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Outrunning A Boomerang
I am so easily entertained. The Boomerang app is a great example of this. The idea was a very clever one. There’s just something about a moving image unexpectedly going in reverse that is so fun! My mind wanders, and I can’t help but feel like we all experience boomerang-like behavior in life. We give the illusion of movement, but in reality we are just reliving the same motions over and over. We sometimes call this behavior a “habit”. Not all habits are negative, of course. In fact, I’m currently in the process of forming some positive habits myself. Daily meditation, consistent cardio, eating clean food…these are all positive changes!…
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This Year, Choose To Get Closer To God.
By Gods grace we made it into the new year! I’m sure we’ve all got our resolutions for some it may be strive to go to the gym and loose weight, others strive to find success in their careers, etc. But how many of us take the time and strive to make our faith a resolution. Our relationship with God is like any other part of our lives, it won’t improve unless we intentionally put effort to progress it. In fact if we don’t put effort it can diminish. People usually choose a New Years resolution simply by looking at what’s wrong with their life, or what could they improve…
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God of All Comfort
Who do you trust to keep your precious child? That was my dilemma upon finding out I was pregnant with our first baby after six years of marriage to my high school sweetheart. Everyone in the tiny, one-street-light town of Corrigan, Texas had one and only one suggestion: Shirley C. Talk around town was she and her husband had lost a daughter, Cindy, in a tragic accident, but they had forgiven the driver and decided to have another child, a girl they named Hope. Well-known for her calm and peaceful spirit, Shirley baby-sat one little girl, Lindsay, in her home, while Hope and her older brother, Paul, were at school…
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Face Your Fears…of Humility
As Christians, we are called to serve others. We are called to take up our cross and follow Christ’s humble example. Humility, however, is no excuse for complacency. Humility is not the opposite of being successful or great — that is a lie that pride sneaks into our hearts. Jesus wants us to strive to be great — he just redefined greatness. “They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first…
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Everything Comes Alive – We Are Messengers
“In the evening when my bones are tired You’re my strength and my heart’s desire You’re the light when the sun expires I remember how far I’ve come I’m not lost with You I’m home I didn’t find You on my own” I was listening to one of my favorite songs on the way to work this morning — Everything Comes Alive by We Are Messengers — and I was reflecting on a sermon I heard on one of my favorite stories in the Bible — The Valley of Dry Bones. In this story, God gives Isaiah this vision and commands him to prophesy to a valley full of human bones. Isaiah trusts God…
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Divorce: Peace For the Future
Divorce is a terrible thing. It does nothing but take from everyone involved. It takes away trust. It damages the heart. It has the ability to affect all aspects of life. Dreams deteriorate and it leaves people hurt and most importantly vulnerable. The enemy thrives in this type of environment. He finds pleasure in our weakness because it gives him an advantage. He wants us to believe that we are defined by our relationships. We are defined by others’ views of us. We are powerless against this. But there’s a problem with that. We are NOT defined by these things. We have something that he can’t take away. Peace.…
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Breadcrumbs From a Hair Dryer
I was sitting on the floor drying my hair yesterday and trying to figure out why I’m here (in Nashville). I felt called here without knowing exactly why or what my next step was going to be. Now here I am, almost three weeks later, still searching for an answer or even a hint. Usually I feel ungrateful or selfish if I ask God for things – especially because I am sad to admit the last year or so I feel as though when I need help I only pray as a last resort instead of an initial instinct. But as I was drying my hair I realized how crazy…
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Breadcrumb Trails
“God works in mysterious ways.” We have all heard — and probably used — this saying before. Although there is a lot of truth in that statement, I am starting to figure out that He has a particular strategy when it comes to my life. I tend to be a bit of a dreamer. I like to use my imagination and I like to use it in all aspects of life. As with any personality trait, this can be a blessing but can also cause me a little trouble sometimes. When I get an idea in my head, my imagination takes off and there is no way to slow it down! Whether it’s thinking…
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Do you really trust God?
I have been asking myself this question a lot lately. Initially I’m sure your response was the same as mine: of course I do! The Bible says that faith without works is dead. It also says that everything you do flows from your heart. I love God with all of my heart and soul, but looking back at some of my choices the last year left me wondering. Do I really trust God with my life? Do I seek His will in every single decision, or only the ones I choose? Am I boldly pursuing God’s plan for my life even if it doesn’t line up with my own? I…
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Agape: A Love Like No Other
Agape: Noun / Christian love, especially as distinct from erotic love or emotional affection. Early 17th century: from Greek agapē ‘selfless love.’ I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. I look for the good in them before I see the bad. I see potential in people that everyone else writes off. I thrive in helping those people see themselves in a positive light — the way God sees them. Sometimes they do prove me wrong, and for some reason I am disappointed and surprised every time that happens. But alas, I do it again and again. People tell me that I am “too nice” (which I totally take as a…
