We have a view of the world that frames everything we see, and for many of us, fear serves as our dominant lens. Whether it be the fear of missing out, the fear of letting go, or the fear of rejection, fear grips our hearts. It also influences our connections, both with God and others. Our fears create more conflict, strife, and the cycle of distrust continues…

Today’s scripture reading reveals a solid appeal to maintain a culture of accountability, done the right way. 

Addressed to a group of Jewish converts who would have been strong in Old Testament knowledge and were also tempted to revert to Judaism, this letter serves as a reminder of how we must love each other the way God loves us…

I was the youngest of three children, with a big sister and brother. I was not the first born, not the first girl, not the first at anything. So, there was a struggle of being compared, especially because my closest sibling, my brother, was the well-behaved one, the smart one, and the “never, never gets in trouble” one…

If you are anything like me, you read these words and whole heartedly agree with what they say.  You also read them and feel slightly overwhelmed at what it means to live them out…

A few weeks ago, I was heading out of town. It was a rare situation because I was going alone, without my three toddlers and my husband. I was looking forward to the trip, but I started getting nervous about leaving as the time grew closer…

One of the greatest lies is believing that some of us were born to be alone. This is not a conversation about being an introvert, an ambivert or an extravert; being alone is detrimental to our health.  Friends who can be considered family are some of the greatest gifts we will ever have in this life…

Author Mark Twain once said, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in our society.” I wish I could go back in time and read this to the 6th-grade version of myself. Maybe, just maybe, that would’ve woken me up and helped me realize the way to be “the man” in middle school was not to have your mom pick out your wardrobe…

Philadelphia and cheesesteaks. Seattle and Starbucks. New Orleans and Po'Boys. Chicago and deep-dish pizza. Baltimore and crab cakes. 

It's funny how some cities are famous for specific dishes. When you think of the town, a particular food comes to mind…

Corinth was a big city with a lot of diversity which is one of the reasons Paul purposefully went to Corinth to share the good news of Jesus. Paul spent a lot of time simply talking to people about Jesus and inviting them into the fullness that can only be found in Christ…

We are all predisposed to respond to evil with evil. Over time, some of us may train our minds and hearts to respond with something else, but most often, our knee-jerk reaction is to throw more evil around…

I was making dinner and had vegetables laid out to wash. My youngest was four years old at the time. She has always been curious and asks a lot of questions. This evening, in particular, she picked up this ugly, dirty, brown ball, and as she asked…

Squinting at the shore, I didn't recognize my surroundings. None of the beach umbrellas looked familiar. Neither did any of the houses that lined the shore. Finally, after riding a wave in, I began to walk down the beach and continued to walk and walk and walk…

Be perfect, whew, no pressure, right? My initial reaction to this verse is a combination of frustration and defeat. No one is perfect; I can't live up to that! But the last part helps bring it into perspective for me…

Until a year ago, I drove a 2001 Ford Focus, so I didn't pay much attention to the tachometer. That gauge was irrelevant. When I turned on the ignition, I just hoped it started. 50MPH was about as fast as it went, and that's when it was coasting downhill…

I'm a sucker for inspirational sports movies, especially ones centered on the underdog. Rudy, Friday Night Lights, Hoosiers, Miracle, Remember The Titans, Field of Dreams…the list goes on and on. If any of these films happen to be playing, cancel all my plans for the day…

If you’re like me, you had that friend growing up who always seemed to be the next level of better. For me, it was my “bestie.” Friends since the age of three, we were always together, doing the same things…

This encounter Jacob had with God is one of my favorite moments recorded in Scripture. A lot of us have wrestled with God. Some of us wrestled with God before we considered a relationship with Him. Others of us have wrestled even after spending years walking with God.  I hope you know that it is completely okay to wrestle with God about life…

In those moments of weakness, we've all wondered if change is indeed possible. Can something awkward ever become…

When he roamed around, Tucker, our family's ninety-pound labradoodle, didn't give me much space. He followed me closer than my own shadow. It didn't matter if it was the kitchen, living room, or even the bathroom (true story); wherever I went, he went. I would trip over him almost daily. Every time I turned around, I bumped into him…

Springtime for people in many places around the world causes the purging of worn-out things and the renewing of such with order and freshness. This cultural phenomenon known as “spring cleaning” can be a weighty responsibility…