Isn’t it aggravating when you take the time to explain your struggles to a friend, asking for guidance, when all they say is, “You’ve got this!” or, “Don’t worry, pray about it!” You know what I mean. The advice that sounds more like a pre–game pep talk than godly counsel. Sound familiar? I thought so. We’ve all had experiences like these, and we may even be guilty of being the ones to give this sort of advice. If you’ve been given this kind of advice before, you know that it never seems to solve your problems. It leaves you just as empty as you were before, if not emptier.  Is there ..read more

I want to ask you a question. What is the gospel? Just think about that for a minute. Let that question sink in. We know that God uses the gospel to save us, but is it only applicable to our salvation? Or does the gospel apply to our sanctification (our daily walk with Christ) as well? Do believers need to hear the gospel as much as unbelievers do? The answers to these questions shape our view of the Christian life as a whole. Let’s process them together, and find the answers our hearts are longing for. The Gospel Story Once upon a time, God created the world and said it was good. He crea ..read more

“Beep, beep, beep, beep,” your alarm clock rings. Is it five in the morning already?  You groan as you turn off your alarm clock, feeling as if you could throw it against the wall…  Before you know it, a whole day has gone by, and another, and another. Soon weeks are flying by, and then months too.    Thankfully, summer vacation will be here soon. And you’re right, but unfortunately summer flew by too. Now it’s fall again, and you’re back in school, *sigh. *   As you lay awake one night in bed, you begin to wonder, “Is there any purpose to my everyday life?” I mean, y ..read more

As believers, I feel like we’re constantly bombarded by all the things the church/Christian culture tells us we should be doing. I’m not saying that any of the things the church tells us to do are wrong, but sometimes, all the busyness of church activities can take our eyes off one of the most important things Jesus has called us to: Discipleship.   Yes, I just used that word. I know it can be intimidating, but don’t click off this article just yet! Let’s define once and for all what discipleship really is, and why it’s so important.   A Clear Definition of Discipleship:   Throu ..read more

“Lila, can you pretty please come build Lego’s with me?” I looked up from whatever school assignment I had just been working on, and stared into my little brother Noah’s sweet eyes. He was desperate for some attention.   I quickly glanced at my schedule, realizing I still had more school to finish. I sighed and glanced back at Noah.   I wish he wouldn’t give me the puppy dog eyes. He knows how cute he is when he does that…   I was about to tell him I was busy at the moment, but the Holy Spirit convicted me quickly and reminded me that spending time with Noah is very important ..read more

Life is like long distance running, it’s not about speed, but about endurance. This past summer I decided to start training for long distance running.   Thankfully, the Lord placed a neighbor in my life who was willing to train and run with me. Running with him was always more enjoyable than running alone.   When I felt weak, and so weary that I felt I couldn’t make it home, he was my encourager, cheering me on.   When we would run down a busy road, every time a car came, he would run in front of me, acting as my shield and protecting me from harm’s way.   Just like running ..read more

Galatians 5: 16-18, 22-23- “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law…. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”        As a young child, I made very poor choices. If ..read more

In this life we live on earth, suffering is unavoidable. People we love die, parents get divorced, and hard times are inevitable. Through the loss that I’ve experienced in my own life, one of the verses the Lord has brought me to over time is Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” In this verse Joseph is talking to his brothers. Remember, these are the same brothers who sold him into slavery! But Joseph is telling them that God worked good out of his circumstances, if Joseph ..read more

       Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a missionary? Chances are, I bet you have. You might even feel called to missions, or you might have at least thought about being a missionary at some point in your life.   If you’ve ever been curious about what it’s like to be a missionary, Kisses from Katie, By Katie Davis is a great book to check out. This book follows the story of Katie Davis, a nineteen-year-old girl who leaves everything behind her to follow God in Uganda, where she eventually adopts many little girls.      Even th ..read more

Have you ever had a craving for junk food? Maybe you occasionally crave brownies or pickles like I do. Maybe you give in to your cravings, or maybe you don’t.   Either way, these cravings only fulfill our longings and satisfy our desires for a little while. Sooner or later, we’ll wind up hungry again, either for the same food item, or even for something different.      Just like with junk food, in life we seek to find our fulfillment in things that were never meant to satisfy us. I’ve seen it happen over and over in my own life, and in the lives of my friends.   F ..read more