother Teresa, Billy Graham or the people I know who are always going on one missionary trip after another. But, since the Bible tells us that we're all called to a life of ministry in Christ, I know that it extends beyond just missionary or church work.
Read MoreRepentance is one of those words that we tend to stumble over (imagine scrambling and stumbling over rocks on a bushwalk or mountainous hike) because our hearts find it challenging to understand and to do.
Read MoreHave you ever received a text, letter or even a note scribbled on a napkin from someone you liked - like giddy almost-loved kind of like? You know, like when that cute boy texted you and no matter how simple or unromantic the text is, to you it carries all the hidden mysteries of your relationship, so you treasure it by reading it over and over again.
Read MoreSitting by the potted plants on our balcony, I opened my Bible and read these verses. I had read the passage many times before, but today it seemed to call me to pay attention as it popped out of the page.
Read MoreIn the United States we've become experts at simplifying the Bible - we pride ourselves on 20 minute sermons, we prefer the message Bible to "better understand" it, and our Christian stores have shelves upon shelves of books to guide our spiritual life and walk us through reading the Scriptures. There is nothing wrong with this, necessarily. It's just that too often we become to dependent on these crutches to lead us through life.
Read MoreNo one - no one - can honestly say their life is perfect. No matter how the social media posts read or what the pictures look like; no life is perfect. Now, some people invite in more (emotional) mess than others, but even so, no one has a ¨mess-free¨ life. We live in a fallen world.
Read MoreWe have all experienced them. A shattered business endeavor; a disappointed dream; a wayward child. Like a stillborn child, the dream is unable to be resuscitated. We are left wounded, devastated, hope deferred and our path deterred. When the rug is pulled out from under our feet; when we find ourselves on a detour we didn’t map out; while yet clutching onto our stillborn dream, He is still holding us.
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