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Modern Witnesses: An Interview
Recently, I had the opportunity to be featured in an interview for Modern Witnesses, a blog dedicated to spreading the stories of God’s faithfulness and inspiring women to live extraordinary lives. As twenty-first century believers, we too are called to witness – to share who God is and what he has done.
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5 Secrets of Discipleship | Giving Jesus Away
In the Christian community we hear a lot about discipleship. But what is it really and how do we actively do it? Is it just a Christian buzz-word or is it a Biblical way of doing life together? The answer is found in the Greek. What is a Disciple? Jesus issues what Christians call the Great Commission in Matthew 28 as he ascends into Heaven. “Go and make disciples.” As his last commandment, this must be pretty important. In Greek, the original language used in writing the New Testament, disciples is translated from matheteuo, which means be a disciple of one, teach, instruct. The root word for matheteuo is mathetes:…
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Why I Write: A Grace Story
A Dream Come True Once upon a time stories filled a little girl’s mind. She’d sneak away with pencil in hand and write of daring adventures: of a young family braving the Oregon Trail, of a princess narrowly missing an assassination attempt, of a sibling duo who were superstars by night and students by day (this was before Hannah Montana, mind you). The little girl would steal her mom’s floppy discs and story after story began to fill her binders. She never did finish a full story though. Just after she’d get started, new characters from another time would introduce themselves. The binder was in fact, a binder of story…
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3 Benefits of a Bible Study Tray & How to Make Your Own
I discovered it sitting on an end-cap aisle at Marshalls. It quickly found its way into my cart. Since then, it’s called various places in my house “home.” On the nook table holding a centerpiece. On the ottoman containing remotes. On the side-table displaying books. And then, one day, it found its purpose. It transformed from an ordinary end-cap display tray into my Bible study tray. Why You Should Consider Using a Bible Study Tray 1. Limits Time Stealing Distractions Before my simple brown tray found its real home, my Bible study materials were scattered throughout my house. When I did make time for my quiet time, I usually spent…
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Create Your Own Bible Study Binder {Free Printable Templates}
The Create Your Own Bible Study Binder includes a title page, a context sheet, an outline sheet and a notetaking scripture sheet for you to utilize when studying a book of the Bible. It is a free printable template that I hope will be as helpful and beneficial to you as it is to me.
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30 Days of Reflection | All Points to Jesus
I challenged myself during the month of April to immerse myself in the story of Jesus. I created a reading plan and everything. I wanted to still my mind and prepare my heart for Easter. On April 1st, I began at the beginning and I had no idea all that the Lord would teach me during the 30 day period. As the month progressed, I found myself excited to read the next day’s passage. The Lord began opening my mind and digging out my ears (if you read my reflections on Day 5, you’ll know what I mean). Today, I finished. And you know what made the most impact on…
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5 Ways to Prepare Your Heart for Easter {with Reading Calendar}
If you are anything like me, it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of obligations around holidays. I’m already trying to formulate our plan for Easter morning as we head to church and then juggle time with our families. But this year, I want it to be different. I want to focus on the meaning and not just the must-dos. I don’t want to just attend the Good Friday and Easter services at church and then get on with my agenda and schedule. I want to absorb it all. The purpose of it. The pain of it. The relief of it. The meaning of it. I want to press…
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How to Wrestle Well | Asking the Hard Questions
I am so incredibly glad I didn’t commit to reading the Bible through in a year. If that had been my resolution, failure would fall pretty hard right now. I’m not just chapters behind, I’m books. As in plural. As in way behind. But I didn’t commit to reading the Bible through in a year. I resolved to read the Bible. And I have. Not every day, but I always regret it when I don’t. My days feel off and I feel the sledgehammer of self fall hard, and self is an ugly thing. I’ve been sitting in three chapters or so in Genesis for over a week and just…
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Why the Story of Abraham & Issac Isn’t a Barbaric Tale: It’s the Story of Mercy & Freedom
I still remember my mom reading me The Tale of Three Trees. It’s a children’s story about three trees who all had very different dreams. One wanted to hold treasure, the other dreamed of sailing with kings, and the last wanted to be the tallest tree in the forest. As the story continued, I remember leaning in as my mom read, all of their dreams seemed to be shattered. The first tree was turned into a feed box. The second, a little fishing boat. And the third, was just slabs of lumber. But that wasn’t the end of the story. Turns out all of their dreams did come true, just…
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Journaling Bible Giveaway!
Not too long ago my journal pages were filled with questions. I was at a point in my life where I seemed to have every dream fulfilled. I had a husband who loved me, one I prayed so long for. I had a precocious little boy, a child I had prayed so long for. I had a great job that worked with me when I expressed my desire to work part-time. I had it made. All my dreams had come true. And yet, there was this lingering sense of unfulfillment. Such guilt sat with me as I looked at all these precious blessings from God, but satisfaction still evaded me.…
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Trailblazing Pioneers | How to Run When You Don’t Feel Like Running
I don’t like to run. I actually hate it. I hate it…with a passion. I overheat easily and my legs get red and itchy. It’s in fact a miserable experience. So when I read any type of metaphor about running in the Bible, I have to disassociate it with my full-hate relationship of running as a choice of exercise. And yet, I couldn’t seem to get Abraham out of my mind. Even after I turned the page on his death. I couldn’t shake the repeated phrases of him running to the visitors in Genesis 18 or how he rose early and saddled his donkey to obey God when God seemed…
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Rouse My Soul | Encounters with God on the Dusty Road
I jolt up out of bed fumbling to turn off the alarm. I woke earlier, but decided to rest my eyes for another fifteen minutes and must have fallen back to sleep. I quietly grab my glasses from the nightstand and slip into dining room. The notebook covered table makes me smile. This is my watch-tower – where I meet the Lord in the mornings. Long before the alarm clock ever goes off, he’s already there warming the chair for me. I squint my eyes against the light and rub the blur away. My eyes may be foggy and I may have had a sluggish start, but as I sit…
