rebelling against low expectations
Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that “the joy of the Lord is [our] strength.” And James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” But what exactly is the joy of the Lord? And how do we count everything joy? The Difference Between Happiness and Joy First, let’s look at the difference between happiness and joy. According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, happiness is “the...
I hear it all the time. “I hate to ask this, because I know there are bigger prayer requests out there,” or “I know this is really small, but…” I’ve been guilty of saying the same thing. My father recently put in for a job in Arkansas, over 600 miles from where we currently live. Thousands of emotions flickered through my mind as I processed this information. When I first heard about it, I...
Sometimes brokenness, tragedy, and suffering are just words. Empty and meaningless. Other times, they have a face and name—a heart and life behind them. On February 15th, as I drove to work, each word took on form as I heard on the radio about the horrific school shooting in Florida. Yet again, devastation and heartbreak personified. Tragedy upon tragedy heaped themselves in my mind. The...
Have you ever asked yourself that question, “What’s God’s will for my life?” For many of us, it’s a drastically important question that– for some reason– never seems to get a clear answer. We want so desperately to do what God wants us to do. We desire so deeply to follow His specific calling on our lives. But, we just don’t seem to get an answer. For so many this question has become a paralyzing...
How often do you pause and imagine the day you’ll stand before God? Do you close your eyes and imagine a world with no anger, no bitterness, no sadness, no loneliness? Can you taste the sweetness of freedom? Can you feel life overflowing the cup of your soul? When your heart will realize that the war it has fought on Earth, the battles won and lost, are all over and done with forever? That you...
“Stop suffering!” reads the words emblazoned across the front of a church building not too far away from my home in L.A. I can’t say I know the people who put those words up because I’ve never even stepped foot inside the building. I don’t know what denomination the church is a part of or the heart of the people attending it. I’m sure they’re good people with love and hearts even bigger than mine...
I’m seventeen. I’ve never been married. Never even courted or dated or any other such marriage-centered things. But today I want to write to you about marriage. A lot of us have grown up in the church with loving parents and youth pastors who have given us many valuable resources and talks about relationships and marriage. How to do them well, what to avoid, where the line is that you absolutely...
What are your goals for 2018? With the new year just begun—and a new semester starting soon—most of us have some sort of goal in mind. Maybe you plan to read a certain number of books. Maybe you want to start running, biking, or working out. Maybe you’re just looking forward to starting school again refreshed and rested. But what are your goals in relation to God’s word? As Christian teens, our...
Have you ever wondered why God made you the way that He did? I know I have. When I start thinking about all of my flaws and imperfections, it’s hard to imagine how He could possibly use me – or even love me, for that matter. I always think about how shy and awkward I am. I mean, what was He thinking? How on earth am I supposed to witness to people when I can barely hold a simple...
Faith without works is worthless. This is the kind of faith many find themselves trapped in. It’s a trap that seems safe and comfortable on the outside, but ends up robbing us of real joy in Christ. In fact, about a year ago, I had my own experience that taught me what faith really is. I had been taking driver’s training classes and found that I was one of the very few Christians there...
rebelling against low expectations
