As is customary on Thanksgiving Day, giving thanks for everything we have can be easy or hard depending on what’s going on in our lives. If things are tough, it’s often hard to give God our thanks; when things are going well, sometimes we forget to thank God, too. We praise God first because he loved us and sent his only son to die for us on the cross (John 3:16), everything else should be gravy. Of course, it’s never quite that simple. If you’re like me and you need constant reminders to stop and be grateful and thank God for everything, you’ll find this list of Thanksgiving Bible verses handy.... Read More
faith
When God Shows Up in Worship
One's conversion to Christianity often includes a dramatic overwhelming God-moment. Something incredible happens when the Holy Spirit breaks through and speaks to you directly. This type of encounter with God usually causes a change, or pivot, from doubt to belief. When God shows up, the overwhelming evidence is convincing, and we have no choice but to accept and say yes to God. ... Read More
Do All Things Really Work Together for My Good?
There are a handful of Bible verses that are often quoted as platitudes. We hear these verses so frequently that they often lose their impact. We may hear them in passing, on the radio, or quoted by well-meaning family or friends. One such verse is Romans 8:28.... Read More
Motherhood, Ministry, and My Minivan
If you told me I’d be a minivan-driving mama of four when I first got married, I wouldn’t have believed you. I had no idea what lay ahead, and how my faith, becoming a mom, and driving a minivan would shape me. Motherhood changed me, and my minivan got me there. ... Read More
Storm Clouds and Silver Linings {Sorrow Adjacent to Blessings}
I was emotionally triggered and couldn't quite find my way out of that place in the moment. We’d traversed our way into dangerous conversational territory again. Having successfully launched our oldest child and were leaving him after several days of helping settle him for his freshman year, our conversation had shifted to “what’s next.”... Read More
10 Bible Verses About Trauma
It's hard to have trauma in your past that continually causes you pain, whether you've been through emotional trauma, physical trauma, or have complex trauma. I've written about my own journey of experiencing trauma and finding the blessings within trials. It's no picnic, and sometimes I find myself triggered by the same things over and over again.... Read More