I spent a lot of my life believing that following Jesus was holding me back, believing that the Bible had too many rules and infringed upon the fun life I wanted. I never renounced my faith, I simply put it on the side burner, taking charge of life myself and living the best I could. …
Saturday Reflections
He is so good. Satisfying. Eternal. "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. - Isaiah 40:25 I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. - Isaiah 42:8 Then you will know that I am …
Babylon, Part 2
This is what God the Lord says - he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it; “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold …
God is good if… a past “Babylon”
When I was in college, I came to the realization that I really only believed that God was good if I got the good things I wanted. Namely - to get married and have kids. Pretty simple. It was the Jeremiah 29:11 “good plan” I assigned to myself from God. But this good plan of …
For I know the plans I have for you…
Jeremiah 29:11 - It’s a verse many of us are familiar with. There are hundreds of image options on Google and just as many everyday items available for purchase at Hobby Lobby. I love this verse, but for years, I found comfort in it without ever understanding the context. The book of Jeremiah is …
A Christmas Lesson to Launch the New Year
I don’t even remember what I was upset about, all I remember was feeling exhausted, tired of my kids not listening but also frustrated with myself for yelling at them too much. My head in my hands, I rubbed my eyes and looked up to see the “let’s worship” phrase I, myself, had written in …
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Walking the Path
It was the perfect Saturday: sunny, temperatures in the low 60s, and the air crisp with the early scents of fall emerging. Best of all, we had no formal agenda beyond a trip to the state park and a picnic by the lake. It was my kid’s first real hiking experience, and since they are …
Knowing God’s Will
Get wisdom; develop good judgement. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. - Proverbs 4:5 Whether we’re praying for God’s hand of help or for his hand of direction, we often want to know what our role is. Sometimes, it’s obvious. God might flood us with a peace or a certainty about a …
Continued Prayer
I was rocking my son to sleep one day, half praying for some close friends and half thinking of ways I could help and support them. And I heard God whisper, “This isn’t for you to fix.” It was partially relieving. “But God you aren’t fixing it…” I sighed. After so many unanswered prayers, in …
God is not boring
While I believe prayer is one of the most fundamental, most crucial aspects of leaning into God and maintaining a relationship with him, it continues to be a learned practice for me. One night, I was leading a small group, an IF:Table gathering. I was hosting and leading the group, and I found myself confessing, …
Soaking in the Son 