rebelling against low expectations
I have always hated change. Always. That’s what happens when most of the changes you experience growing up are negative, when you try so hard to be able to control the things you can because life feels uncontrollable, and when you just wish a few things could be permanent. From four stressful moves in two years, to a different actor playing a character on a TV show I watch, change bothers me. I...
I can see the promised land, though there’s pain within Your plan. The opening lyrics to one of my favorite songs (Every Giant Will Fall, by Rend Collective) is a powerful message to the hope of Heaven. The promised land is ahead. Yet woven in God’s plan is something we do not enjoy–and often don’t count on–suffering. The pain of life on earth frequently overshadows the hope of Heaven in our...
Have you ever heard the phrase: “God works in mysterious ways”? I’m sure every Christian, regardless of how long he or she has been one, has come across this statement at least once before. Have you ever wondered where it came from? The famous phrase is actually the (slightly edited) first line of a poem entitled Light Shining out of Darkness. It was written by English hymn writer William Cowper...
“I’m not a sinner,” is what she told me. I can picture that moment vividly in my mind. I was sharing the gospel with a little girl in our church, and she proceeded to tell me that she was not a sinner and didn’t need God. I remember feeling as if a strong wave had crashed over me. Didn’t this little girl know what she was saying? Most kids I share the gospel with are very receptive…...
“O Lord, I want my life to speak on When I am gone: May something I have done my days outlive, Some sacred act of faith its memory weave, And unto men a lasting blessing give, When life is done. Oh, may some word I’ve said, some deed of love, A comfort prove: Let something stand a lasting monument – Approved by God, a[n] holy complement, That I upon His work was full intent, Sent from above.”...
I sat on the stump of an old apple tree. The sweet smell of blackberry cane mingled with the salty scent of the sea. The foggy curtain unfurled to reveal the bay; so calm and smooth I could see every detail of every tree and ray of light reflected on the water’s crystal surface. The birds welcomed the dawn’s golden light. All was peaceful. I feel so blessed to call this my home. I breathed in...
“I am so glad you will be able to have the ‘college experience’,” a couple of people have told me recently, when hearing of my plans to move out of state to attend college. After spending almost two years taking online college classes and living with my parents after high school, many are thrilled that I will finally have the “college experience” and get out on my own. But the concept of the...
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2 (KJV, emphasis is my own). As a writer and aspiring author, the analogy that God is the Author of our stories has always resonated with me deeply. When I write, I dedicate hours upon hours of time to my story. Developing the plot, working on the setting, and fleshing out all the little details are necessary to...
We all love a good cake –a satisfying symphony of flavors, texture, decadence, and a visual show of creativity and affection. Whether at a birthday party, baby shower, or wedding, we all look forward to that highlight moment of indulging in a slice of heavenly sweetness (for it is almost not a celebration without it). If you enjoy baking like me, you’re aware of the time and precision it takes to...
It can be very easy to stay stuck in the past especially when a past season has been very difficult. From my personal experience, I know the struggle is real. When I was in the middle of a dark time in my life, the Lord spoke to me from the song Out of Hiding by Steffany Gretzinger. I woke up one morning hearing the lyric, “Oh, as you run, what hindered love will only become part of the story.”...
rebelling against low expectations
