I sat there before the person. I knew what I should say, but I couldn’t say it. I had to defend myself. I had to set the record straight. Rather than take the high road and trust God to defend me — I burst out with a reactive come-back! And — boom — the word-bomb […] The post When You’re Angry At Yourself appeared first on Purposeful Faith ..read more

I didn’t like my house. My house was a townhouse. My friend’s lived in actual houses. My house was a rented house. My friends’ houses were owned. I couldn’t paint my walls. I couldn’t move a wall if I wanted to. They could. Rather than seeing what I did have, I saw all that I didn’t have – when I looked at all my friends had. Because I compared, I found myself ensnared in defeat and self-pity. Ever been there? Maybe you can’t understand why life is so hard for you? Why God hasn’t given you more? Why your friend continually has jaw-dropping opportunities open before her? Why it’s been so hard w ..read more

Have you ever just known something? When my husband wakes up, I know the first thing he’ll do is get coffee. When my daughter poses for pictures, I know she’ll likely make a silly face. When I open my computer, I know a million windows will pop up. I know, at home, I have to go up a little curb to get onto my driveway. I know my son will not want onions on his dinner plate. Intimacy with someone is — to know them. The more time you spend with them, the more you know their preferences, their desires, and what makes them tick. The more time we spend with God, the more we know Him. The goal is to ..read more

Frankly, all I could muster out of my mouth this time was, “God, be my defender.” The attack was ferocious. The verbal assault, intense. The end of it, not in sight. There was no place to hide. My insides cried out… How will I make it? I have no strength. I can’t even muster words to pray. The only place I could land was a nonverbal statement that somehow became a silent prayer: “Kelly, be still and know that He is God.” (Ps. 46:10) I took a deep breath and exhaled the battle. God would have to fight it now. Dear friends, did you know? Sometimes – at the end of ourselves, at the end of our li ..read more

People say, “You can read the Word or you can allow the Word to read you.” Back in the day, I used to read the Word of God because that’s just what Christians do. I knew Christians should get up and read the bible. I wanted to be a good Christian. So, some days I did my part and was close to God. Other days, I missed out and felt guilty. Frankly, getting into the Word was hard. I didn’t always connect to the stories. I didn’t always understand. My attention span was not high. But now I know — the Word of God is more than reading words. To read the Word is to let the Word of God read you (meani ..read more

One of the greatest lessons I learned, while writing the book, “Take Every Thought Captive” is: feelings are great indicators, but lousy masters. There is only one Master, Father God. There is only one truth, The Word of God. There is only one guide to our life, Holy Spirit. There is only one Savior, Jesus Christ. Feelings often overexert as masters, dictating how we respond. The “master of feelings” tells us to find our own solutions, come to our own answers, and handle it quickly… Kelly, you need to fix the stressful situation…search the internet. Kelly, jump in and make sure everyone is oka ..read more

“But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of him.”  Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory i ..read more

Behind every dark cloud still remains — the sun. Below the depths of the earth — are diamonds formed with pressure. Blooming at the first gleam of day — are flowers springing open. Beyond what is seen, God is working in the unseen. Behind darkness is the power of the light of day! It isn’t just coming; it is here! Although the wait, on some days, is long and agonizing… Although it seems we live a thousand Holy Saturdays wondering if Sunday will come… Although there appears to be no light of hope beyond the dark clouds…  Always remember: Good Friday gives way to Resurrection Sunday. Could ..read more

Are you suffering alone? A moment ago, I wiped a tear from my eye. Dear friends, it feels like I suffer alone today. Maybe some of you, like me, suffer alone today. Maybe you suffer alone because you desperately hope a family member will change, but day after day they do not change. Maybe you suffer alone because you are always lonely. Maybe you suffer alone because your spouse is physically or emotionally missing. Maybe you suffer alone because your BIG hope only belongs to you and you alone; no one understands how you could believe that way. Maybe you suffer alone because no one can relate t ..read more

Have you ever put your whole heart, your valuable time, and heartfelt effort into something only to see it die right before you? Maybe you were sure that God called you to it… Maybe you trusted God all the way through it… Maybe you did your part in it… …but, nonetheless, it died, flopped, and/or blew up in your face. That can feel so confusing, can’t it? Disorienting. Disillusioning, for sure. I should know. I went all out on a specific project, trusting God all the way, hoping when the going got tough, and praying in the morning. Yet the thing flopped like a pancake. Done. And, dead. This mor ..read more