Category: Faith

  • Has Jesus Ever Failed You?

    Has Jesus Ever Failed You?

    On a Sunday afternoon, I sat on the couch near a couple of my kids. They were reading library books and I was reading my Bible. More accurately, I was sitting there with my open Bible on my lap. I had been reading in 1 Peter but had stopped to take time for the all-important…

  • When You Can’t Give Thanks

    When You Can’t Give Thanks

    Imagine this… Your friend, Scott, walks in and hands you a wrapped package. Upon opening it, you discover a shirt. It’s your favorite color and fits you perfectly. You’re thrilled! As you look up to express your thankfulness, your attention is diverted to five other friends, screaming with happiness because Scott just gifted each of them…

  • When Faith Doesn’t Make Sense

    When Faith Doesn’t Make Sense

    I have a question about this passage: After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of…

  • You’re Not Just a ______.

    You’re Not Just a ______.

    I’m over at Rooted Thinking with some words for anyone who has ever felt like they can’t do a specific task because they’re “just a ______.” Here’s my favorite part: You are not just a mom or a teenager or a person without any sort of visible accomplishment. You are his. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine”…

  • Can a Stay-at-Home Mom Live by Faith?

    Can a Stay-at-Home Mom Live by Faith?

    I recently finished studying the book of Hebrews, in which chapter 11 recounts acts of faith from heroes such as Noah, Abraham, and Moses. While reading about people who conquered kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, escaped the edge of the sword, and put foreign armies to flight, I started wondering: Can a stay-at-home mom live by…

  • How Can I Know God’s Will?

    How Can I Know God’s Will?

    When I was a teenager, I would spend hours wondering what God wanted me to do with my life. Where should I go to college? What should I study? What sort of job should I get? Would I get married? And my favorite (also the scariest) question to think about . . . who would…

  • When God Calls You to Something You Didn’t Expect

    When God Calls You to Something You Didn’t Expect

    Sometimes I have the idea that my life should look similar to the lives of people around me. When my life looks different, the automatic conclusion I come to is either, “I must be doing something wrong,” or “They must be doing something wrong.” But often, God calls us to something we didn’t expect so…

  • The Waiting Place

    The Waiting Place

    Life is full of waiting. Waiting for the weekend or that perfect vacation. Waiting for the return phone call. Waiting for graduation. Waiting for an answer about a job. Waiting for a baby to be born. Waiting for a diagnosis. 

  • “The Lord Will Provide.”

    “The Lord Will Provide.”

    “The Lord will provide, Christa.” My sister said these words to me when I cried about the accumulating bills of my first pregnancy. “Easy for her to say. She’s not in my shoes,” I thought. 8 years later, I find myself encouraging those around me with the same phrase: “The Lord will provide.” I know…

  • 3 Ways I Prepare My Heart for Easter

    3 Ways I Prepare My Heart for Easter

    Easter is my very favorite time of year. As I remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, I’m reminded that lasting hope only comes from Christ. There is so much rest in Him. There are three things I like to do every year to meditate more fully on Jesus and His sacrifice for…

  • When You Don’t Want to Read the Bible

    When You Don’t Want to Read the Bible

    I sat on my bed with a Bible in my lap, attempting to study the book of Hebrews. “This is hard. I don’t understand this.” I thought. My thoughts began to drift to a myriad of other activities I could be doing at that moment—some I needed to do (prepare dinner and clean the kitchen), while…

  • You Don’t Love the Church.

    I was listening to a podcast of 2 Christian speakers when one of them popped the church question: “So, what’s your current relationship with the church?” the host asked. She was met with a quick, emphatic reply, “Oh, I love the church. Absolutely love it. I haven’t been there in years, but I love it.”…