rebelling against low expectations
It all started at a memorial service I recently attended. The woman whose life was being celebrated and remembered came to its conclusion sooner than most would expect. But it wasn’t the life cut seemingly too short that struck me, but the stories and testimonies people were sharing. She was a believer in the risen Lord; however, few mentioned or noted her faith and living hope. All memories...
Media brings the world to our fingertips, which has the potential to greatly affect our lives for good or for bad. While Christians can use media to glorify God, here are 5 questions to ask before you consume media. 1. How is this influencing my behavior and attitude? If your favorite sports team loses, what happens to your attitude? What if for the hundredth time you just can’t get past a...
I was listening to a podcast interview with a famous YouTuber. As he shared his personal story and childhood in a matter of fact way, both of the hosts were in shock. Even the YouTuber’s emotional detachment from his to-the-point narrative style could not hide the trauma. “Wait, you mean your step-dad almost killed you and your mom?” the host asked at one point. The YouTuber...
Every day, I’m in a battle. My enemy? The world. The prize? My time. My attention. My loyalties. And most valuable of all, my heart. My foe is cunning and crafty with many tried and true weapons at his disposal. His favorites— stress, conflict, busyness, social media, peer pressure. Each of these he knows well and wields skillfully. He also knows he doesn’t need to attack with all of them at once...
Why does God take so long to answer our prayers? Recently, I wrote an article about trusting God even when life is filled with uncertainty – how we should respond when we don’t know what’s going to happen. In it, I mentioned how later that day I would find out if I would be going on my church’s annual NYC youth mission trip – a trip I had been wanting to go on for almost a full year. Well, guess...
The Bible is considered essential to the Christian life. We call it the “Word of God” and say it’s “inspired.” We talk about having “daily devotions” like we talk about “having dinner.” We question the rightness of an act by whether it’s “biblical” or not. In fact, if you’ve grown up in a Christian home, you likely have little hints of the Bible all around you. The Bible is really important to...
Sometimes we’re called to do hard things. Other times, we’re picked up by the leg and tossed head-first into them. Two years ago I never suspected the events that were about to pounce on me. I was the most popular kid at church, the leader of my youth group, and a straight-A student. If you had asked, I would have said that I was a Christian and loved God. It would not have been a lie...
You’re never going to agree 100% with anyone. In fact, chances are you’re not going to agree with a lot of what anyone else thinks; and that’s ok. Contrary to popular belief, you are entitled to your own thoughts and ideas. But the problem is, how to disagree with someone without escalating the situation into a heated, personal argument. I know I tend to struggle with this. So here’s what I’ve...
Look, I’m young. My mom, like every other parent who watches this cyclical thing called life turn little kids into grownups, would probably suggest otherwise. To acknowledge that her first child, once a boy without even an inkling of how to put one foot in front of the other, let alone pen to paper as a future writer, is now 22 years old would be to admit that I am, well, not a kid anymore...
We all see things. We see the blue sky and clouds that dance for the glory of our King. We see the smiles on people’s faces at the park and the trees that waltz in the breeze. We see birds agile and swift, people out for runs, teens on their cell phones at the mall, the latest billboards, and the glare of the stop light on the corner. We see texts and emails from our friends and invitations to...
rebelling against low expectations
