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Frustrated with Normalcy
Normal. It’s something we at once don’t want to be confined to and at the same time wish to obtain. Some think it’s a mirage. Others believe it’s what we make it out to be. Jonathan Parnell believes “normal” is something we shouldn’t just accept. In his book Never Settle for Normal, readers are encouraged…
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2 Good Reasons to Trade In Self-Esteem
I have a few qualms with the simplified self-esteem mantra “you are enough.” Mostly because the statement raises more questions than it answers. What are we “enough” for? What qualifies as “enough”? Does “enough” run out, making it not enough? Who determines what “enough” is? How do we quantify “enoughness?” Is there a context for…
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God’s Reverberating Word
“Sola Scriptura.” I remember reading the phrase (Scripture alone) in High School as our history books tackled the reformation. The concept was mentioned briefly as one of the causes of the divide in Christianity that shook the world at the time. Such a stance was not- and still is not- without powerful consequence. More than…
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4 Things to Ask Yourself Before You Give That Advice
I had a problem. I called up a friend and in the midst of our chatting I determined to act on the words of Proverbs 12:15: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” I asked for her advice. But her words took me by…
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A Reality Check on Fear: Book Giveaway!
It may seem a little strange for me to review a book written for moms. The 10 pounds of fur snoozing next to me is the closest thing I have to a ward. Much as he thinks he is a baby, he’s not! My friend Bethany Douglas’s book Helicopter Mom is definitely relevant for the…
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Stop Apologizing for Your Joy
I was eating chocolate, wiggling around, singing out loud, and beaming early that morning. A simple answered prayer had me celebrating with the Lord, bursting with joy. Eventually my routine brought me to social media, a place where I delight in encouraging others in the Lord. Guess where my makes-me-want-to-shout joy went? Tail between its…
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Finding Home in the Midst of Change
He and his groomsmen marched to the altar with General Patton’s March playing. Shortly after, we clasped hands, bowed our heads, and prayed for the first time as two newly become one in Christ. We danced to This is Home by Switchfoot with all the laughable grace of giraffes on stilts. Home is where the…
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Lord, Help My Countenance!
Sometimes all our favorite coping mechanisms fail us. Sometimes clearing our heads just makes the clutter in our hearts stand out more. Sometimes it’s not a matter of unbelief or challenging circumstances. Call it hormones. Label it mood. The fact is, sometimes despite what we believe, we just aren’t “feeling” it. While there are many…
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A Time to Love: A Simple Equation to Keep You From Quitting
I didn’t want to like him. He was too silly, too sincere, too serious about his faith in Christ. That’s almost exactly what I said to him the day I begrudgingly confessed to him that I liked him. He told me he liked me too- but offered to try to quit liking me if I’d…
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Don’t Miss the Dreams Already Come True
Once upon a hyper-proactive day, I wrote up a list of components of my dream job. In my mind, I sketched out exactly what the position would look like and the kind of place it would be in. A sample title sat on my imaginary desk. That was the goal. That was the dream. Onto…