rebelling against low expectations
The cares of this temporary earth have been weighing me down, creating a burden of guilt much like the one on Pilgrim’s back in John Bunyan’s book, The Pilgrim’s Progress. I feel worn out by momentary worries that should be far from my mind… If only, we think, we could escape these trials and skip to the triumphs. If only we could be rid of that temptation, that sin struggle. If only we could...
Life changes. I never imagined I would be where I am today. I have seen many ups and downs and been through seasons of spiritual dryness and thriving. I’ve seen failure and victory; struggle and growth. I have felt a level of heartache like never before and felt a closeness to Christ and seen God’s mercy more intimately than ever before. I have changed; my life has changed; my dreams have...
I stared up into the darkness of the hotel room, my mind reeling. God, what did I do to deserve this? A knot of fear sat heavily in my stomach, haunting me. The fear that clenched me was something I hadn’t experienced at that level before. I was under spiritual attack. I tried to breathe deeply, mentally singing the lyrics of one of my favorite hymns. Crown Him with many crowns / The Lamb upon...
This year has been marked with a significant amount of waiting in my life. In January, I began the process of applying for an awesome opportunity—but along with it came paperwork, interview calls, reading, appointments, and emails. I did not have a solid “yes” or “no” for months. My anxiety escalated as so much hung in the balance. It was not easy. Eventually, God allowed...
Allow me to unfold the incredible story behind the beloved hymn, It Is Well, so that you may know, just like the Spafford family, that your soul can be well, even though sorrows high as sea billows roll through your life. This story is both heartbreaking and amazing at the same time. The reality that one man and wife could experience so much heartache and loss, while still glorifying God is an...
My heart ached as I stared down into the freshly dug grave. Oh, how dark the muddy, cold earth looked around the little box that held my cousin’s stillborn baby girl. Death had come to our family again and in a crushing defeat. No joy would come, no hopeful celebration of a new little life. It was all taken away from a family who would have loved and cherished her. Death. The separator of close...
Dear Friend, You have a heart for big things. You are a hard worker, and you’re proud of that. And honestly, it’s gotten you places – it’s paid off. It shows in your passion, your integrity, and the way people admire you for working so diligently at the things you care about. In fact, you are a rebelutionary – you’ve done hard things, and you’re still doing hard things… … and you are tired. On...
Conflict takes a big toll on everyone involved. Regardless of who’s right or wrong – regardless of ambiguities, complexities, or blatant sin issues – the tension of unresolved conflict builds up until it impacts almost every area of our lives. Conflict is an inevitable consequence of living in a fallen world. However, being inevitable doesn’t mean it’s insurmountable. In fact, conflict between...
In our overly-digitized age, we are constantly bombarded with information. It’s overwhelming, anxiety-inducing. It often feels as if we have to have an opinion and be fighting for or against nearly 840 things at once. Are you feeling me? Truly, I don’t believe humanity was meant to carry a burden like this; the burden of being aware of every bad thing happening in the world. Nevertheless, this is...
A couple years back, I was really into Stranger Things. It was the hottest Netflix show with a gripping plotline, loveable characters, and an awesome 80’s aesthetic. I went back and forth before starting the series, but after encouragement from friends and my own curiosity piquing–despite some warning flags in my heart–I decided to give it a go. Before long, I sat on my bed...
rebelling against low expectations
