In 2021, I sensed the Lord urging me to apply to a year-long Bible training program in Texas. At 23 years old living in small-town Missouri, I was terrified of doing the wrong thing but also terrified to do the right thing. But which was it? I felt stuck in
Over the last few months, many of our friends and family members have walked through intense loss and suffering. The last few years have been difficult for many, and my guess is that you’re in a similar situation. There are very few who have been left unscathed. Whether suffering has
It’s hard to be obedient when the outcome is unknown. In Exodus 6, God promises to redeem Israel from slavery of the Egyptians but not before hardening Pharaoh’s heart against them. Nine plagues and a hardened heart later, God sends the tenth and final plague, the death of the
From our earliest days, we are taught that there is a right and a wrong answer to almost every problem and dilemma. As we grow, we learn that life is a little more grey than black and white. In some ways, this fact is helpful, and it’s discouraging in other
I can’t stop thinking about that one thing I said. It came out sharp—sharper than I meant it—and I saw it land. I apologized, of course. But even days later, I’m still carrying it. Still replaying it. Still frustrated with myself for not being more patient, more gentle, and more
The phrase “It was meant for evil but God meant it for good” might be one of the most common phrases used by Christians today. But these were not merely feel-good words uttered in the spur of the moment. Neither was Joseph trying to sound smart and profound. These words
As I think about the importance of a strong, unshakable foundation, it reminds me of a story I would hear as a child. In a quiet valley, a house was being built. Only the concrete foundation stood. A little girl passed the construction site on the way to school. She
When I first gave my life to the Lord, I heard of the biblical concept of the fruit of the Spirit. I was desperate to be able to emulate these characteristics because I viewed them as a goal to accomplish. I thought that once I obtained all of the fruit,
“In the first month…pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. It turned out to be the twelfth month…” – Esther 3:7 One year….did you catch that? The Jews had one year to prepare for the day of their deaths.
Nothing God does is done in a vacuum and without purpose. Nothing! Everything He does has a plan, purpose, and intent. Even though we know that God is completely in control, it is also ok to ask, “Father, what are you doing?” Hope Against All Odds The world was in