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Renewed
Last Sunday our pastor pointed out that living by the Spirit is the command Galatians 5. The fruit of the Spirit is simply what the Spirit produces in us when we walk by the Spirit. He then challenged us to look into what walking by the Spirit actually looks like in daily life. I feel Continue reading
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Maybe
Maybe we wait to say the obvious. right thing. Maybe we choose not to tell our angry friend to be more patient. Maybe we resist the urge to tell our depressed friend that they’re supposed to be joyful. Maybe we bite our tongue when we want to tell our anxious friend to stop worrying and Continue reading
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More than word on a page
“I luv you. And you luv me.” I was around 6, I think. I sat next to Grandma’s little lamp with a red pen and a piece of scrap paper. I wanted to write a note to Mom and Dad about how I loved them and was so happy and grateful for them. I struggled Continue reading
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The Kitchen Sink
I stand by the kitchen sink – stomach tight, jaw clenched. My hands are covered in soap as I shove a dirty fork into the dishwasher. Why is it here doing a daily mundane job that I feel the weight of my messed up past and the weight of the ways I could mess up Continue reading
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The Sofa
I wiped my feet on the doormat as I waited for the large door in front of me to open. I hoped someone was home. Water droplets were running down my face and my clothes clung to me like a heavy, wet blanket. It was stupid to go for such a long walk today, but Continue reading
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Carried By Hope
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”Philippians 1:6 ESV I’ve found this verse so reassuring recently. Because the honest truth is I wonder if I’m not enough for God to want to really love me and Continue reading
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Stories Bound by Love
Seeing God in my story and seeking and giving thanks for His presence is a theme that keeps coming up for me. For example, today I read Psalm 105. It starts off like this: “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing Continue reading
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The Asterisk
I vacillate between wanting to love You and wanting to be mad at You … between resting in Your love for me and building walls to see how far You’ll go to fight for me. Accepting Your unconditional love seems dangerous. It feels like I’d be left vulnerable. By definition I’d have no control over Continue reading
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You Can Handle Me
When my family moved to our current home I was quite happy with the pale blue walls and white trim that already existed. It made the rooms feel light and airy. But as we began to move in I sighed noticing that the white steps and railing was already getting smudged. I would have to Continue reading
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Learning to Hope
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by Continue reading
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only for me
“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.”Isaiah 54:5 ESV I expect Him to pursue me when I feel put together. I’m confused that my level of “put together” has no affect Continue reading
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Highways
“I run to the FatherI fall into graceI’m done with the hidingNo reason to waitMy heart needs a surgeonMy soul needs a friendSo I’ll run to the FatherAgain and againAnd again and again“ ~ Run To The Father, Matt Maher “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Continue reading
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Soar
“‘I have no wish to talknonsense.‘” “‘If you did, it would be in such a grave, quiet manner, I should mistake it for sense. Do you never laugh, Miss Eyre? Don’t trouble yourself to answer–I see you laugh rarely; but you can laugh very merrily: believe me, you are not naturally austere, any more than Continue reading
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Face To Face
I often wrestle with why Jesus has not returned to bring His Church to Himself … why in the Bible this time we’re in is supposed to highlight God’s “patient forbearance” (2 Peter 3:9) when every moment people who reject God as Lord and Savior are dying and will experience separation from Him for eternity. Continue reading
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Emotional Sanctification?
It needs to be said loud and clear: Our experiences of Jesus do not change Who He is. But they do change us. In other words, how I feel about Jesus doesn’t change His character or what He has done. But how I feel about Jesus can change me and my thoughts, view of self, Continue reading
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Where Strongholds Weaken
It matters how we talk to ourselves about our hurt. There’s a difference between saying “it isn’t that bad” or “that’s just the way it is” and saying “I am living in lies that I’ve let shape my life, but God is stronger than the lies and has protected me.” One acknowledges both the reality Continue reading
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Genuine Love In Conflict
We were sitting on the old, beat-up couches that lined the youth group room when she shared with us how her classmates were tearing her down. She felt like the only way to defend herself was to lash back out them. “I know Jesus says to turn the other cheek and everything, but I don’t Continue reading
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Know You Best
“I just need to trust more.” It’s a strange statement most believers have found themselves saying. As if there is anything “just” about trusting anyone even God. Trusting is like dancing – moving hoping the other will match your pace. Making yourself vulnerable expecting the other to catch you. Testing more advanced moves with apprehension Continue reading
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When Hope Groans
“But I can’t see Him,” she groaned. My heart immediately ached in echo of the lament: we do not have our Savior physically with us to comfort and reassure us of His lavish love. These sort of thoughts often leave me with a kind of loneliness that feels a lot like homesickness. But this time, Continue reading
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Safe
“Keep me safe,” he said as he cuddled deeper into the blankets next to me. His chubby two year old hand rested on mine. Sometimes loving him means washing his blue sippy cups, giving him space to make mistakes, and showing him again how to be kind to his sister. And sometimes loving him means Continue reading
The Worth Of Knowing 