rebelling against low expectations
What needs to be changed in my life? The other day I scribbled this question in my journal. I was struggling with several areas of my life, knowing I needed to change and desperately wanting to. But I didn’t know how. These struggles felt too deeply rooted, too ingrained into my heart and life to be altered. Besides, they weren’t that bad. Nothing everyone else doesn’t also battle from time to...
I’m tired of apathetic Christianity. I see it in the world around me. I see it in the church. But mostly, I see it in me. A reluctance to give Christ everything. A subtle complacency. Compromise filtering in. I see people claiming the name of Jesus on Sunday and living like the rest of the world Monday through Saturday. And then I look at my own heart on countless Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays . ...
There’s a new generation arising. Some call us the iGen or Generation Z. Others refer to us as postmillennials. We’re the heartbeat of this century. We’re known as coffee shop loving, selfie taking, video game playing, fun-loving individuals. Who are we? We’re teenagers. A lot of people have a lot of opinions about us. But few automatically label us as passionate Jesus followers. I’m out to...
All across the country, churches have closed their doors. Two weeks ago, my church canceled all services until further notice. Since then, church has looked like sitting on the couch in front of my laptop. I’m thankful for the technology that enables me to continue hearing from my pastor, but there’s no denying it’s not the same. I miss my church family. I miss worshipping together. I even miss...
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...
Lately, God’s been messing with my prayers. Not with what I pray, or when, or where, or for how long. But with how. As I’ve been reading the book of Acts, two things have stood out to me: the faith and the prayers of the early church. I read phrases like “constant prayer” and “continued steadfastly in prayer” and I wonder if they could be applied to me. I come across stories like that of Peter...
Editor’s Note: Recently, a young lady named Kat sent us this question. We loved her question and passion for Christ so much that Sara, our lead editor, wrote an article in response. We hope Kat’s story and the ideas listed below inspire you to do hard things and change the world around you! I first found out about the Rebelution when my mom gave my brother a book called “Do Hard Things...
Have you ever been called sheltered? Have you ever had someone make fun of you for being innocent? I have. Words like “sheltered” or “innocent” can cause a quick burst of shame to slither down your spine, and make you feel less-than or not-enough. After all, we live in a culture that exalts the street-smart and world-wise, the ones who have gone around the proverbial block of life and come out...
What would you risk to go to church? In the United States, this is a pointless question. There’s usually little or no risk at all. But in China, this is a question every believer faces. While China’s constitution supposedly guarantees religious freedom, this guarantee proves weightless. Chinese Christians have a long history of persecution—and it’s only increasing. Churches are shut down and...
Do you make New Year’s goals? For the past several years, at the end of December, I’ll sit down and write out my plans, dreams, and yes, goals, for the brand new year in front of me. It works great—for the first two months. I’m inspired, motivated, and have a sense of direction. But somewhere between February and March, my list flies out the window until ten months later, when I pull it out...
rebelling against low expectations
