rebelling against low expectations
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. Not only has the cold weather begun to settle in, but this holiday is filled with loving family and friends, delicious food, and the remembrance of how blessed we are. But Thanksgiving also makes me sad. Not only are some people spending the holiday alone, but the very next day, Americans forget their blessings and go shopping during Black...
As I copied the words “humble and gentle” from Ephesians 4:2 into my journal, the list of problems I constantly faced ran through my mind. I was too quiet, too unsure. I needed confidence and boldness to speak up. Why should I focus on being humble? That seemed like the opposite. I was puzzled. Humility was something I’d figured out a while ago. I didn’t brag. I didn’t think I was the best...
The tradition of Christian apologetics has a long history, from the apostles in the book of Acts, to writers in the early church like Justin Martyr, to modern recent authors like C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel, and John Lennox. The term itself comes from the Greek word apologia—meaning defense—and refers to laying out a logical case for why the faith is true. At some point, every Christian will be in a...
When I was a child, I often recited The Lord’s Prayer without an afterthought as to what I was actually uttering. If you’re anything like me, the art of prayer can be a difficult spiritual principle to grow in. Some churches teach to pray out loud or inside your head, while others remark that you need to say, “Our Father,” or “Jesus,” for it to be blessed and valid. Friends of mine raise their...
Do you have a list? You know, a list of the qualities you want in a future spouse. Some people have general lists that may or may not be written down. Others get a little more specific and put down preferred hair and eye color or even what musical instruments or sports they want their significant other to play. I once heard of a girl who had a list nine pages long, detailing everything from birth...
Lately, God has been teaching me about his character, especially his overwhelming faithfulness. I say overwhelming because every time I try to understand it I get…well, overwhelmed. It’s one of the craziest and most amazing things I’ve ever known. He’s also been teaching me about my character—especially my unfaithfulness to him. Distracted Again I have a tendency to get distracted...
In the past, my Bible reading has been largely unplanned and unscheduled. I would randomly pick a book of the Bible to study because it’s what struck my fancy in the moment, and I wouldn’t set any kind of time frame to complete it. Whenever I finished that book, I’d pick the next one in the same manner, and so on. But this year, I decided to try something different; something...
Growing up, my parents carted me off to youth group on a weekly basis, until my best friend learned to drive and brought me with her. Being a part of youth group also meant going to youth rallies, which I adored. Some were a day while others were over a weekend, but they all consisted of multiple teaching and preaching sessions, volunteer activities, and worship services. At each one, my heart...
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” (Hebrews 12:1). Do you play a sport? Do you know someone who does? If so, you know what it takes. Playing sports is hard. Sometimes you don’t want to keep going—but you continue...
This week, I spent three days without speaking. It was hard. Y’all, I’m an extrovert! I’m a people person. I’m an external processor. I spend all day every day talking with people, laughing with people, offering tissues to people. At the end of a long day, I don’t want to totally retreat, I want to laugh with my closest friends. But you know what? Three days without speaking was incredible, and I...
rebelling against low expectations
