The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines religion as “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.” Unfortunately, the unbelieving world thinks along these lines. It likes to equate dedication to God as merely a book of stories one chooses to believe and a set of rules one decides to follow. As Christians, however, we know that the Christian life involves much more than rules and regulations. We serve a living God with whom we have a genuine relationship. But, at times, even we can forget that vital truth. 

Sitting down to write this week's blog post, I felt frustrated and overwhelmed. My family has been struck by illness, leaving us all feeling exhausted and drained. But as I was lamenting the timing of it all, I felt a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit, reminding me exactly why I'm writing about the importance of relying on our relationship with Christ during times of hardship. This year I have been learning what an authentic relationship with Christ genuinely looks like. It’s not based on formal, tidy, pretty prayers and platforms but rather the opposite.

I am the Pinterest queen! If there is a tip, a method, 10 ways to do XYZ I am all over it. However, when my soul is longing for a more grounded relationship in the Lord, I know that I need to focus more on Him and less on everything else. When my vision is blurred because of life and sis let me tell you I get it! Like I’m in the trenches with you trying to navigate life as a daughter of Christ too…I am gently prompted and sometimes given a good swift kick in the rear by the Holy Spirit to buckle down in my faith. The discipline of my faith has to be rooted in my daily actions, has to stretch me to focus more, and has to promote a loving relationship with my Heavenly Father.

In a world with so much to worry and be anxious about, where chaos and division are rampant, I find myself deeply desiring and seeking peace of mind. Thankfully, I have a relationship with Jesus, who gives me supernatural peace. Thank you, Lord! But of course, the enemy loves to sneak into our lives and steal our peace when possible. So what are some ways that we can guard our peace of mind and promote a peaceful existence? One way I’ve found is through being patient!

This year I decided to step back from the endless scrolling on social media and focus on prioritizing my spiritual health. I want to ensure I am fully present and engaged in my relationship with God without distractions. It's been a game-changer, and I feel much more centered on God and at peace. I realized that the more time I spent scrolling, the less time I wanted to spend with my Savior in the sacred moments of prayer. Apathy secretly crept into the places of my heart where adoration for Jesus once soared.

Are you feeling stuck waiting on an answer from the Lord? Do you feel like this season will never pass? I completely understand and empathize with you because I have been and continue to go through seasons of waiting where my patience is tested. My grandmother used to gently remind me that, ‘Patience is a virtue.’ I would look at her puzzled and just nod my head hoping I wouldn’t get another lecture on how impatient I was behaving. Over the years I have been known to have zero patience so let’s just say I heard my grandmother's catch phrase almost daily!

“Jesus loves me – this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” I remember hearing this hymn a great deal growing up. We would sing it during Sunday school class, and my mom sang it with my sister and me at home. So thankfully, as a child, I was no stranger to the fact that God loved me.

The first verse I memorized as a child was John 3:16. I attended a youth Bible study hosted by Awanas, a Christian non-profit organization, to help young people grow in their faith. One of the challenges they gave us was to memorize a verse weekly. Since then, my love for God’s word has grown, and I’ve continued memorizing verses. Yet, my first memory verse will always have a special meaning in my heart. 

For many years I struggled with crippling fear, specifically in social situations. I was constantly caring about what others thought of me, obsessed with others’ perception of how I looked, what I said, and who I was. Social anxiety was a prison and a stronghold over my life. Maybe you don’t have something as severe as social anxiety, but you’ve noticed that you care a little too much about what others may think of you, or you tend to base most of your decisions on the approval of others. Has this fear of man caused you to become a bit of a recluse? Slinking into the shadows to avoid the spotlight for fear of being judged? Or maybe it has the opposite effect and has caused you to become a people-pleaser, perpetually trying to make everyone happy and molding yourself into what everyone else wants you to be.

Before I knew the importance of rooting my identity in Christ, I had based my identity on my social status. Whether searching for personal significance in a relationship, a successful career, or a tight-knit community, I sought fulfillment in these things for SO LONG! I mean longer than I would like to admit. But don't get me wrong. A thriving relationship, career, and a close community of friends are important. But when pursuing these things becomes the most important, we fall into the trap of using them to define our worth.

With New Year’s Day right around the corner, it’s already beginning. It’s that time when we start reflecting on the past year’s shortcomings and aspire to improve ourselves in the coming year. It seems common for many of us to envision how we want to “start fresh” in the new year, like what we want to do better and change about ourselves and our routines. But there’s just something about the changing of a new year that feels like the perfect time to start over with a blank slate.

As a first-time Mom, the holidays have taken on new meaning for me. Everything is my son's first-time experience, and I want these moments with him to be very special even though the only memories he will have are from my perspective and the photos I share with him as he gets older. There is something very precious about the moments we share with those closest to us that pales compared to anything else.

You want me to do what? Go where? And be who? It won't always be easy when God calls you to step out in faith and pursue His purpose for your life. You'll feel Him pushing you outside your comfort zone as he urges you to trust Him more deeply. He'll stretch your faith by asking you to do more than you think you are fully capable of doing. Let me share with you my personal testimony as proof of this truth.

“All is well.” Three simple words, but they have changed my life. My journey with those words began when I felt like my life was ending: my longtime marriage fell apart, my three young adult sons strayed from their faith, and I moved out of state—away from everything familiar—to begin a new and intimidating job. Did all feel “well and good” in my life? Not even close. I imagine you’ve known a season like that in your own life. You may be there now.

If you're currently in the midst of a waiting season, you may find it difficult to see anything positives. Your situation probably feels stagnant, confusing, and maybe, even a little hopeless. You know in your heart that God loves you and is in control, but you find it challenging to be patient and picture a favorable outcome when what's around you resembles nothing like what you're waiting for.

As Christians, God’s grace is the main theme of our relationship with the Lord. We know that God’s grace is the reason we are able to know the Lord and eventually spend eternity with Him. However, God’s grace doesn’t just hold one purpose; it extends far beyond salvation into every aspect of our lives. It is available to us daily and can be a source of spiritual comfort in many ways. Let’s explore five comforting characteristics about God’s grace!

Currently, I’m in a season of change. My role as a wife is changing, my position in the home is shifting, and my faith is stretching. As a recovering perfectionist, let me be the first to tell you that changes in my schedule without ample notice and game planning cause me stress and anxiety. I would love to go along with the ebbs and flows of life, but something inside my heart tells me that I am insignificant if I am not doing enough.

We’ve all heard the word joy and it is considered a synonym for words like happiness and bliss. But what if I told you that there is so much more behind this three letter word? That you could have joy even when you don’t have happiness, and that your joy never has to be stolen from you? That’s what God has to say about joy and so much more! Let’s dive into four truths from the Bible all about joy.

A woman who says yes to God must confront the places and people she may have avoided in the past. For example, I have been taking my son on morning walks before the day's heat scorches everyone and everything outside. I have been enjoying my time getting outside, but my postpartum anxiety has me praying that no one stops me to talk. Spending quality time chatting with friends is a rarity I thoroughly enjoy. Still, unwanted talks with strangers leave me with anxious feelings and wanting to escape rather than engage in conversation.

Have you ever felt like giving up and just throwing in the towel? If I’m being completely honest with you, I have more than once. I have felt the world pull me in various directions, I’ve allowed myself to be swayed by the evils of this world, and I have even given in to temptations. I don’t know about you but man alive, life can throw some curveballs at us and earthly wisdom tells us we need to compare ourselves to other women whose life appears to be easier than ours. But I’ve found that in order to shift my mindset and perspective I need to lean into the word and put my faith in my Father above.