Hope On The Road Less Traveled
Because we live in a world that has promised us instant everything, we struggle when we feel powerless to change or remove unwanted things from our lives. Paul gives us insight into God’s purposes for allowing trials and suffering to continue in our lives, that we might reap the fruit of endurance. Endurance… Continue reading Suffering is a Gift of God’s Grace – Part 2
Do you feel fear or anxiety rise up when you think of suffering? Does a large part of your thought life consist of worrying about what might happen to you or someone you love, or losing some form of comfort in your life? Do you fret over the lives of your children, doing everything you… Continue reading Suffering is a Gift of God’s Grace – Part 1
From the first time I became a parent eight-and-a-half years ago, with three more little ones to follow, one thing has remained the same: There is immense pressure to keep up with the unrealistic and often unhealthy expectations that we, as parents, put on ourselves and feel from others. Some of these pressures have always been… Continue reading The Pressures of 21st Century Parenting
I was 17. I had my whole life ahead of me and yet, there I found myself, wanting it all to end. I sat silently in a stark white hospital room, broken, hurting, and alone. How did I end up here? Not more than a year earlier, I had been basking in the attention and… Continue reading In a dry and weary land
Anyone who has read my posts over the last few months is most likely aware of the unusual diet that I embarked on in a desperate attempt to improve my declining health. After being on a diet of only porridge for three months, followed by a month of slowly introducing food, I am reflecting on… Continue reading Lessons Learned From a Diet of Manna – Part 3
Several years ago, my husband and I sat in on a meeting to discuss the options, challenges, and hurdles of our child’s special needs. As we sat surrounded by several specialists, listening to them list the problems at hand, a lump began to grow in the back of my throat in an attempt to fight back… Continue reading Restore to Me The Joy of My Salvation
In 2015, I was given the incredible opportunity of participating in a 16-week course taught by Colin Smith alongside of a few other guest speakers. During one of these sessions, I was struck by a statement made by Pastor Colin. He said, Don’t let the fear of legalism rob you of the benefits of a regular… Continue reading Don’t Lose Spiritual Disciplines for Fear of Legalism
Have you ever struggled with the question, “Why is God allowing this”? I imagine that every believer is faced with this question at some point in their life. I clearly remember asking this question as I was painfully dealing with my son, who was struggling with a neurological disorder that we had yet to find answers to. Throughout the hour or more of a heart-wrenching… Continue reading Through the Lens of God’s Character
I admit, I often battle discouragement in my pursuit of health. I am beyond grateful for the extensive treatment protocol that I've been allowed the opportunity to pursue this past year. And yet, while it gives me great hope, the process is still brutal--with no guaranteed outcome. I'm confident that this journey won't be wasted,… Continue reading Live As You Are Called
There is no denying that many roads of suffering are incredibly lonely ones. Yes, it is true that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), and often there are more people who can relate to our suffering than we realize. Nevertheless, these roads are often still lonely. I remember when one of my… Continue reading Four Lies We Believe When We Are Feeling Lonely
Set Apart 