rebelling against low expectations
Keeping Heaven in view can be extremely encouraging. But for me it wasn’t always this way. I used to be terribly upset that I couldn’t go there immediately. “Why, God?” I would ask as my tears fell freely on my pillow. “Why must I stay in this fallen earth so long? How much longer will You put me through this?” Sometimes the bad things that happened, the big things like death as well as the...
When I was in middle school and high school, people started to notice I didn’t look quite like everyone else. I was very skinny and all of the sudden I started earning new nicknames: Twig, Chicken Legs, Little Liz. Kids started asking questions and making comments: Are you eating? Look how skinny your arms are! You’re so skinny, if you turned sideways you’d disappear! Do you have an eating...
There is an image that has stayed with me over the past few years. An image of a girl whose face is streaked with tears. In her hands she holds pieces of shattered glass and a tiny little arrow, all of this is red from the cuts upon her skin. It is all that is left of her compass. The girl had clutched it far too tightly within her sweaty palm, so as she stumbled on, watching for the coming dawn...
Countless people struggle with depression and anxiety—including Christians. What is a healthy and biblical response to these real struggles? What does the Bible say about these topics? Sara and Tabitha dive deep into what depression and anxiety really are, how to have a balanced and biblical approach, and share both spiritual and physical responses that can help free you from the grip of...
I went through a time in my life when praying felt empty, my devotions felt like a task, and my heart hurt so much I didn’t feel like my prayers were saying enough. I would often just put down my pencil and cry because I didn’t know what to say. I came to the point that I stopped praying any more than just, “Jesus, Jesus.” And weeping. But I didn’t stop reading my Bible, and something drew me to...
I used to hate music. I never listened to it and didn’t like it when people played it around me. It wasn’t until I got older, I realized why. Music evokes and awakens emotions. Strong emotions. Often unpleasant emotions. What I really hated were emotions, not music. Looking back, I understand why. The little girl and young teenager was hurting. She felt she had to keep her emotions in check. She...
Night is supposed to be a time of rest. However, for those struggling with anxiety, insomnia, or grief, the night may be anything but restful. It can feel dark and endless. At times life itself might feel like an endless night; the narrow road feels too perilous to travel much longer, and our path grows so dim we fear we might fall. You Are Not Alone Dear friends, take heart. This darkness is not...
Unqualified. Too broken. Not enough. You may describe yourself this way, and the world may describe you this way too. You aren’t smart enough, strong enough, brave enough. Your mind is too broken, your heart is too worn, your body is too weak. The world may use any of these messages to tell you that you’re disqualified, and you might believe them. But what if these very things didn’t disqualify...
Have you ever felt worthless? Blunt, I know. But it gets to the point. I think everyone has felt this way at one time or another. I know I have. Feeling this way can really get to you. It will hang over every single thing you do, an oppressive cloud sending rain and thunder storming into your life. It saps your energy—and your happiness. It makes life… well, worthless. Let me tell you a story...
A storm is both a wonderful and terrifying thing. There’s nothing as humbling as being surrounded by walls of unrelenting rain and roaring thunder. But with the humbling comes fear too, even if we try to hide it. As a storm rages, our imaginations start a coup d’état in our brains, making reason fall from its throne. The thunder isn’t simply the result of an unstable atmosphere, it’s the sound of...
rebelling against low expectations
