Bethany McIlrath

First and Second: Perspective On What Matters Most (Matthew 22:36-40)

Tag: christian

  • A Time to Love: A Simple Equation to Keep You From Quitting

    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…

  • Making Molehills Out of Mountains

    Making Molehills Out of Mountains

    We build our molehills into mountains. We heap on worry and doubt. Carefully balancing the worst case scenarios we conjure up, we suspend them on high ominously. Our manmade foothills are comprised of carefully devised backup plans. But God. God takes our man-made mountains and returns them to their molehill size. He dissolves our backup…

  • Untangled in Love

    Untangled in Love

    I never thought I’d be one for mushy stuff. Anyone who’s heard my commentary during chick flicks knows I’m not a romantic. But there’s this guy. The one I moved seats to be near the first day of class. The one whose shenanigans had my head and finger wagging from the start. The one who…

  • How Facebook Made Me a Secret Admirer

    How Facebook Made Me a Secret Admirer

    Do you remember the middle school concept? When someone left notes in our friend’s locker signed “your secret admirer,” there were usually lines about wanting to know her more or how great she was. We would all embark on a quest to discover the identity of her secret admirer. It was somewhere between inspiringly sweet…

  • Waiting Isn’t Passive

    Waiting Isn’t Passive

    Our days and lives are filled with waiting. For good, for bad, for new, for people, for change. Waiting is a God-designed practice. However, as the worn, torn magazines in waiting rooms around the world can attest, patience in the waiting isn’t a natural virtue. Waiting makes some of us crazy. In fact, I’m pretty…

  • Marital Spats and God’s Plan (Giveaway)

    Marital Spats and God’s Plan (Giveaway)

    **Giveaway details at the end of the post!** The day our premarital counseling workbook began addressing arguments, my husband and I were relieved. We have always been really good at arguing. It’s one of our unexpected spiritual gifts (ha!) We even told the pastor counseling us. He was surprised. Apparently, most couples get married believing…

  • Lie 4: Sin Can Be Conquered by Effort

    Lie 4: Sin Can Be Conquered by Effort

    (A series on lies sin tells us to tempt us and trick us. Submit by October 30th if you want to be featured in a guest post exposing sin’s lies to God’s Word in this 8 part series) We’d like to believe sin can be conquered by our efforts. The enemy of our souls takes…

  • Word of the Week: Direct

    Word of the Week: Direct

    Earlier this week, Carly shared about trusting in plans. She realized her “planning was not enough” and that she “needed God to…make it come together.” The verse she wrote about is a challenging one: “Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy…

  • In Planning We Trust

    In Planning We Trust

    {The tenth installment in the In ____We Trust Series} For open words on life, faith, and the unfailing love of the Lord, visit Carly over at Life In The Spacious Place. So grateful for Carly’s honesty and simple, plain truth-telling way.  All my life I have been a planner.  I was always the child who…

  • Word of the Week: Works

    Word of the Week: Works

    Solomon declared that all of his works brought only vanity and vexation. He drew for us the conclusion that none of our works are meaningful under the sun. Later, He encourages us to enjoy what we do for God approves of those who fear Him and keep His commandments. But in all this, Solomon wasn’t…