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...
If you've ever picked up a Bible, read a few passages, and quietly set it back down feeling confused or frustrated… you're not alone. Scripture can feel hard to understand. Some stories are complex. Some passages challenge our modern thinking. And sometimes we’re left wondering, "What...
My daughter had a difficult test coming up and spent several evenings studying. Remembering details and dates across a large amount of information was challenging. As I encouraged her to break it down into smaller pieces, I suggested she write out the hardest facts. Taking pen to...
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...
The leaves are changing, and the days are cooler here in Virginia. As I pause to breathe and reflect on the last few weeks, I am so very grateful for all God's goodness, and equally exhausted because the days have been filled with busyness and unexpected challenges. I'm...