You don’t have to accept whatever thoughts fall into your head…did you catch that? I’ll repeat another way. If a thought isn’t helpful you can reject and replace it. We are not at the mercy of whatever we think. We have the power to change our thoughts. That is the essence of renewing your mind. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV

For those of you who know me, you know that I recently took a job as a full-time substitute teacher at my kid’s middle school. I am with teenagers five days a week. Let’s just say there are some kids that are going to be amazing adults. There are others who need a whole lot […]

Facing Fear with Faith: A Story “Truman!” My husband gasped. I turned around to see my young son sitting stunned. I realized he wasn’t conscious although his eyes were open. In a matter of a few seconds, he regained consciousness in pain. He had been teetering on a metal railing like a typical eleven-year-old boy […]

If you are a Mom you have experienced a sleepless night. Guaranteed. Whether sleeplessness was from waking to care for a sick child, or worried for a teenager who missed curfew you’ve been there and done that. What did you do to overcome the anxiety and knock-on physical depletion from an unwanted all-nighter? I used to drink copious amounts of coffee. Then I tried a regimented night-time routine for everyone in the house. (That lasted for about a week) Lastly, I got some really powerful advice from a friend and a pastor. My cure for sleeplessness was going to battle in prayer.

When you think of being a Christian being dangerous is probably not an adjective that comes to mind. I associated terms like meek, calm, mild, kind, and forgiving to Christians, not dangerous. Aren’t we called to be lovers, not fighters?  The answer is yes, and no. We are called to love and serve others but also to fight hell and all its schemes here on earth. This sometimes requires us to confront difficult circumstances, people, governments, and authorities. Jesus was the most dangerous person in the Bible but there are other people who led a dangerous life including; Peter, Stephen, Paul, John, Lydia, and James among others. They were people who not only believed in the risen Jesus but they influenced the world with their testimony. They stood up for what they believed and faced grueling consequences.

Fast forward a couple of decades and becoming a born-again Christian, I had fear around the idea of meditation. I, like many Christians, felt that it was an Eastern Religion practice and it was unbiblical. I steered clear of meditation and stuck to conscious prayer. That was safe. However, as I began to read the Bible more I started to see that not only were there several passages pointing to prayer AND meditation. Christian meditation was possible.

I just discovered there is a strange debate on whether or not Christians should set goals. The argument is if we set goals we cannot be led by the Holy Spirit. This is simply not biblical. While we don’t want to hold onto our goals so tightly we miss divine detours, we should make plans to accomplish the purposes God created us to complete. How do we do that well?

People ask me regularly what I do for exercise. My typical response is, “I do lots of things including weights, hiking, running, and yoga.” The response is usually a confused defeated look. As though I were hiding the magical routine that keeps me in shape. The real reason I stay physically fit is because I […]

Life presents us with many paths. It can be challenging which direction to go when the options available seem similar. I have often been asked the question, “Would you be interested?” From starting a small group, joining a mission trip, or moving to another country this question is often followed by excitement or uncertainty. When […]

People that know me now would find it hard to believe that I used to have the nickname, “Worry Wart.” My fourth-grade teacher was the first person to speak it out loud that I worried about everything. I distinctly remember her saying, “Stop being such a worry-wart. You are doing great.” I was only 10 […]