rebelling against low expectations
At some point in our lives, we have all asked the question, “What is my purpose?” In response, we face a multitude of answers. But as Christians, one response stands out above the rest. Our purpose—the reason for which something is done or created—is to bring glory to our Refuge and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. That answer comes simply, but it forces us to chew on another question, “How can I...
Recently, I participated in a play with my classmates. The theme was the relationship between God and humans. I played the part of an average human. In the play, the human is lying on the couch when their phone dings. There are two notifications, one from God, and one from their friends. Do you know what they did? The human ignores God’s invitation to be together, and instead, goes to their...
Most of you probably know the hymn, “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.” Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face And the things of this world will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace. Often, we sing hymns and read verses, but don’t grasp their magnitude and significance. The words of this hymn recently hit me. If you are fixing your gaze on Jesus, all the things of...
For as long as I can remember, spending time alone with God has been part of my day. After my family gathered for our prayer and Bible study in the morning, we would each go off and have our personal time with God. When I was younger, I loved this time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading my devotional and working on memory scriptures. Then, I got older… and busier. School intensified. I joined a...
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...
In the middle of my semester finals season, I was studying when I looked up and realized just how tired I was. I was burnt out, unmotivated, and overwhelmed by stress. But I kept studying, kept doing what I was doing, because I needed the grades. That was my priority –studying nonstop and getting good grades. Because I made that my top priority during those two months of my exams, I ended up...
“Rachel, this is not your monkey. You cannot control what your friend does or thinks. It is not your job to fix her.” I remember clearly when my dad looked me in the eyes and reminded me of this truth. I was trying to fix my friend, and it was bringing me down. Looking back, I was trying to find the satisfaction my soul longs for in that friendship. When my friend started struggling, I...
It’s that time of year. School started a few weeks ago. Many of us are adjusting from having lots of free time to having less and less as the school year progresses, and sports and clubs pick back up. The large number of things to do, and the seemingly small amount of time to do them, can be overwhelming, especially for those of us who just finished a slow and restful summer. With all the things...
rebelling against low expectations
