When I think I've screwed it all up and there's no chance for redemption, I've bought a cheap version of Jesus. When I think my weaknesses are too great to be overcome, then I've probably bought a cheap version of Jesus. If I pray about something and it isn't answered the way I wanted and this causes me to throw away my faith, then I've most definitely bought a cheap version of Jesus. Sometimes I will hear people say things like "my faith is broken" or "I've lost my faith" an

When you try out to be a fireman, one of the tests they give you is this blindfolded test where you can’t see and you have to make it out only holding onto a rope. They want to know who can find their way out when their sight is taken from them. Who can hold onto the rope and not get lost. Sometimes following God is like that. Our circumstances are too dark and we begin to lose sight of Him. We can’t see Him at work. And that’s when we have to keep following Him anyways. Trus

I have found that when something happens, I have two choices. I can make it about myself or I can make it about Jesus. What I mean by that, is I can narrow my view and filter everything through my feelings and circumstance or I can filter it through God’s word and what I know about Jesus. In short, we can either make it about us or we can make it about Jesus. When we make it about us, we quickly fall into our feelings. Our feelings can stir us up and cause us to think or act

I’ve been to some very beautiful places. I’ve been snorkeling in Cozumel. I’ve been on the white sand beaches of Aruba. I’ve hiked mountains and witnessed beautiful views. But even though I’ve been to some beautiful places, if I were going to share with you my most life defining moments, I wouldn’t take you to any of these places. They didn’t happen there. I find that quite funny because we often put a lot of emphasis on beautiful places being our most memorable moments in l

My dad was the bookends to my day. Every morning he hugged my sisters and I and told us he loved us. Every night after he said goodnight, he’d say “say your prayers.” These two things were constant my whole life until my dad passed away. These two things framed not just my day, but my life. When we were little, my dad would sneak into our bedrooms and say his goodbyes in the morning. As teenagers, he would knock on the bathroom door and wait. Three girls with blow dryers and

What's the story you're believing about your life today? Nothing good could possibly come from this situation OR God works all things together for good for those that love Him. I'm not strong enough to overcome the things in my life that are weighing me down OR His strength is made perfect in my weakness and I can lay those things down daily to Him. I don't see a way out of my situation OR God makes streams of water in the desert and He will surely make a way for me, too. I h

The person who just brushed by you in the store just lost their child. The person standing behind you waiting to pay for gas just lost her dad. The person who took a half a second longer to make the right at the light just got a diagnosis that is turning their world upside down. The person in the car next to you is wondering how they're going to make ends meet this month. Sometimes we forget that everyone is facing something. Everyone we meet is either in the beginning, middl

I have one rule when we bike on the canal. “If you stop and turn around and you don’t see me, then you know you’ve gone too far.” And perhaps God is whispering the same. If you wake up in the morning and His goodness doesn’t cross your mind, then you’ve gone too far from Him. If you’re facing a problem and you don’t think to seek His face, then you know you’ve gone too far from Him. If days have gone by and you haven’t spoken His words to your children, then you’ve gone too f

Forgiveness is really hard. It's so much easier to just write people off and pretend they don't walk around on the same planet as you anymore. This used to be my preferred way of dealing with people who offended me and something I still have to fight against at times. God has really worked this out in me and continues to because we are always faced with people and situations that test this. There’s a verse in the Bible that says “Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief.” And so

"Mom, I want to be famous when I grow up." "Well, what do you think famous means?" "That everybody loves you." Oh, honey. No, no, no. The world does not love you. The world loves to fall in and out of like with people, but it does not know about loving people. It knows how to hold you close when you think like they do, but it has no problem kicking you out when you don't agree with them. It knows how to love you when you're like them, but when you step out of the lines they'v

Have you ever been falsely accused of something? Misunderstood? Have you ever had your good intentions twisted around? Have you ever been completely blindsided by someone's interpretation of something you did or said? Have you ever had someone not think the best of you or question your motives? There's this human need in us to want to confront and set people right, especially when our reputations are at stake. At least I know it's in me! And I honestly believe this is one of

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:9 These are some of the last words Jesus says before his ascension into heaven. It can very easily be broken up into two parts: go and make disciples, and I am with you. These words hold great weight. Imagine before leav