rebelling against low expectations
We’ve all been told to memorize Scripture. We all know that it’s something we should be doing. Some of us have even set memorization goals and worked towards memorizing verses, chapters, or even whole books of the Bible. But have you ever asked, why? I know I have. In fact, when I was seventeen years old, I struggled with that question. (Which was a surprise because I had spent most of my school...
Have you ever seen a ship battle a storm? I know it feels like we’re weathering our own storm right now, but I want to focus on another aspect to storms. I’ve always wondered what a sailor would feel in the face of a storm at sea. Once, I heard a sailor remark, “In a storm, what you really hope for is that no one building the ship took any shortcuts.” That left me thinking. How often do we take...
The train stopped, but no one stirred. Hans stared out the window. Amidst the dirt and rocks, a few spring flowers were sparsely scattered. Not ten yards from the train, a group of prisoners were working on a new set of tracks. Sweat ran down their faces as they swung pickaxes into the rocky ground. He frowned. Women shouldn’t be doing such work! They were prisoners, yes, but the bands on their...
I used to think I knew what worship meant. I used to think that worship was raising your hands while singing Chris Tomlin lyrics or praying passionately while soft piano chords played in the background. I used to think that worship was going to church on Sunday and Wednesday and participating in the service. I used to think that worship was doing all of the “church” things I was supposed to do as...
There are some things we love that are too big for us. The sea and the sky, the waves and the stars, the pearls below and the planets above–these two have always been my loves. They’re close and familiar to me; they feel of warm soles slapping against grey boardwalk planks, and of neck upstretched to see it all spread out at night. Yet they’re far and distant too, both ever stretching out of...
Something my youth pastor always tells us is to preach the gospel to yourself every day. You may be thinking, “But I already know the gospel. Why do I have to preach it to myself?” While preaching the Gospel to ourselves may sound unusual, it’s actually vital to our spiritual growth. But what does that even mean? Preaching the gospel to yourself can be done in many ways. It could mean...
My summer started with all the normal things—volleyball practice, church activities, babysitting, etc. School had wormed its way in also—which I’m sure many fellow homeschoolers can relate to. There was also a job, a mission trip, and a YoungLife camp. Yes, it would be a busy summer, and I would be a little stressed. But I thought I could handle it. But then grief burst in. Three days before...
“Everybody wants to go to heaven. It beats the other place, there ain’t no doubt. Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wanna go now.”¹ So declares the old country song, and we may find ourselves unconsciously nodding along to those lyrics. Most of us really don’t want to go to heaven–at least, not right now. We know we should, and we know it’s better than the other place, so we do...
Guy/girl relationships can be confusing, can’t they? Guy/girl relationships online can be even more confusing. Does she like me? we wonder. Why is he emailing me? Why does she always comment on my posts? I think he’s flirting . . . is he flirting? Does she private message other guys . . . or just me? We stalk, we scroll, we like and comment, and before we know it, we have a full blown crush on...
Hey, you—dude in Vans and denim, brushing paint across canvas and concrete—I want to talk to you. You—the girl sipping coffee, spinning stories across your laptop screen—listen up. Teen brimming with inspiration, searching for outlets to spill yourself—let me enter your world and offer a hand. Because you and I have something in common: We’re kindled by the passion to create. We’re who culture...
rebelling against low expectations
