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Am I Going to Heaven? (How to Have Confidence)
My friend looks at me through watery eyes and asks, “Am I going to heaven? I’m so scared that I won’t make it in.” She just lost a loved one. In her grief, she’s been thinking about eternal life. “I’ve always tried to be a good person,” she adds. “Do you think I’ve been good enough?” I wish I could tell her that being a good person is enough to get into heaven. I wish I could tell her that a vague belief that all pathways lead to God is enough, but I can’t lie. In response, I open up and tell her my story. Am I Going to Heaven?…
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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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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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5 Inspiring Bible Verses About Discouragement
It’s a brisk autumn morning with lacy frost whitening the lawn. It’s been a discouraging season here, and I am worn out. As I stare at the never-ending to-do list, I realize I could use a few Bible verses about discouragement. This fall has been marked by big bumps along the usually smooth road of our lives, bumps that make us step back and appreciate the simple things of life, bumps that make us grateful to still be here together laughing and crying and kicking soccer balls across wide spans of green grass. Bible Verses About Discouragement I stare into the hazy coral firmament, lost in thought, when a…
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Four Ways to Decrease Stress by Slowing Down
It’s autumn in Pennsylvania. Autumn in this part of the world means cornfields that rustle beige in the evening thermals. It means pumpkins on stoops and hay mazes towering in muddy alfalfa fields. It means russet leaves applauding the sky and geese heading south with their human-like voices echoing overhead. For our family, it also means settling into a different routine, one that currently includes soccer games, hunting trips, and longer hours within the walls of our living room. Darkness comes earlier, and we find ourselves racing to fit more into days that seem shorter. It’s the time of the harvest, a time for filling the freezers and picking squash and baking countless loaves…
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How to Focus on Jesus Instead of Focusing on Your Problems
The seasons are changing in our part of the world. I watch from my window, where I’m lost in stacks of first-grade homework, bills, and messy reminders about the reality of my actual life. I want to focus on Jesus this morning, but I can’t clear my head in the middle of the mess. You probably know a thing or two about messes. You want to live by faith and focus on Jesus throughout your days, but the chaos of your life pulls you away. How to Focus on Jesus I want to learn to keep my eyes on Jesus, but sometimes, it doesn’t feel practical. Here’s what I’m learning:…
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How to Live for God and Find Deeper Joy in Life
The rhythm of the elliptical is like a cadence keeping time with my prayers. I pray while I exercise. Today I’m praying for single-minded focus to help me live for God in a world so full of distractions. I stare at a beautiful landscape background on my computer while a worship mix stirs my soul. I’m listening to Israel Houghton’s moving rendition of “To Worship You I Live” when a question startles me from my daze. How to Live for God I think of Paul’s words: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 NIV). The song prompts me to consider what I live…
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Only God Can Satisfy Your Emptiness: 3 Ways to Be Filled
We were just starting to believe we’d made it through the worst of the blustery winter days when the cold weather returned like a tempest fighting for one last victory. As I stared at the daffodils, crushed beneath the weight of the snow, a gentle invitation beckoned me, whispering, Only God can satisfy your emptiness; turn to him and be filled today. Winter had worn on me, and another grey day felt nothing short of defeating. Nevertheless, I knew that my emptiness could be satisfied by God alone. Mostly, I knew this because nothing else had been working. Only God Can Satisfy Your Emptiness Perhaps this invitation to let God…
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5 Things to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life
There’s just something about the long walk through winter. There’s something about the piles of muddied snow, the grey days, and the darkness falling early. It all makes me feel more than just a little bit stuck in life. What to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life It doesn’t have to be winter in your world for you to feel stuck in life. There are about a million ways to fall into a pit and find yourself clawing at the walls with no worldly clue of how to climb out. I know because I’ve been there. One thing I’ve learned is that the worst thing I can do is…
