rebelling against low expectations
If you scroll through your social media or Pinterest feed, watch a movie, or listen to today’s top music hits, you will eventually come across the phrase “follow your heart.” The popular mantra sounds innocent enough, but what does ‘following your heart’ really mean? And, more importantly, what does the Bible say about it? Here’s just a few examples of scripture that mention the heart: Proverbs...
I saw him before he noticed me. He looked as tired, nervous, and excited as I felt, his head turning back and forth, looking for me. I hurried to the edge of the crowd, waiting for Peter to make his way through. It had been six long months of blurry video calls, calculating time zones, and missing milestones. Have you been there? Are you there now? He turned the corner, and wrapped me in a sweaty...
Do you ever look at other people’s lives and think, “It’s not fair”? Do you wonder why others have different resources or greater opportunities or better experiences than you have? Why can’t everyone be the same? Take it from someone who has admired the green grass on the other side too often: this mindset is not just useless, it is irrational. And if we indulge in it, it can quickly become...
When people hear the term modesty, they often think of it merely as a list of rules for covering one’s body. However, true modesty is less about covering and more about revealing the dignity that comes from salvation in Jesus. Modesty is about glorifying God and His Holy Spirit in us. And only one aspect of that is manifested by our attire. Choosing to wear modest clothes is a service of...
We’ve all heard it. Pastors, preachers, people who call themselves “prophets,” telling us that if we give a certain amount of money, God will bless us double the amount we gave. Or that God wants us to be happy, He wants to put more money in our bank account, He wants to see us prosper in the world. Maybe you’ve read a book by a famous pastor, about how to make your life great, and how to live...
What book of the Bible do people often suggest you read? In my experience it tends to be one of the gospels, usually the gospel of John. Organizations like the Pocket Testament League print thousands of copies of the book of John to send out to hurting souls every year. But what book of the Bible do people often say is their favorite? Many people in my church have a favorite book of the Bible in...
“You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time.” Time links the world like nothing else. The world runs on a system of time zones, and our watches and phones constantly remind us of it. The biggest question then is, how will we use our time? Time Affects Everyone There are few things in this world that everyone has access to. But time and the choice of whether to follow God are two...
Almost everywhere we turn, messages like “I am a child of the king,” “I am loved,” “I am chosen,” and “I am worthy” are plastered on t-shirts and water bottles. They are prevalent in many song lyrics, books, talk shows, and everyday conversations. These phrases of identity in Christ and worthiness in God’s eyes are attempts to replace despair, self-doubt, and feelings of inadequacy. Yet despite...
Self-love is an ideology that has taken our culture by storm. Messages of “you are enough,” “all you need is yourself,” and “to love others you have to love yourself first,” are plastered all over social media platforms. This idea sounds wonderful on the surface and appeals to the insecurities many of us face. But there are damaging worldview messages packed into these seemingly innocent phrases...
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” – Albus Dumbledore “Sara, I wish that you had invited me.” We sat across from each other, afternoon light playing with the steam rising from our mugs of tea. I uncomfortably folded the tea bag tag into a tiny square. Erin and I were serving on the same ministry team, and God had been...
rebelling against low expectations
