rebelling against low expectations
Clutching the jar tightly, the woman stood in the doorway and looked into the room. Her heart beat furiously. Her eyes darted back and forth. The room was so full of men, most of whom knew her. She glanced behind her and considered retreating. Suddenly she saw him. Everything else vanished. None of it mattered. Rushing into the room, she fell trembling at his feet. Breaking her jar open, she...
Independence is championed in modern culture. Being self-sufficient is seen as the ultimate goal of success. We’re pushed to rely on ourselves and make decisions based on our own good and preservation. This has led to some major problems in life, because we were created by God for community. Consequently, I have noticed a general trend among young people. They’re searching for...
With Thanksgiving preparations, and the holidays approaching, it’s easy to get distracted and forget what Thanksgiving is all about. But as Christians, we should be even more intentional to live out the real meaning of Thanksgiving, since being thankful is an important part of having a healthy relationship with God. Everyone’s situation is different, and believe me, I know what a struggle it can...
“Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the Great Lion.” “Ooh!” said Susan… “Is he—quite safe?” “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver…“Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” — The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe I think we often echo Susan, asking if our God is harmless. Because we would like a Coke...
“I should be there right now.” The thought crosses my mind for a moment before I refocus my attention on the task at hand: working on the rough draft of a scholarship application. I reject the rising tide of self-pity and disappointment that threatens to wash over my will. I will determine to do my best where I am. An Unexpected Detour During my first year of college, I invested my efforts...
We’ve all experienced pain. There have been times when people hurt us so badly–emotionally or physically–that we don’t see how we can forgive them. All we can think about is getting even with them. Today, I want to share with you three reasons why Christians need to forgive. 1. God Forgave Us First When we sin, we isolate ourselves from God. God cannot associate with sinners like us...
We’ve all had moments of rebellion, right? You don’t have to sneak out at night, wear revealing clothes, or hang out with the bad kids to be “a rebellious teenager.” Because every sin we commit is, essentially, an act of rebellion against God and the authorities He placed in our life. There is a difference, however, between a rebellious teenager who is repentant and a rebellious teenager in open...
Often the best things come the hardest. The most worthwhile things come at the greatest cost. And what we need most is what we want least in the moment. But God knows best. And he surely knew what he was doing this February when he decided to do some heart renovation on me! Through friends and quiet time with him, he revealed some uncomfortable things about myself—things that were incredibly...
It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that there’s a lot about the Bible I don’t know. Not only that, but there is a lot of content in the Bible that I have found (and still find) disturbing. Kidnappings, rapes, murders – you name it. The Bible doesn’t shy away from the dark stuff of life. Now, when I first started out in my walk with Christ, I chose to avoid those darker...
Praise God for Francis Chan. His book, Crazy Love, was an extraordinary challenge and encouragement to us this past summer — and he has continued to speak and write about the beautiful (yet devastating) truths of the Gospel. A friend shared this article with us and we wanted to share it with you. May you experience the same conviction we felt — as well as the same grace to grow in response. I...
rebelling against low expectations
