rebelling against low expectations
Can’t we all love the people we see Whether or not they all agree To what is said, or claimed, or cried Why can’t we love the person inside? Today we slam, we shout, we bash, We hurt, we scorn, and then we smash. We treat others like so much dirt And we don’t care what lives we hurt. I may not agree with a movement or claim, But I’ll treat the person behind them the same...
“Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the Great Lion.” “Ooh!” said Susan… “Is he—quite safe?” “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver…“Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” — The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe I think we often echo Susan, asking if our God is harmless. Because we would like a Coke...
Faithfulness is an important part of our Christian lives. It’s one of the fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians 5, and is a vital biblical concept. But what really is faithfulness? How do we live it out in our modern world? Faithfulness is so much more than many of us realize. It’s not just trusting in Christ, or having faith, although those are some of its main features. Being...
Some time ago, I wrote for TheReb about whether fiction is less important for Christians. As Christians we seem to have a problem with thinking fiction—fantasy, realistic fiction, ancient epic—is somehow subpar; that really spiritual Christians don’t bother with it. In fact the opposite is true. Fiction is food for our souls. It broadens the scope of our imagination, lets us see good and evil in...
“Do you ever settle?” I asked myself the question and sighed. I know I do. All the time. Why do I always settle for less than my best? Why do I always do the easy thing? Unfortunately, I like to make excuses for doing less than my best. Or maybe I do what’s required of me, but I don’t put forth full effort. “Oh well, I can do it later,” or “Let me hurry up and get it over with,” are some of my...
Kerthump. Kerthump. The pounding was real. When had my heart last felt this way, like a trapped animal slamming against itself against unescapable cage walls? I reached for the one-way ticket in my pocket, took a breath, and headed to the plane. Whose idea was this, again? Sure, I’d long felt called to write about how Christian students can navigate secular education without losing their faith...
Do you dream about stepping out one day to do something really big? Me too. I don’t know about you, but I burst with excitement when I hear the phrase do hard things. As I think of going on a mission trip or running a marathon or publishing a book, a huge smile appears on my face. Yet God has not opened those doors for me right now. In one year, I’ll graduate from high school. I have to admit...
As an American currently living and serving in a different country, I often find myself trying to explain the political climate of my country. I love the United States and am saddened by the incredible amount of angst currently existing between the different political viewpoints. The climate appears very un-united. And, of course, one of the most common hot-button topics is abortion. I recently...
Sometimes I don’t feel like going to school or getting up early. Sometimes I don’t feel like helping with chores or doing homework. I do these things regardless, but rarely because I feel like it. So you can imagine the debate that goes on in my head when I try to do hard things. The feeling argument goes something like this: “Why go out of your way when you are comfy where you are?” “Anything...
I’m a happy ending kind of person. My favorite stories end with everyone cheering, quite possibly a dance number, and every bit of the plot tied up in a pretty little bow. Everything turns out right, everyone gets what they wanted (except the villain, of course), and everyone is completely happy. We defeat the evil, all the colors turn brighter, and the boy and girl protagonists smile as they...
rebelling against low expectations
