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How to be Brave when God Calls You to Follow
Some conversations remain imprinted on our minds in the precise location where they took place. Hard conversations with friends. Phone calls that change everything in the blink of an eye. Faith-filled conversations that shift paradigms in our minds and call us to learn how to be brave in new ways. As last summer drew to a humid close, I remember precisely where we were walking when a close friend asked how I felt about an impending season of immense difficulty. Our family was on the brink of change, and it wasn’t going to be change that came softly and easily. It was a change that was going to require me to…
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4 Ways to Have More Purpose and Passion in Life
I stroll down our country road as ribbons of fading daylight twirl through a canopy of maples. These lingering daylight hours offer ample time to step away and reflect on how to cultivate purpose and passion in life. Life has been full and blessed lately. Summer feels like the season of abundance. The house is filled with the noise of children. Beagles howl in the backyard. We are surrounded by blessings. These days with the kids also offer very little downtime. If I’m not preparing a meal for someone, I’m cleaning up or scooping food into a little mouth. If I’m not wiping sticky fingers, I’m cleaning apple juice off…
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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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3 Reasons You Might Have “Misheard” God’s Voice
I vividly remember staring into the forested landscape and wondering how I’d missed it. I’d been planning and preparing and seeking God’s voice for months. When life took a turn in an unexpected direction, it was blatantly clear that the whisper I thought was God’s voice was not his voice at all. Most of us will “miss it” at some point. We will believe we’re hearing from God, step out in faith, and end up slamming into closed doors. Perhaps you’ve been here, too. It might be regarding a job, a relationship, or a risky venture that everyone says is crazy. Most likely, you did all of the right things. …
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Stepping Out in Faith: How to Take the First Step
I have always struggled with new beginnings. Stepping out in faith can feel terrifying when we’re afraid we might fall flat on our faces. Starting anything new often feels awkward, and this is challenging for most of us. Whether I’m launching my first blog post, running the first mile of the morning jog, or starting a new job, I don’t love the first small steps. At times, I feel this way when I sit down to write and have no words. There’s a saying among writers that goes something like this: “Write or do nothing.” In other words, when you designate a time of the day to write, you have…
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Safe With God: When God’s Will Feels Risky
Throughout most of my adult life, I’ve held onto the maxim that declares, “The safest place in the world is the center of God’s will.” I take it to mean that whenever I’m walking in God’s will, I am also safe with God. A few months ago, our family walked through a tough loss. The loss led me to question much of what I believed about God. For the first time in many years, I didn’t feel safe with God. Following God had led me to a valley so dark that I felt anything but safe. Safe With God? As we navigated our loss, I was struck by the words…
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5 Reasons to Stop Seeking a “Balanced” Life
Do you feel frustrated by the lack of balance in your life? Most of us have had this experience. Let’s talk about why the idea of a “balanced life” might not be God’s plan for us. 5 Reasons to Stop Seeking a Balanced Life Recently, I went for a walk with a friend who was visiting from out of town. She had been serving the least of these in the far corners of the earth, and I had been chasing down the elusive ideal of a balanced life while mothering and writing. She asked how I was doing, and I told her I was feeling a little out of balance. Life…
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Recovering From Church Hurt: 6 Steps Toward Healing
Not long ago, I received a message from a friend who was dealing with deep church hurt. She told me that after being hurt so deeply, she was never going back to church. As we talked about the issue that had caused division, we recognized that all people are broken. When we’re hurt by the church or other Christians, it’s vital to remind ourselves that no one is perfect. We’re all on journeys toward maturity, and hurting people hurt other people. In some ways, we are all hurting, and this truth can help us extend grace to others when they let us down or hurt us. Recovering From Church Hurt…
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How to Step Out in Faith When You Feel Uncertain
It’s a dreary winter morning when I realize that the dark, cold days have worn me far too thin. As I begin brainstorming ideas about how to climb out of the rut, I have no idea that God is about to teach me a lesson that will stay with me for years, a lesson about how to step out in faith. “Want to take Caleb to our camping spot along the river?” I ask Bekah, drawing her from screen time that’s lasted longer than good parents would permit. There’s no hesitation. “Yes!” she shouts. In ten minutes, we’re bundled into snow pants, parkas, and blaze orange stocking caps, barreling down…
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10 Affirmations for Spiritual Growth With God
Do you ever feel frustrated because your spiritual growth seems slow? Maybe you want a closer relationship with God, but the busyness of your life makes this feel unattainable. If so, you are in good company. When this happens, speaking affirmations for spiritual growth can be helpful. A few days ago, the first ivory snowflakes fell onto the lawn, and I considered the shifting seasons. I asked myself, Did I accomplish what I hoped for in this past season? How are my relationships with others? How is my relationship with God? As the snow fell silently, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d failed to reach some of my goals.…
