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An empty heart that turns toward God will know what it means to be filled
It's that time of year when comfort food becomes, well, comforting. I live in Illinois, where the temperatures can change at the drop of a hat this time of year. We might need a sweater and jacket in the morning,
A Psalm for the Barbie in all of us
Today's world says women must be successful, get noticed, be thin, be charming, stand out, and be beautiful. We must be intelligent, talented, sexy, yet classy, bold, witty, organized, healthy, creative, punctual, and take perfect care of everyone around us. The list of roles we attempt to fill flawlessly is never-ending. Do I sound like the Barbie movie yet?
When your Oreos are double stuffed with forgiveness
Forgiveness: Everyone wants it, yet we all struggle to give it.
I'll admit, in the past few years, this subject has taken me on a rollercoaster ride. As a Christian, I desire intimacy with God. So, I want to be obedient and forgive those who hurt me. But in all my humanness, this can be easy to forget.
Trusting the Gardener
This past spring, we did a lot of work in our backyard. One of my favorite additions was the many container plants with gorgeous blooming flowers that now dot our entire landscape. Always a summer go-to flower are my sun-loving petunias. They are easy to care for and one of the most vibrant summer flowers I've found. I often grab them in pinks, purples, yellows, and corals. In the early part of the season, I feed them a little Miracle Grow, and these fun little beauties thrive! I mean billowing and cascading over the sides and bursting with lush colors. It's hard not to be filled with the sweetness of summer while gazing at them, and this year they overflowed.
Seeking After Treasure
I can’t believe I fell for it! I’m just like Eve! I think it all started innocently.
Soggy Footballs and Hardened Hearts
While my husband made his way over to the shallow end of the pool to check on me, he couldn't help but laugh the entire way, and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed at the arrogant claim I had made just seconds prior. It was almost too perfect for my husband.
Christian, while I hope you got a chuckle out of my story, I also found a lesson for all of us buried within.
When God Veers the Path
Maybe you expected God to swoop in and save you by now, but instead, the path you were traveling has left you lying on the pavement, bruised and battered. Perhaps you even feel God has left you there and carried on his way without you. You look up in complete confusion with those same questions. What is happening? What in the world is God doing? Why did He veer me off my path? Maybe you even ask, Where do I go from here? Why did God forget me?
What if I doubt God?
Recently, one of my children came to me with an intense look of fear in their eyes. They began asking me what would happen if they had feelings of doubt about God's existence. Some Christian parents might get worried in this instance- but I didn't. I know this child's heart all too well, and while they struggle with a bit of anxiety here and there, I am confident that they love Jesus with all that is in them. Furthermore, I understood that same feeling of doubt and the fear that often rides shotgun along with it. This doubt, especially as a young Christian, can feel paralyzing.
When Wedding Vows Go Up In Smoke
While most newlywed fights start over silly matters like him leaving his underwear on the floor or her burning dinner, our marriage started with us learning to manage a blended family, having a child together who had severe medical issues, and Justin was traveling often for his job. As we tried to juggle it all, we both realized that, to make matters worse, each of us had brought a lot of prior baggage to our relationship. The fights were frequent, and resentment ran rampant. Now this was happening, and I worried we wouldn’t survive it.
Feminism With a Biblical Worldview
Perhaps the title of this article sounds like an oxymoron to you, but let me assure you, it isn't. It's no secret that there is much controversy over gender roles within the church today. In recent years I have heard of many sex scandals in news media involving trusted religious leaders and Pastors. I’ve listened to an uproar of people exclaiming women in the church are belittled or oppressed, and I sadly watched as a famous and well-respected Pastor openly shunned and mocked a fellow Christian woman for her leadership position in ministry. So regardless of your stance on this topic, the issue I raise today is likely not new to you.
Let's always leave room for grace.
I know that most judgmental situations bring a lot more discomfort than this silly story about my husband. Unfortunately, judgment and condemnation can hurt deeply. Maybe you've been shamed for your past mistakes. Perhaps someone demeaned you for being quirky or strange. Maybe they thought you had ill intentions when you were only trying to be helpful. Perhaps you were wrongly accused of something you had no part in. And maybe you were rightly accused, but the judgment brings on deep feelings of shame that cut you to your core.
Happy New Year!
I've always been a sucker for the new year and the fresh feeling it brings. For me, early January typically comes with a sigh of relief as the hustle and bustle of the holidays fade away, and a fresh new hope is on the horizon as we prepare for another trip around the sun. As my Christmas décor comes down and I sweep glitter and pine needle debris into my dustpan, I'm often fooled into thinking I'll do something similar with all the yucky parts of my life in the coming new year as well.
Who is God and what does He want from me?
As I write, I look back upon a girl who was once blind to the magnitude of how mighty, powerful, loving, holy, and good her Heavenly Father is, and I wish someone had told me these truths sooner.
Should I Stop Striving?
Years ago, I remembered thinking, One day, I won't be tempted to sin anymore. One day, I will fully trust God with all my son's health issues. One day, I'll stop searching for approval from others. One day, I won't struggle with God anymore.
Would a real Christian do that?
Is it possible to know deep in your heart that salvation belongs to you yet still fear it could slip through your fingers at any moment?
Can I stop hiding behind the pretty pieces of my life?
Confession: Just after I had babies, I purchased several pairs of Spanx because I found that they held in areas of my body that I didn't know were humanly possible to tuck in anymore. I haven't worn them in quite some time because as I approach the age of 40, I have decided that breathing is much more important to me than sliding into a sausage casing that compresses my bodily organs to one another. And let's be real here- no one has really ever just "slid" into a pair of Spanx, have they? I have legit wrestled myself directly to the ground in an attempt to squish my mom-body into these mysterious spandex contraptions before.
How Does Grace Work?
Just after my world fell apart, after my bad choices were exposed, I couldn’t escape it anywhere. I was walking through the grocery store one day and encountered a woman from my church on the same aisle. Before everything was exposed and I became a spectacle in the eyes of many, this woman would have said hello and chatted for a few minutes. This day was different; she saw me and immediately turned around and went to another aisle without even a smile or hello. I was shattered. I was convinced I would be treated this way forever and that my life was over.
What does God have to do with it?
I am aware of the dangerous ground I tread on today by addressing such a divided matter, and I want to be clear that I'm not here to judge or shame anyone. I also won't ever pretend to understand someone else's story. So today, I only write to share an incredibly personal part of mine with you that I've never shared publicly before. There are parts I'm not proud of, but it's a testimony filled with truth and the hope of Jesus, and I hope and pray it will help someone else along the way.
Boundaries, Toxic Relationships, and Forgiveness- How Should Christians Respond?
We have all dealt with a difficult person at one point or another, but what are Christians to do with abusive and toxic relationships? What do we do with people who continually hurt or misuse us? How should we handle someone who tries to pull us into unbiblical behavior or keep us from becoming the person God desires us to be?
How will I respond to God's forgiveness?
I attend a large church in O'fallon, Illinois, that frequently hosts big conferences and events. Recently, our church housed a Matthew West concert in our worship center. My family and I met some friends there that night, and to ensure that our large group of 12 could all sit together, we decided to scope out the upper side loft of the church.