rebelling against low expectations
Dear Independent One, I get you. I understand you. I’m like you. I tend to want to be in control, and I like to do things on my own. I don’t enjoy asking for help and I don’t easily admit it when I’m struggling. Sound familiar? There’s nothing inherently wrong with an independent personality; God gave us each different personality traits for different reasons. The problem...
Growing up, my parents carted me off to youth group on a weekly basis, until my best friend learned to drive and brought me with her. Being a part of youth group also meant going to youth rallies, which I adored. Some were a day while others were over a weekend, but they all consisted of multiple teaching and preaching sessions, volunteer activities, and worship services. At each one, my heart...
In many of his letters, Paul uses a word that might sound scary or too theological for the everyday Christian. This word is sanctification. While sanctification may not be a word we use everyday, it is something that’s for all believers. If this is true, what role do we play in our own sanctification, if any? Romans 6 will be our guide in understanding the balance between the status and...
“Judge not, that you be not judged.” The words Jesus spoke in Matthew 7:1 can be a hard message to live by. I want to be up front and honest with you: I’m not perfect. I am tempted to judge people for a variety of reasons, but maybe primarily because judging them makes me feel good. It makes me feel better about myself. When I judge people, I may or may not be accurate in what I think about them...
The world is ripe with brokenness. Natural disasters rage, conflicts ensue, and bitterness stirs within. Death is rampant and suffering is widespread. Around 690 million people go to bed hungry every night, and approximately 150,000 people die daily. Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce, thus separating families, and suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Where...
As a senior in high school, I had the opportunity to take a college-level English class at the university I now attend full time. There were 3 major papers due in the class, one of which was a research paper, with the topic of renewable energy. I was stressed about writing on this topic, as I knew next-to-nothing about it. But renewable energy proved to be an intriguing study. After hours upon...
Honesty feels great. But it’s also unbelievably painful. This is probably going to be the most uncomfortable article I will ever write. So be it. I’m done with skeletons in my closet. I hope after this you will be as well. This is the story of my life. A lot of people assume that just because I was baptized at thirteen and have never gone to jail or done drugs, I have the typical “good...
Have you ever experienced a huge life change? I’m sure you have. You might think of the time you moved to a new city, changed jobs, or made a huge life decision. Some might think of when they got married, had a baby, or made a new friend that changed their life. Maybe on the other end of the spectrum, someone died, got sick, or walked out of your life. One way or another, we’re all familiar...
rebelling against low expectations
