rebelling against low expectations
Overwhelming shock. Encircling confusion. Extreme frustration. Intense bitterness. Fist-clenching anger. Heart-wrenching guilt. Deep-seated regret. Sudden loneliness. Devastating heartbreak. These are just a few of the emotions I’ve been dealing with these past couple weeks. My best friend, closest friend, only friend – someone I had known for years, and the person I believed I would one...
You have a story. It is a story that is unique, and beautifully written by our Creator. It is a story of challenges you’ve faced and lessons you have learned. But more importantly, it is the story of Redemption. The best part of your story is when God entered your life and changed everything for the best. Your story starts when Jesus calls you by name, and you accept His invitation to become His...
The first time I heard about The Rebelution was in 2009, at a hotel in Washington, D.C. Alex and Brett Harris were speaking in the hotel’s main ballroom. They talked about low expectations, doing hard things, and Alex’s ability to recite supercalifragilisticexpialidocious backwards in Japanese. But what exactly was this event? Why were three hundred kids and teenagers sitting in a hotel...
In all likelihood, you’re at school or work right now – which means that you’re missing out on what friends are posting on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter or the like. What’s your reaction? Anxiety or ambivalence? Crankiness or contentment? Troubled or thankful? If you fall on the side of anxiety in any way, I would suspect that FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” has gained a foothold...
This past November, everything I knew to be mine was taken away from me. It started the weekend of Thanksgiving when I realized something was wrong with my arm. I could hardly write at all without it hurting, and every time I texted, my thumb completely locked up. By the end of that week, my arm was in complete pain and I could not write at all. I took three months off of math, most of my chores...
A few weeks ago when I was talking with a friend about all manner of subjects, we briefly touched on the subject of religion while talking about current news events. She made the comment while discussing different religious beliefs, that ‘whatever makes someone happy and helps them get through the day’ didn’t bother her. The conversation moved on as we continued our walk to breakfast, but later...
As humans on earth, we sure spend a lot of time waiting, don’t we? Waiting for the bus, waiting for the microwave, waiting to be tall enough to ride the rollercoaster… plus some more serious things. Waiting is good! Waiting is an opportunity to learn patience, to prepare for whatever we’re waiting for, and to learn to trust God with His timing. There are some things in life, though, that I...
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor 9:7) Last summer I flew with my choir to Seattle, Washington. One of the most memorable moments was on a farm miles away from the city (on an island, I believe), where our choir director took us to pick fresh strawberries that the farmer had for...
I haven’t always been a writer. As a child, I almost never wrote outside of my usual schoolwork. Writing was not a subject I dreaded, but neither was it something I particularly enjoyed. When I was fourteen, the Lord laid it on my heart to start a blog. I was very hesitant, though, because the world had been trying to teach me something, and I must say that they did a very good job. The world...
A few weeks ago, I dropped by a gas station adjacent to my work for a Coke. As I walked the store en route to the back cooler, my eyes wandered across the landscape and a revelation slowly overtook my mind. Our addictions can be fed at gas stations. Think about that for a moment the next time you fill up the tank and journey inside for a candy bar, soda, or a pack of gum. On this particular day I...
rebelling against low expectations
