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8 Bible Verses About Joy and an Invitation to Encounter God
A fresh blanket of snow found us in the early hours before dawn today. With lanky fingers, she reached down and touched us—wrapped us in an ethereal cloak and spoke of rest. I walked to the window and got lost in the purity of the wild world, and in the process, a spark was ignited in my soul. It felt like a fresh outpouring of joy—joy I’ve been craving for far too long. I pulled out my Bible in search of inspiring Bible verses about joy and started soaking in the words. The excitement of Christmas has passed. Many of us look to the long winter season ahead, and we…
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Savoring Life: 6 Practical Ways to Add Joy to Your Life
I’m bent over an industrial meat slicer—not thinking a thing in the world about savoring life—when a phrase comes to mind: “Why do we often have to lose what we have to appreciate it?” I’m 21 years old, and I’m far from my home in Pennsylvania. I’m working in a deli in the middle of Alaska, saving money for next year’s college expenses, and hiking every time I get a free hour. I love Alaska. The view of endless mountains intrigues me. I love to watch the fireweed dance beneath the midnight sun and sit by the river that flows grey with glacial silt. This place meets my expectations and…
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3 Ways to Fall More Deeply in Love With Jesus
The old sycamore leans over the icy creekbed with shoulders washed white by the weather. Closing my eyes, I inhale the scent of the forest and pray that I might learn to embrace my moments and fall more deeply in love with Jesus in the process. For the past few years, I’ve been learning to slow down. I’ve been asking God to help me live with less grit and more grace. In the process, God is changing me. I’m also discovering that the secret to living with greater joy and deeper peace is falling more deeply in love with Jesus. What does this look like in my world with winter…
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God Will Make a Way: When God’s Ways Don’t Make Sense
A thin band of pale light hovers over the horizon like a breath only partially exhaled. I watch from my window like I’m waiting for the day to exert itself by letting go of the light it holds in restrained lungs. I’ve been wrestling with God lately—the kind of wrestling you do when you begin to doubt the promise that God will make a way. I open the Bible with the turquoise cover, and my eyes fall upon the words: “For the Word of the Lord is right, and all his work is done in faithfulness” (Psalm 33:4). It sure doesn’t feel like God’s faithfulness when the dream you were…
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3 Biblical Coping Strategies for Stress and Anxiety
I sit with the dawn and let my thoughts gather. The grey morning light lifts her sleepy head, and the thin air is embroidered with a crimson cardinal’s song. My mind is scattered, and I feel like I’ve been stretched too thin. I’m thinking about packing lunches, painting walls, mid-morning Zoom calls, and new rain boots for the little one. I could use a few Biblical coping strategies for stress today. I don’t want to be stretched and stressed. I’m tired of snapping at my kids and rushing through moments I should have cherished. “I need a stress detox,” I whisper to no one in particular. Throughout the past months,…
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3 Questions to Ask If You Want a Deeper Relationship With God
I sit by the sliding glass and force myself to stay for ten minutes of silence and semi-solitude. I’ve been sitting by this glass intermittently for several years now, trying to incorporate rhythms that will teach me how to have a deeper relationship with God. Most of the time, nothing spectacular happens by this window. I watch the poplar leaves wave mitten-like hands at the dawn. The slow fade of verdant wildflower fields captivates me as summer slips into the cool days of autumn. The Psalms help me lift my eyes to the work of God’s hands. This particular morning, I’m met with a surprise out the window. A grey…
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Four Practical Ways to Cultivate a Consistent Prayer Life
The roadsides are blanketed with wildflowers, and we often spend evenings playing kickball in the backyard now. It’s not officially summer yet, but it feels like summer has already settled upon us. As our rhythms change, I long to cultivate a more consistent prayer life, especially in this busy season. As I reflect on this desire, I’m reminded that God doesn’t want to be an add-on to my busy summer; he wants to do life with me. How to Cultivate a More Consistent Prayer Life A phrase keeps running through my mind: Don’t leave God in the prayer closet. God wants us to meet with him in quiet places. But…
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How to Overcome Anxiety With God’s Help
I stand on a sand-sprinkled kitchen floor and stare down a list that’s growing longer every day. Springtime brings an expansive array of new endeavors, and if I’m not careful, my mind will spiral out of control with anxious thoughts. I’ll find myself sitting in a dark corner praying to overcome anxiety with God’s help. Henry David Thoreau said, “It’s not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?” I think of Thoreau’s words, and I realize I need a plan. Anxious thoughts are creeping in, and if I don’t get a grip, who knows what will happen. I’m not sure I…
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5 Steps to Take When You’re Feeling Uninspired
I’d been feeling uninspired for a few weeks when my life suddenly came to a screeching halt. I was unmotivated to write, weary from parenting, and I felt stuck. Most of us know all about feeling stuck. We get stuck in bad habits, complacency, escapist behaviors, and deep, muddy ruts along the paths of our lives. What do you do when you’re feeling inspired and struggling to find the courage to do something about it? I wrestled with this question as the milky light of winter dawn eased through the windowpane. A thought came to mind. It went something like this: “Have you forgotten your why?” I spend most of…
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Sweet Bekah Is Launching Her Own Blog for Kids
Throughout the past year or two, our sweet daughter Bekah has been asking to start her own blog for kids. A few weeks ago I told her if she could write fifteen posts to convey her commitment, we would do it. Honestly, I expected her to write a post or two and lose interest. Much to my surprise, she cranked out all fifteen posts with focus and determination. With sheer ten-year-old vision and insight, she has proven herself. Her vision is to write devotional posts each Wednesday and posts with fun activities every Friday. It looks like we’re doing this! Honestly, I had plenty of reservations. This isn’t a vision…
