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Why You Don’t Have to Fear Being an Outsider
It’s a brisk Thursday morning, and as the alarm clock sounds, I consider backing out of the commitment I made last week. I told a friend I’d join her at a new group for moms. Today, I want nothing more than to stay in my sweatpants all day and avoid the awkward feeling of being an outsider. As I lie motionless in bed, I pause to be brutally honest with myself. I decide I’m done wearing a mask, fitting into a mold, and attempting to straighten my curly hair—all to avoid being an outsider in a world of insiders. C.S. Lewis on Being an Outsider Most of us learn about…
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Bible Verses About Regret (and 3 Ways to Let Go)
I sit beside the window in the morning light as birdsong tangles in the poplar tree’s outstretched branches. This morning, my heart is heavy. Pulling out my Bible, I begin listing words that bring comfort: Bible verses about regret and remorse. Perhaps you need these words today as well. We all face times when we look back with regret and wish we could begin again. Today, we’ll look at a list of Bible verses about regret. Then, I’ll share three practical ways to let go of our regrets and move forward. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you move…
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A Refiner’s Fire Story and a Prayer for the Fires of Life
The snow outside was knee-deep when I counted the days and realized I hadn’t left the house in 28 days. I was living out my own version of the refiner’s fire story. The refining fire was burning away the dross in my life, and it hurt. I’ll share my story from the fire shortly. First, let’s visit the refiner’s fire story as we consider the various fires we face. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you encounter God as you endure life’s fires. The Refiner’s Fire Story The refiner’s fire story shares the story of a group of women…
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14 Bible Verses About Speaking Positive Words
We all deal with frustration. It’s not wrong or sinful to feel frustrated or disappointed, but our responses can lead us to sin. Today, we’ll have an honest conversation about how to respond in these moments. We’ll also explore a list of Bible verses about speaking positive words. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God. 14 Bible Verses About Speaking Positive Words Let’s see what God’s Word says about our words. Bible Verses About Speaking Positive Words 1. James 1:19-20 ESV Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to…
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Easter Encouragement: Let God Lift Your Head
We go to the woods on a cool spring morning. The first bulbs are climbing through the earth to speak secrets known only to those who live long through dark winters. We’ve known dark winters here. We’ve wept over broken ground and shattered dreams, and we need a dose of Easter encouragement this year. As our children search earthen hollows for plastic Easter eggs, I think of the empty tomb. I think of the mystery of healing from brokenness and the miracle of life from death. Easter Encouragement As we search for the eggs, I remember Jesus’ words from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what…
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10 Bible Verses for Desperation: Don’t Give Up
We all face desperate situations in life. During these times, we need anchors to hold us in life’s storms. Today, we’ll explore 10 Bible verses for desperation. I’ll also share a message to every mom who feels like she is barely hanging on. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook that will help you establish a rhythm of connecting with the presence of the life-giving God daily. Bible Verses for Desperation Let’s dig into God’s Word as we soak in these comforting Bible verses for desperation. Bible Verses for Desperation 1. Isaiah 41:10 ESV Fear not, for I am with you; be…
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Following God Wholeheartedly When You Feel Unappreciated
A friend sends a message about walls closing in, sick kids, feeling underappreciated, and how in the world she’s going to make it through this never-ending season. I tell her I understand. It’s been a long season in this house, too. In times like these, following God wholeheartedly in the unseen work of life feels grueling. For me, the calling throughout the past seven months has been to lie on the couch and survive the lingering illness that accompanies my pregnancies. I’ve been called to be still, hydrate, and try to somehow keep pressing on. Sometimes, the calling of a season feels so much like a quiet kind of death…
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Help, I Feel Like I Don’t Fit in
The scents of vanilla bean body spray and cherry blossom lotion waft through the door before I even enter the room. I hear them laughing, talking about children, and discussing essential oils as I pass through the threshold. It’s my first meeting with the Moms’ Group, and familiar anxiety rises in my chest. I wonder where I’ll sit and immediately feel like I don’t fit in here. I scan the room as I wait in line to fill out my nametag. My box-like letters look like they were penned by an eight-year-old boy, while the other women etch their letters with elegant calligraphy. Awesome. Why did I not take cursive…
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How to Raise Frog Eggs and Have a Blast Doing It
Spring is here, and the world is coming alive again. As we embrace longer days, sunshine, and spring bulbs rising through the soil, this season is a perfect opportunity to help our kids connect with nature. This year, our little family is learning how to raise frog eggs, and we’re having a blast in the process. Providing children with opportunities to interact with wild creatures in safe ways is one of the best ways to spark life-long interests in the natural world. A frog egg project is a great place to start, and even the least savvy naturalist can pull this off. I remember multiple frog egg projects throughout my…
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3 Questions to Help You Find Your Calling in Life
Have you been trying to find your calling in life and coming up empty? You’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in and talk about how to find our God-given callings. How to Find Your Calling in Life I remember where I was the moment I decided I wanted to be a teacher. It was my junior year of high school, and I was sitting on a grassy hill watching mist ascend over viridescent fields. It was my favorite season of the year, the season that seemed to awaken every part of me, track and field season. Sitting on the wet earth, I searched my life for the places…
