rebelling against low expectations
I’ll be at college in four months, give or take a few days. That’s utterly insane to me. It feels like just yesterday I was a middle schooler, totally in awe of the kids who were going to college. I mean, can you imagine being that old and independent? Taking on the world by yourself? I couldn’t wait till I was all grown up like them. Well, here I am, realizing that they weren’t anywhere near as...
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. (Isaiah 61:1) At the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus read this passage in a synagogue when he started his ministry. It’s a striking summary of...
“Believe in yourself.” “Follow your heart.” We’ve all heard these phrases. Popular culture is inundated with these messages, and sadly, you may have heard them from Christians too. The words sound good. However, as much as they encourage and boost your confidence in yourself, they are dangerous. I repeat, they are dangerous. Why? The Trap of Believing in Yourself You, you, you. The purpose...
It may come as a surprise to us believers in the modern era that silence used to be one of the most valued of Christian ideals. Strange to hear, isn’t it? In our world of platforms and networks, group chats and twitter threads, silence has come to be quite underrated in the 21st century mind. Of course, this is an unusual feature of the modern age. Through the use of Scriptures the church has...
A few months ago, I deleted my Facebook account. This was a big change for me because Facebook was my primary social media account, and I checked it constantly throughout the day. I looked at it first thing in the morning and right before I went to bed. But I realized my dependence on Facebook was damaging my life. Initially, I had taken a weeklong break from Facebook starting on election day...
Do you always find it easy to read the Bible? Do you constantly burn with a deep passion for God’s Word? If you honestly couldn’t answer yes to those questions, maybe these will resonate more. Do you struggle to meditate on God’s Word? Do you get distracted when you sit down to read? Do you long to delight in God? Yes? I know, me too. Too often our pursuit of God is so weak. We struggle with half...
The waves rose higher, beating against the boat. Wind whipped around them, stirring up the surface of the sea and tossing them back and forth. They strained against the waves, but it wasn’t any use. Suddenly, on the horizon, a figure emerged. Fear gripped their hearts . . . Does this story sound familiar? Most of you have probably read it first in the book of Matthew. “But the boat by this time...
The world tells people to live their best lives, to seek happiness and fulfillment, to focus on the here and now. But death? The only mentions that death ever gets in society today are disclaimers on medication commercials. As much as death is ignored or pushed out of people’s thoughts, it doesn’t change the fact that it is an impending, inescapable reality. It is estimated that 150,000 people...
To say 2020 was a curveball would be an understatement. There were so many new rules and regulations to follow, so many new inconveniences to face, and so many new routines to get used to. While I am still grateful for 2020, I couldn’t wait for 2021. 2021 also excited me because there is so much happening in it. I have several major exams. There are a lot of important decisions to make. And I’m...
I have last year’s goals spread out before me. Some practical: Work out two days a week. Get to bed by 10:30 each night. Some ministry and work related: Write book two. Redesign website. Some spiritual: Study the Bible in a deeper way. Be consistent with my prayer time each day. If the beginning of a year is anything, it’s a time for casting vision. Dreaming. Planning. Making new goals and...
rebelling against low expectations
