"Has anyone ever told you that you look like....?" I don't know about you, but I get apprehensive anytime someone starts a conversation with a question like that…

If you were a teenager in the 90's like me, chances are good you're familiar with the Magic Eye craze. You might have even had a poster Blu-Tacked to your bedroom wall at one time. For those not in the know, these pictures create the visual illusion of a 3D scene from a two-dimensional image. If you stare at all the squiggly and blurry lines long enough, an object will visually rise to the surface…

We live in a country that worships independence and self-sufficiency. We are taught that going it alone is the ultimate sign of strength. We buy into the lie that asking for help means we are weak and deficient. We are terrified of being seen as incapable, incompetent, or lazy—so we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and attempt to live by our strength.

While certain phrases bring me joy, others I've encountered over the years do not. I'm sure you can relate and think of a few yourself. Whenever I meet words that don't resonate with me, I try to process them in a way that doesn't define my identity. Words can shape us, and we must be mindful of our internalized messages. Unfortunately, we often fail to guard our ears and allow words to affect us without considering their impact.

During my junior year of college, I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland on a cross-cultural trip. Everything about this experience was a treasure: the people were welcoming, the history was rich, and the food made my belly oh so happy…

When I think of delighting in the Lord and what that means, I think about the moments I feel closest to him. Almost every single one can be tied back to a part from Romans 12:9-13. Today's passage is referred to as "Love in Action." I am constantly fascinated by how scripture is so complex yet simple in guiding our relationship with God. In just 59 words, I have tangible ways to approach just about anything in my life in a way that honors God.

I have a million questions about the future. I want to know how many days my beloved family friend has left before cancer takes him home to Jesus. I want to know how I will be able to afford graduate school. I want to know if I’ll ever recover from my mental illness. I want to know if my grandparents will find God. I want to know if my uncle will ever be free from addiction. I want to know if I’ll meet my future husband anytime soon. I want to know all this and more.

Defeated, we all looked at each other and realized it was a lost cause. The sweet oversized couch we found at a yard sale wasn't going to make its home in our dorm room. We had spent the better part of two hours maneuvering it up three flights of stairs and pivoting at every turn, so much so, that Ross Geller would be proud…

There's a picture in my parent's living room of a young me that my mom loves to point out whenever we have a guest. She took a great deal of joy pointing it out to Jenn, my now wife. I’m a toddler in my highchair, covered head to toe in red sauce, with a bowl of Spaghetti-O's dripping from the head; a grin covers my entire face - the photo capturing my first experience with this 90's staple food…

My little girl, who loved twirling down the driveway in her favorite flouncy skirt, is now 27 years old and engaged! I can't tell you how exciting this time is for me. Yes, for me! Of course, for her as well, but as her momma who prayed long before her first breath and ever since for the man she would marry, I am over-the-moon excited for her and her fiancé.

Before “Karen,” we had “The Church Lady.” I’ve probably watched SNL less than ten times in my forty-some odd years, but somehow I’m still familiar with this pious, stick-in-the-mud caricature. The sketches are funny because it mirrors something we’ve experienced in real life. Unfortunately, we’ve probably all known someone who prided themselves on being devout while also being joyless and self-righteous.

As a kid, I spent countless nights at the kitchen table grumbling and pulling my hair out, frustrated over math homework. Give me a reading or writing assignment - no problem. But, put numbers in front of me, and my good mood would subtract while discouragement would multiple…d

God could have saved his followers in any number of ways — just let yourself imagine all the different ways God could have intervened! But, God allowed them to enter into the fire and He saved them with a tangible, physical demonstration of His presence. We see a similar instance of God tangibly intervening later on in the book when Daniel spends the night in a lions’ den. Daniel shares in 6:22, “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.”  

If you’re anything like me, your inner critic is loud and persistent. I constantly berate myself for falling short. I drown myself in shame that God never intended for me to feel in the first place (Romans 8:1). Though God has declared me worthy of His forgiveness, I don’t see myself as worthy of any grace at all. Though His judgement is perfect, I live as though His ruling is incorrect. How could God possibly let me off the hook, after everything I’ve done and all I continue to do? I know right from wrong, yet I continue to choose to do what hurts me and those around me.

My first job was as a bag boy and stocker at a local grocery store. Being a bright-eyed 14-year-old, I couldn't wait to join the workforce and earn some green. As I packed eggs and produce in plastic bags, I dreamed about spending all the money I would now have at my disposal. I imagined doing a Scrooge McDuck and swimming in a pile of cash.

Living in the suburbs in the 80's, my cul-de-sac served as the activity hub for the neighborhood. Bikes left in the front yard were akin to social media posts that fun was going down. In the warm summer months, we'd play outside from sun up to sun down. Some games got quite competitive, especially Tag, whenever my friend Keith played.

As believers, how we live our lives should be contagious to others. Culture should notice how we live free and be curious about what drives this freedom. Unfortunately, many of us live as if following Jesus excludes us from having any fun….

The Fourth of July is significant to me because I became a naturalized American citizen in 1976. You may recognize that 1976 was also America's Bicentennial - the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Another reason is that most of my childhood was spent growing up in a military family. My dad was a 20-year Navy veteran who loved God, his family, and his country.

As I grow older, time seems to speed up rather than slow down. There are moments when I have this out-of-body type experience where I can see life speeding by me in a blur. All my efforts to decelerate its progress or hit pause to catch my breath are futile.

Most people who know me would say that I am a people-person. Over our 36 years of marriage, my husband and I have shortened the gap between our social thresholds. His is higher than it was and mine is a little lower bringing us closer together in our difference. I think it is our differences that have made us so much better together and being together is absolutely one of the things I find great delight in.