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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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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.…
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Living in the Joy of the Lord: 6 Practical Ways
It’s an overcast evening with light air hanging over the black-eyed susans that blanket the fields behind the house. I’m not thinking about living in the joy of the Lord, but I’m about to learn a lesson that will forever change my life. I’ve spent most of the day cleaning the house, dealing with a frustrating computer issue, and searching the basement boxes for size 3T sweatpants. By the time the food is on the table and the family is gathered on the deck for dinner, I’m weary. Living in the Joy of the Lord We’ve just finished our meal when it happens. Our sweet little girl winds up with…
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How to Step Out in Faith When the Next Step Feels Scary
It’s late August, and the ironweed boasts deep purple blossoms among fields of green and gold. We stand at the end of the driveway with anxious hearts. Today is an opportunity to learn how to step out in faith. We all feel just a little bit scared. I honestly believed I’d be more nervous than our extroverted five-year-old when the first day of kindergarten came, but it seems she’s the one with the jitters. We review the directions to her classroom for the third time. I remind her to focus on eating her sandwich at lunchtime. We discuss important topics like hand sanitizer and hydration: the stuff moms worry about.…
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8 Bible Verses About Courage for Your Insecure Moments
The thick Carolina air presses on my lungs like I’m caught in a stranglehold. Running along this wooded path, I wonder if I have what it takes to do what God has called me to do. I try to conjure up some Bible verses about courage, but I come up empty. Lavender thistle blossoms bow and rise in unison, and yet there is no breeze. They must be praising their Maker. I join them, and the heaviness in my chest seems to lift. Perhaps it wasn’t the Carolina heat strangling me after all. I’ve been wrestling hard this weekend. I’ve wrestled with the realization that I am different than the…
