rebelling against low expectations
Do you ever find yourself retreating into yourself around your friends, watching everything you say, and only putting out what you feel will be accepted by them? Are you depressingly aware of your shortcomings and afraid to let go of your public persona? Are you afraid to let yourself be known fully? With Christ, we can be completely ourselves. In fact, He commands us to. The God Who tells us...
I love music. I’m a musician and have music playing most of the day. I love listening to well-written songs, enjoy all different styles and genres, and I appreciate the craftsmanship and talent that goes into songwriting, mixing, and the whole creative process. In summary, if I had an obsession, it would be music. But I know that music is incredibly influential and have seen how it affects the...
Each new year brings with it new opportunities to grow in our walk with the Lord, endure challenges, succumb to sin, and learn more about Christ and ourselves. As we enter this season, we can be encouraged that “There are better things ahead than any we leave behind” (C. S. Lewis), because each day that passes brings us one day closer to an eternity of perfect, unbroken fellowship with Christ and...
Life changes. I never imagined I would be where I am today. I have seen many ups and downs and been through seasons of spiritual dryness and thriving. I’ve seen failure and victory; struggle and growth. I have felt a level of heartache like never before and felt a closeness to Christ and seen God’s mercy more intimately than ever before. I have changed; my life has changed; my dreams have...
We live in a very joyless society. People claim to be ‘happy’, but depression, despair, and suicide run rampant. Individuals are increasingly seeking happiness in the temporal—drugs, entertainment, work, and relationships—or some ‘connection’ to the spiritual realm through meditation, new age remedies, and soul-searching sessions. But when we look inwardly to find the source of our satisfaction...
Conflict takes a big toll on everyone involved. Regardless of who’s right or wrong – regardless of ambiguities, complexities, or blatant sin issues – the tension of unresolved conflict builds up until it impacts almost every area of our lives. Conflict is an inevitable consequence of living in a fallen world. However, being inevitable doesn’t mean it’s insurmountable. In fact, conflict between...
I sit staring at my computer. A million distractions and notifications hum around me, each one tearing at my few remaining strands of focused energy and productivity. I pick up my phone, check a few emails, and give Instagram a ‘brief’ glance over. Fifteen minutes later, I attempt to refocus on the task, but my brain is still whirling. When should I reply to that friend? My new post...
We all struggle with wanting to be cool. As young people, we’re caught up in a constant battle against peer pressure, secular culture, a desire to be a ‘cool Christian’, the darkness of the sin-cursed world around us, and the desires of our own sinful flesh. It’s so easy to get slack, to pull back from fully serving the Lord because, after all…who wants to be known as the ‘weird Christian kid’...
rebelling against low expectations
