Reaching into the sweetener bowl at a coffee shop, I picked up a packet. The slogan on it read, “Always trust in yourself.” I’m not sure why sugar packets are now dispensing pep talks, but I have to disagree with this one. We cannot trust in ourselves. As followers...
The sun reflected off my blonde hair like a beacon, inviting strangers to stare. On the busy Asian street, the locals strained their necks to see me, a foreign teenager with light hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. Many approached cautiously, reaching their hands out, requesting to...
I stared out the window of the moving train, mesmerized by the unfamiliarity of everything before me. The writer in me longed to pull out my phone and document the foreign nature of this place. Reaching for it, I glanced around the train. No one else...
Do any of these sound familiar? "I'm a failure." "I'm a disappointment." "I'm weak." "I'm nothing." Or maybe you hear “I’m all by myself. I’m unlovable. I’m not good enough.” We all have lies we hear in our minds, sometimes on constant replay. These lies are accusations, not from God, but whispers straight...
The view outside my window is blanketed in white. Schools and businesses are closed, and for once, there’s no reason to rush out of our cocoon. This pause feels like a gift - white space to rest without guilt when the world itself slows down. Rest is...
Looking right at me, she said, “Would you mind speaking at our next meeting?” I inhaled sharply. There was no way she could know about the tongue-tied, sweaty ball of nerves I became when speaking in front of an audience. It hadn’t always been this way. In school,...
“What in the world?” I said to myself as a careless, judgmental thought crossed my mind. It wasn’t just a one-time reaction - it had become a pattern I was slowly beginning to recognize. Sarcastic and cynical jabs toward people and situations were creeping into my...
Sitting down in the velvety theater seat, I balanced my popcorn on my lap and slid my drink into the cupholder. The lights dimmed, and I settled in, ready for the adventure to begin. With a racing heart, I sat on the edge of my seat,...
On the shore of the lake, I sit watching my children fish with their dad. Quietly and patiently, I wait as each child casts their bait into the water. Each one eagerly anticipates the joy of a fish on the line. Waiting, hoping, and laughing together in the...