Psalm 107 mentions a people (God’s people!) who have wandered (v. 4), sat in darkness and the shadow of death (v. 10), rebelled (v.11), were foolish in their sinful ways (v. 17), and reached their wits’ end (v. 27). That sounds like me more than I want to admit! Following each of these accounts, the passage points to what happened when God’s people “cried to the Lord in their trouble.” The result? He delivered them! Thank you, God, for this psalm reminding us of Your faithfulness! Another ... VIEW POST
Psalm 107:1-2- Because I Said So!
Isaiah 55:2b- True Listening
Last year I faced the deep disappointment of walking away from a particular dream. In the decision to walk away, I spent a lot of time begging God to give me a specific word. It was a difficult time in my relationship with Him because I didn’t feel like He gave me clear direction. I was so focused on hearing one certain thing from God that I wasn’t really listening at all. I missed everything else about the way God was leading me. Much like a kid trying to avoid vegetables and asking for ... VIEW POST
Ephesians 1:14- Live Chosen
“Mom, I wasn’t invited to the sleepover!” My daughter's gray eyes shimmered, as tear after tear spilled down her cheeks. We are in the thick of friend drama right now, and as hard as it was to go through as a kid, it’s even harder as a mom. Watching my sweet girl battle with insecurity and wondering why she wasn’t chosen breaks my heart. As I listened and processed through the situation with her, a resolution crystallized in my heart: I will be the voice of truth in her life. When the ... VIEW POST
1 Cor. 13:4-7: Impatience Redefined
I’ll be the first to tell you I am not a shining star of patience. When it comes to having patience with my kids or husband, there’s a lot of work to be done. In fact, I looked up the definition of impatience and it actually had my name next to it: Impatient /ˌimˈpāSHəns/ noun:) having or showing a tendency to be quickly irritated or provoked. (also see: Jill) Recently, I’ve felt challenged to become more like Christ in this area. One of my biggest struggles is recognizing when I am being ... VIEW POST
Mark 2:28: Lord of the Sabbath
I’ve always thought Sabbath was something I did for God. I’ve felt guilty about filling up my time with work and activities and not truly taking a “Sabbath rest.” When I read that the “Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath,” I was so confused! As I’ve sought the answer to what this verse means, I’ve also done some soul searching. My enneagram type is “The Achiever” with a side of “The Helper.” I’m wired to do, to perform and to take care of people. My to-do list is never empty ... VIEW POST
Luke 1:45: Mary’s Impossible Faith
If God had told me, when I was 16, everything I would endure, experience, and achieve over the next twenty years, I never would have believed Him. I’m often glad He didn’t tell me ahead of time because, frankly, I would have run in the other direction. But this is precisely what happens to Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Luke 1. An angel of the Lord appears to Mary and tells her the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and she will become pregnant with God’s only Son, the long-awaited ... VIEW POST
