Tag Archives: God

How to Be Joyful When You Don’t Feel Joy

There have been many firsts of January when I couldn’t wait to say goodby to the previous year in hopes of a better tomorrow. For many, January first is a promise of a fresh start. We make resolutions and set goals. The problem is, just because we buy a new calendar doesn’t mean our problemsContinue reading “How to Be Joyful When You Don’t Feel Joy”

Doubt: Sin or Path to Righteousness?

Be patient. Wait. Put one foot in front of the other, and be led blindly down the right path. Trust. Have faith. This has been the theme of my life for the past three years. Then God began to show me a glimmer of the sun rising in the horizon, and yet, I find myself doubting. It’s been so long since I’ve had a true glimmer of hope that I wonder, “For me? Really? Are you sure?” because I’m used to trudging on, one foot at a time sinking into the murky soft ground, requiring each step to be calculated lest I fall. A moving vehicle on solid ground helping me get closer to my dreams is so foreign to me, so I look around and wonder, “Is that really for me?”

Am I Lacking Faith?

The past year has been one trial after another. Through each up and down, I’ve sought after God for answers through which He’s spoken different truths into my life. I don’t like to use my blog as a public journal but it is a portal through which I process these lessons and I find healing in that whatever I’m going through I know there’s at least one other person out there who can relate. My hope is that my ongoing journey to the Father will help propel others to His Kingdom.

Even so, with all the difficult times I’ve found myself in of late, I procrastinate sharing these hardships with you. I envision coming to a resolution and tying up the lessons I’ve learned along the way with a pretty red bow. The reality is, I haven’t encountered any pretty red bows thus far as I continue to trudge through the challenges in my life – the waiting, the depression, the uncertainty. They follow me around like Asia’s smog problem, preventing any true clarity from appearing through the cloud. So how do I deal?

Time: Friend or Enemy?

The internal war wages in my soul at a fast and unending pace. My mind spins at a dizzying intensity. Conflicted. “Go faster!…No! Slow down!” The war is in all of us. For some, you’re blissfully in the eye of the storm. For others, we’re living in the heat of it. Clattering. Blowing. Banging. ThisContinue reading “Time: Friend or Enemy?”

Selfies, Usies, and My Hilarious Husband

You can’t use social media without seeing at least a dozen selfies. As technology has progressed and posting a picture takes only seconds, selfies have become more and more prevalent. Everybody’s doing it. My husband and I often talk about how the selfie may be leading our culture away from God. While selfies seem ratherContinue reading “Selfies, Usies, and My Hilarious Husband”

Why Waiting on God is Better than Doing it Ourselves

Our lives are full of decisions. As a follower of Christ, I’ve learned to make decisions based on where God calls me rather than what satisfies me for the moment. Over the years I’ve learned a lot about God’s plan for my life and it hasn’t turned out much like I thought it would. IContinue reading “Why Waiting on God is Better than Doing it Ourselves”

If Anything Can Go Well, Will It?

Is the power of positive thinking enough to overcome circumstances? This is a question I’ve been pondering over the past several months as I drive around Orlando, Florida. The reason I’ve been pondering this question so deeply is that I keep seeing this bumper sticker–if you live in Orlando, you’ve likely seen it too– “IfContinue reading “If Anything Can Go Well, Will It?”

Is 10% Enough?

Many Christians believe that being a good steward is only being wise in one’s finances and giving a tithe of 10% of their income to the church.  I’ve come to understand stewardship to be so much more in the way God has been working in my life recently. What is Biblical Stewardship? Biblical stewardship isContinue reading “Is 10% Enough?”

Desert Wilderness

Is it ok for a Christian to sit in a spiritual desert?  That time in a believer’s life when one feels distant from God no matter how hard he seeks him, the spiritual desert, is a term that’s often thrown around but not often addressed.  It doesn’t feel good to be there but is itContinue reading “Desert Wilderness”

Confession

Confession.  I have intimately conversed with suicidal thoughts on multiple occasions. If you have read my previous posts discussing my struggle with depression or had any kind of deep conversation with me, this may not come as a shock to you.  I tell you in light of Isaac Hunter’s death to explain that it isContinue reading “Confession”

Conflicted

Dear Friends of Summit Church, In the past year we’ve been through a lot.  We’ve watched our lead pastor, Isaac Hunter, leave the church after committing adultery.  We’ve cried out in horror when the media had a hay-day with his sin, putting not only him but also his wife, children, parents, and us in aContinue reading “Conflicted”

Disappointment

I’ve recently faced a disappointment which led to what seems to be a dead-end that presents itself as another disappointment.  The obvious question running through my mind is “now what?” Without really directing it to God, He responds, “wait.” So, here’s how the conversation goes: Me: Now what? God: Wait. Me:  I wasn’t talking toContinue reading “Disappointment”

Black and White

Change has become the new normal for my life.  I always thought that I was pretty good at change but that was when my life had a fluid consistency, like  the comfort of a classic black and white feel good movie, so adding a little splash of color and adventure now and again was welcomed. Continue reading “Black and White”

Dreams and (Un-)answered Prayer?

Lately my mind has been filled with dreams; longings for the future. I’ve been gazing down a winding path of uncertain hopefulness of things that could be. As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been considering what I’ve accomplished over the past thirty years and where I’d like to be. There is a songContinue reading “Dreams and (Un-)answered Prayer?”

My Plans over 30 Years of Life

Today I turn thirty years old.  About a month ago, when it dawned on me that I was really going to be 3-0 years, I started to freak out.  I was both excited and afraid.  I began asking myself what I’d done with my life, reflecting on my current reality compared to my plans andContinue reading “My Plans over 30 Years of Life”