-
go back
The sight of a vast mountain range marching off into the distance has the power to stir my soul like nothing else. At key points in my life, God has planted this little MidWestern girl within view of such grandeur, fortifying me with a tangible reminder to keep looking up! The three years I spent in grad school in Colorado provided just such a reminder. The campus led down to the river, boasting a riverwalk that stretched for miles within sight of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Driving back to my apartment from weekly trips to the grocery store, I relished the curve in the road that restored the…
-
emerging
I have gotten the rare pleasure of literally watching a butterfly come out of its cocoon. It was one of the most intriguing processes to witness. As each day passed, the outermost part of the cocoon’s skin began to thin until it was barely even there, entirely translucent. Suddenly it was gone. The most fascinating part was that the butterfly did not instantly fly away as I was anticipating. It laid very still, slowly starting to move parts of its body ...
-
redeemed into Life
While I wish I could remember the sight of the exotic blooms that surely filled the greenhouse, or summon the warmth of the humid air that must’ve beaded droplets on the glass, all I really remember is the eternity I spent locked inside the metal and cement of a bathroom stall, sick to my stomach and aching for home.
-
breaking ground to bring growth
Staring at my reflection I realize that the person looking back at me is not the little girl from the memory. Yet if I look deep enough, I see hints of her. The tears begin to pour like rain. I remember things I wish to forget. I fade quickly into the remembering, the pain and grief overtaking me. Then I breathe deeply and simply say the name, Jesus. Suddenly the memories fade, the room stops spinning and I am able to catch my breath again. I start to talk with Jesus.
-
imperfect
Perfectionism … fair warning, friends, I’m going to rip this thing wide open. I’m guessing you might be cringing right now, because you’re right in there with me. God, how many women have become entangled by the enemy’s lies on this subject? And oh, how You want us to be free! So let me pick up where I left off: perfectionism is hell. I don’t use either word lightly. Perfectionism has been camouflaged as pretty, dismissed with nervous laughter, excused as a personality trait, even lauded as a strength. It is none of the above. It is a trap, a torment, and the worst kind of betrayal, for it allures…
-
spotless
Huddled in their homes, seeking shelter from the chaos that threatened to tear their world apart, families waited anxiously for word that all was well outside. There had been murmurings of a Redeemer who had come to set them free, but the idea seemed ludicrous, especially in light of present circumstances. For just as rampant were the rumors that Death stalked any who ventured beyond their front doors … nothing new under the sun Conditions surrounding the first Passover were not all that different from today, in some ways. Let’s slip on their worn sandals for a moment, and see what the plight of these ancient Hebrews might have to…
-
Shattering Strongholds (part 2)
Finding Freedom, part 4 Read part 1 here: Releasing Secrets Read part 2 here: Reclaiming Hearts Read part 3 here: Shattering Strongholds In the first part of this message, we learned about the first of three types of open doors that allow the enemy access into our hearts: personal sin. We discovered how making choices to cultivate life rather than death weakens the enemy’s hold on us. We also looked at how the pattern of repentance and belief can begin to demolish enemy strongholds in our hearts. Now we are going to wade into even deeper waters. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to pray our Lord’s protection…
-
Shattering Strongholds
Finding Freedom, part 3 Read part 1 here: Releasing Secrets Read part 2 here: Reclaiming Hearts Every time I come back to telling this story, I am freshly reminded that I have started somewhere in the middle. I begin to write something and then hesitate, remembering foundations I haven’t laid, connecting tissue that doesn’t connect. For a moment, I doubt myself and my message. Perhaps I should start over … But then I realize this is just part of the messy wildness of it all. Honestly, there aren’t “Five easy steps to finding freedom” or any “Take your life back in an hour and a half” guarantees. There are patterns and…
-
Releasing Secrets
Finding Freedom, part 1 **The posts in this series include sensitive content. Please read with discretion and preview before sharing with younger readers.** There are some topics within the body of Christ that are rarely touched. They might be seen as too divisive, extreme or eccentric; or they may simply be left alone out of ignorance, or perhaps fear. One of these is the concept of deliverance. Defined simply, deliverance means to rescue, or to set free. In a spiritual context, deliverance is the act of setting a person free from the grip of the enemy, free to love and worship and walk with God in a full and unhindered…
-
Festivals of Faith
Less than a decade ago, I was introduced to an element of Scripture that helped make sense of scattered pieces and revitalized my faith in incredible ways. Through these teachings, I was reminded that our God is a God of pattern and order, a God who wants to be known by His creation, and One who goes to great lengths to make sure we see Him for who He truly is. At first, I was stunned that anyone who was as familiar with the Bible as I was by that point could completely miss such a critical component for understanding God’s Word. I’m afraid I turned rather scornful at the…
