Rethinking Christian Life

Be joyful always  1 Thessalonians 5:16   The words left my mouth and I stopped cold. . . Then I felt God press this against my heart. Yes my child you can too. The words I said? “You can choose your attitude. You get to decide how you respond to life. . .You can choose joy.”…

Lisa Johnson is a kindred spirit. From the moment we met at our speaking critique group at She Speaks we were cutting up and laughing like we had known each other for years. I love Lisa’s heart for God, her love of horses, and her desire to share her love with others. What Keeps Me…

Hello friends!!! Today I want to pray for you. . . That this Christmas season you will remember no matter your circumstances that God loves you and He cares for you. Father God please be with each person reading this blog post right now. Draw them near to You. Help them to remember this is…

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God. . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. . .” John 1:1,14 Every Christmas I spend time here – marveling at the mystery of the God-man Jesus. The creator and sustainer of the universe…

That is the title of my talk tonight for Rye Hill Baptist’s Ladies Christmas Dinner. Unexpected gifts. How all that God allows in our lives are gifts, we just have to see them through His eyes. I am so excited to share what God is laying on my heart with these ladies. Would you pray…

Yesterday I took the opportunity to sit in a Sunday School class with adults. I do not typically get that pleasure because I am normally hanging out with my posse of 5th and 6th graders. It was a bit surreal hanging out with grown-ups. I never had to say, “It is time to quiet down…

My sweet friend Shannon Milholland has written a post for you all today. I love her heart for Jesus and her desire to bring Him glory. I pray you enjoy her post as well.   A Baby Changes Things She changed everything.   This once SEC football enthusiast hasn’t seen a game in years. It…

I don’t know about you all, but lots of things have been going on around my place. Days that were supposed to be less busy get filled up quickly. So today I want to pray for us when we feel overwhelmed.   Father God some days this world seems to attack us from all sides….

In case you haven’t noticed, my life has been a whirlwind lately. Not only am I busy, but friends are moving away – lots of them. Perhaps I need to reconsider my deodorant option. Yesterday was supposed to be a day I wrote. Supposed to be a day I worked on some talks. Supposed to…

I breathed in quickly and forcefully released the air. Frustration flashed across my selfish heart. I swallowed. “Let’s think about that later,” the edge in my voice was mostly gone. “I have a paper to write.” My daughter looked down, then silently nodded, and wandered away to play. I turned back to the bright computer…

The phone rang as my heart nearly stopped beating and thoughts swirled in my head. The timer was counting down from 50 minutes on part one of my final for seminary. Had I forgotten the service man was coming? Did I miscalculate how long it would take for him to get here? Or did I…

Today I have a great post by Julie Sanders (another M.O.M. teammate). I love this post and I am sure you will too. How to Get Your “Thank You” Back With sweaty hair matted on foreheads, they filed around party tables as bounce house staff appeared with birthday boxes of pizza. “Pizza, pizza!” the famished…

Hey friends. Sorry I bailed on our link-up last week. I ran out of time because I wasn’t planning my time well. UGH! But this week God has been working on me…Here is how. Some weeks it feels like everything scrapes and burns. God’s Word is the acid working at the deep-seated sin in my…

My mind swirls and doubts creep. Perhaps that is what I am supposed to do. . . This writing things is hard. I could do that job. I am capable. I just want to do what God wants me to do. . . Maybe. . . Maybe I was wrong. When God gifts you and…

Two hours? I thought to myself as I clicked on the first of five sections of my lecture for Systematic Theology. Two hours on election and God’s sovereign will. Fun. At the end of two hours there it was. . . the mighty conclusion. . . it is a mystery. Yes, God is sovereign and He causes…

Leah is a dear in real life friend of mine. She recently moved away. I still don’t like to think about that. She has such a sweet heart for God. I know you will be blessed by what God is teaching her through this presidential election. My Opinions & God’s Power As the final presidential…

I looked at my beautiful girl as she struggled with life. My heart ached because I could not make it easier, but the truth is the struggles make us strong. Perhaps that is why God blessed the God-wrestler Jacob. The struggle strengthened and refined Jacob. It isn’t the easy things in life we cherish anyway….

This week is flying by. I wish I had time to really tell you all things I am learning about forgiveness, but I just don’t…. However I wanted to tell you about the book that has me thinking. I went to a blogging conference last week (in case you didn’t know). The conference was called…

My heart clenches and my my throat feels tight. I recognize the seed of the feeling. It is a battle that rages around me often. The battle of pride. “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that…

I am so excited to introduce you to Dana Bailey. She is a fellow M.O.M. at the M.O.M. Initiative. I know you will be blessed by her words. God Perspective Colossians 3:17,   And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through…

My phone rang at 4:00 AM yesterday morning. Groggily, I rolled over and answered it. An automated voice answered my weary “Hello?” “This is an important call from Delta. Your flight has been cancelled.” I already know this and took care of it last night in a 30 minute conversation that was utterly painful, my mind…

In my Systematic Theology class, yes I am in seminary online through Knox, we are studying the Trinity. At the word Trinity, my eyes typically glass over. My mind begins to wander because how could I ever understand something so outside of human experience? Yet I came into these lectures knowing a few things about…

Hello blog readers. I hope you are having a great week. I had a wonderful time this past weekend with Concord Baptist Church’s ladies retreat. I got home and about an hour later I coached some cheerleaders. On Sunday I helped my husband lead the large group for our fifth and sixth grade Sunday School…

Stories. They speak to us in ways nothing else can. There are  four articles about the power of stories at Psychology Today. Interestingly they suggest that as we tell stories and those listeners understand what we are saying our brainwaves become nearly identical. Jesus knew the power of story. Most of His teaching was in…

I am so excited to share this post by my friend Elizabeth Elliot. I love her heart for God and her heart for others. She has the joy of the Lord and she shares it with others. I know you will be challenged and blessed by her post. Made for the Valley The woman stood…

Hello friends…Just wanted to tell you I am speaking at a ladies retreat for Concord Baptist Church in Van Buren this weekend. I am super excited about what God has laid on my hearts. I am praying for God to really show up and as tobyMac says “steal my show.” Would you join me in…

I have three children and still I grieve. I wonder if I am selfish. I wrestle with guilt because I should be happy God allowed three babies to stretch my belly and my heart. At times the pain of infertility washes over me. Grief over 22 babies in heaven never to be held here. Grief…

I am so excited to introduce you to my friend Heatherly. She has a great heart for God and for women in trouble around the world. She also knows what it means to fight the battle in your mind…I know you will be blessed by her post. The Battle Early in the morning and in…

Here is a prayer for us all when difficult days or things come. I am praying for you. Thanks for stopping by!   Father God in heaven, There are days, weeks, months, even years when hard things string themselves together and it weighs us down.Our stomachs churn and muscles tense and we don’t even realize…

It is Wednesday again. Where did the week go? This week I have been chewing on the holiness of God again. Yes I can’t get away from how different He is than us. He doesn’t change (James 1:17b), His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), even the heavenly beings announce it (Isaiah 6:2-3). He…

My eyes grew wide. My heart felt like it beat in slow motion for a few seconds then sped up to 1,000 beats a minute. “No, I didn’t say that,” my words were daggers pointed at my husband. “I told you to see if they wanted to go on date on Saturday night. Not bring…

I am so excited to introduce you to my friend Rachel. Her blog is The Lazy Christian and she reminds us God does the work for us. I know this post will challenge and encourage you! God’s a hard worker. Yes, he made the universe and everything in it in seven days. But I’m not talking…

Today I have a post on Encouragement Cafe about choosing joy.   “You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.” John 4:22 Jesus says this to the Samaritan woman He met at the well. She asked Him about the differences between the Jewish way…

Hello bloggy friends. It is Memory Monday… We have been working on Psalm 121…How is it going? I hope well. This is our last week to do Psalm 121. Next week we will review Psalm 103, Philippians 2:3-8, and Psalm 121. Just to keep God’s Word in our hearts and heads. Then the following week…

 I am so excited to have Lori Wildenberg share her heart with you today. She has dealt with infertility and I know you will be blessed by her post. See the Son By Lori Wildenberg   “They just got a new house.” “Her husband surprised her with a trip for their anniversary.” “She just found…

Heavenly Father,thank You for who You are. Thank You for Your faithfulness, goodness, love, mercy, justice, and grace. Thank You for being all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, holy, holy, glorious, and majestic. Thank You for sending Jesus, Your precious Son to die in so that those who call on Your name will be saved. Thank You for…

Welcome to This Really Got Me Link-up! But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. Psalm 130:4 The words seemed to jump off the page in front of me. Fear and forgiveness the two words wrestled in my brain together. “Wow,” I said breathy. I turned towards my husband. “Have you heard this…

I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:16 O that I would delight in God’s decrees as the psalmist did. When I delight in God’s Word, I do not neglect it. But we as His church, we neglect God’s Word. Sure we listen to it preached on Sunday and perhaps we…

I am so excited to introduce you to my friend Laura. I get to see her at least once a week in real life at church. I love how her mind works and how honest she is as she writes. I know you will be blessed by her post. When Angela first approached me about…

Today I am at The M.O.M. Initiative with a post about how scheduling can save your sanity (as a parent).   No real post today. Tomorrow I have a great guest post for you all. Today, I just wanted you to know I am praying for you. Father God be with each and every man…

What is missing? It is a great question to ponder in our own lives, in the lives of our churches. Why is my worship so flat? Why does Bible Study not interest me? Why can’t I get fifth and sixth graders to sing praises to God? Why do I feel so hopeless? What is missing?…

It is Memory Monday. . . “Do you know why I want you to memorize Scripture?” I asked the fifth and sixth grade girls in my small group. I looked at each of their faces. “I don’t want you to memorize Scripture because it makes God happy or for just knowledge. I want you to…

I am excited to introduce you to fellow M.O.M. Initiative writer Lynn Mosher. I know her post will both encourage and challenge you. Pity Party, Anyone? When I first began a monthly column for another site, I wanted the Lord to use each column to speak to the hearts of others, but I had no…

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” “Mommy and daddy?” my nine-year-old E said. “You fight?” She turn shocked eyes on my husband and I. We were disagreeing over who should…

Last week was a full week – full of travel, fun, activity, seminary, a pep rally, a football game, and a sinus infection. As the sun peeked over the horizon I slung myself out of bed and went about getting kids ready for school. My mental to-do list added weights to my shoulders and tied…

I am so glad my friend Amy is over here today posting. Amy is a real woman, who loves Jesus, and shares her journey through life in an open and often humorous way. I know you will be blessed and challenged by her post today. AND over at her blog she is having a link-up…

Today I am at The M.O.M. Initiative. I wrote about how to date your spouse. Click on over and see what I learned. Let me tell you about my day yesterday. I cleared my throat, but it didn’t matter my words came out cracked and strained. For brief periods I sounded like myself. Only to…

I have been praying for direction for this here blog. My purpose for this blog as not changed, you can read and see a video on this purpose here. However I want to be more intentional in my writing and in how I can encourage and bless you all. Here is what you can expect:…

It started a few weeks ago when I finally finished memorizing James. I decided to review some verses I worked on in the past. The first verses I started with were Philippians 2:3-8. Last week no less than four friends posted these verses on Facebook and two or more on Twitter. Then at church on…

You wouldn’t believe it to see them, but these two dogs are destructive. In the short seven months they have called my home theirs, they have done nearly $1,000 worth of damage to my backyard and ruined several of my children’s t-shirts. They dig holes, whine in their crates, kill small animals, and nip my…

I was having one of those moments – the kind when irony, joy, and frustration meet. My emotions roared between joyful excitement and fear of failure. I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or cry or go hide. My heart thudded around in my chest like a ping-pong ball – excited flutters one moment and…

In the NIV 1984 version of the Bible the word “sing” is used in 107 verses. That does not include the word “singing” or “sang.” Most of these verses are a command to sing. “Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving. . .” Psalm 147:7 “. . .sing to the LORD a new song. . .”…

This has been quite the week. Today I have a post up at The M.O.M. Initiative on Dealing with Those Mornings. Those of you who are dealing with infertility have been close to my heart. I don’t have a magic wand that could give you everything you want. In fact I often think that magic…

I am not going to lie. I have been a bit on the blue side of things lately. Friends moved (four in the last four months and more in the last year), my church is changing (the unknown is difficult and exciting), I still haven’t heard a definitive answer from a publisher and an agent…

It was a dead mole. I had only seen moles in pictures, but I recognized the long claws and pointy nose. “It’s a mole,” I said to my sister on the phone. “The dogs have a nasty dead mole. . .” My sweet pups were not trying to eat the mole, they were playing with…

King Asa was a descendant of King David, but a distant one. Kind David was his great-great-grandfather. King Asa most likely never knew King David nor King Solomon. He grew up in the divided kingdom when Israel (ten tribes of the Israelites) and Judah (the tribes of Benjamin and Judah) were split. He was the…

We are nearly done with our 30 days of praying continually. How is it going for you? Here is my vlog about the final two pieces of armor… [tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOR4vUADASw&list=UUd6WLG22Eae4mpuDtTtfo9g[/tube]

Fifty thoughts assail me as I open my eyes: my to-do list, I need to read my Bible, what time is it, what about my phone, my computer is acting up, I hope the kids sleep in…..My mind flits from one idea to the next not accomplishing anything, but leaving me exhausted before I get…

We are in the middle of 30 days of training to pray more continually. Below are the previous posts in this series: Because I Don’t Want to Sleep Anymore Praying to a Jealous God Pray Continually Day 3 10 Things to Pray While Praying Continually Praying Scripture Praying Continually the Armor Fasting How Worry Reminds…

Tension traveled through my body like electricity. What-ifs swirled through my mind and my world began to tilt out-of-control. “What do I do? What do I do?” I ask myself. My stomach burned and knotted tight. Yet my circumstances remained. Worry. It didn’t change one thing except my stomach lining. What good could come from…

We are looking at praying continually and discovering ways to do that. Below you can find the other posts in this series: Because I Don’t Want to Sleep Anymore Praying to a Jealous God Pray Continually Day 3 10 Things to Pray While Praying Continually Praying Scripture   Yikes…I put the “F” word in the…

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNc_VWmlvlQ[/tube]

Today is Day 5 in our quest to pray more continually. Check out the first four posts here: Because I Don’t Want to Sleep Anymore Praying to a Jealous God Pray Continually Day 3 10 Things to Pray While Praying Continually Have you tried praying scripture before? What I mean is using scripture as your…

We are working through 30 days of praying continually. The first three posts in this series are: Because I don’t Want to Sleep Any More Praying to a Jealous God Pray Continually Day 3 Some of you may keep a detailed prayer request list and pray over those items frequently. Others of you may have…

As my mind wanders it mostly wanders to the people in my life. So they become the subjects of my prayer. As I drove to take my girls to school today, I thought of friends and family and church. I prayed for each person, I prayed our church would find a worship pastor, and for…

I love mothers day, but it also stings. I have a wonderful mother who encouraged me and taught me so much. I love honoring her. I also have a wonderful mother-in-law who helped shape my husband into the man I love. God blessed me with three beautifully messy kids. They call me mom. But…I think…

We had a full weekend. Our first time in the pool. Friends over on Saturday. A birthday party for my little boy on Sunday. I turned in my first assignment of a new writing course I enrolled in. So my blog got put on the back burner. I did want to share this short story…

Yesterday as I was tooling–code word for wasting time–around Facebook, I ran across a quote someone used as their status. {I have not attempted to verify if the person quoted actually said or wrote the following quote.} This is what the update said: Elisabeth Elliot writes: “A simple and orderly life represents a clean and…

I look in their eyes – eight fifth grade preteen girls. My eyes flash as my voice rises in excitement. Inside my soul burns with joy, anticipation, and awe at God. I feel it there in that Sunday School room – God’s smile, His countenance shining upon me. As I make disciples of these girls…

I inhaled quickly, but shallow enough no one noticed. I crinkled my brow. “That isn’t what she said,” I thought. “No she didn’t say that. It couldn’t be.” Even if she did say it my response had to be measured careful. I peaked at my son playing with my electronic device. He is no longer…