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...
“God can use anybody!” “If God can speak through a donkey, don’t you think He can use you too?” Statements like these are often used by pastors and leaders to encourage the people of God to live out the mission of God. And while they are often proclaimed with the best intentions, my response is always something like: “Yes, but…” None of us would deny that God can use anybody. He is all-powerful...
As a preteen girl, I wrote letters to my future husband. In those letters, I often wrote the words, “I am staying pure for you,” or, “I am keeping my purity to be a gift to you on our wedding day.” During my teenage years, I read a plethora of books on Christian dating that taught me to think through my purity this way. They motivated me to remain pure by promising that it would keep my wedding...
In recent years, we’ve seen a renewed cultural focus on self-worth. Mental health movements seek to address the crippling insecurities that harm people of all walks of life, and we’re constantly being told that we’re wonderful. That we’re perfect. That we’re good enough. On the surface, this seems like a good thing. Some people struggle with seeing themselves in a...
There I was in my first relationship. Although I had only known the young woman for a short time, she seemed to be a godly gal. She professed faith in Christ, attended church regularly, and served in the church. Yet, it became apparent she lacked spiritual maturity. She failed to take responsibility in certain areas of her life and ignored wise counsel. Soon our relationship was over. Following...
In many of his letters, Paul uses a word that might sound scary or too theological for the everyday Christian. This word is sanctification. While sanctification may not be a word we use everyday, it is something that’s for all believers. If this is true, what role do we play in our own sanctification, if any? Romans 6 will be our guide in understanding the balance between the status and...
I sat there with my notebook and pen in hand, ready to write down all the advice I was about to get. “What can I be doing now as a teenager to prepare for vocational ministry?” I was ready for practical advice – books to read, skills to acquire, conferences to attend. But what I got was much better… “Learn how to walk with God and live a life of holiness. Don’t get so caught up in ministry...
There is no shortage of articles, podcasts, and books on how to pray, what to pray, when to pray, the benefits of prayer, model prayers, tips on organizing your prayers, and where to find nice notecards and journals to keep prayers. These aren’t unimportant questions. But there is a greater one: Do you realize Who you are praying to? When I stop and think about what prayer is, I am totally and...
rebelling against low expectations
