Jesus
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A Surprising Way to Cultivate Gratitude
It’s Thanksgiving–a celebration of joy, gratitude, family, and delicious food. And while I plan on spending time with loved ones and going into a turkey coma, I can’t help but think of those who are overlooked this season. You see, I know a woman whose teenage son died last weekend. Her heart is broken. I also know a family whose father is slowly dying of cancer. Their spirits are weary. Where is the Thanksgiving turkey for these people? Most of the time we struggle to find gratitude in our everyday lives (myself included). How does remembering these hurting souls help us in cultivating a heart of gratitude? The Calling The…
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The Truth About Shame
I have a confession to make. I am twenty-three years old, and am just learning how to drive. It’s a huge victory in my battle with a chronic illness that prevented me from driving. But it’s also a struggle. Learning to drive isn’t easy–at least not for me (and not for the poor souls who help me practice). And to be honest, it makes me anxious. Though I am getting better with every lesson, I still feel a terrible, self-defeating feeling that shrouds me in darkness. I’m talking about shame. The Poison of Shame Merriam-Webster defines shame as “a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety.” This feeling,…
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Abundant Life
I’m just gonna’ say it. I feel like all I ever do is write posts for those times when life is overwhelming or falling apart. You know, the hard times. I’m an encouraging person, so writing posts that lift others up during their life battles is something that I love to do. I know God has used hard times to draw me closer to Him so that I could watch Him be glorified. I also hope the same can be said for you, lovely reader. But what about life’s good moments? Moments when new opportunities are on the horizon, or when accomplishments have been made. Moments when prayers are answered or…
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When You Feel Far From God
When I was a sophomore in high school, I got into a huge fight with my best childhood friend. We didn’t speak for a month, but one day, near the end of the school year, I broke down and sent her a text asking her to meet me by “the wall.” I stood alone at our usual social spot, biting my nails and trying to think of something to say–maybe even to make her feel bad. However, I couldn’t even remember what our fight had really been about. When I saw her walking toward me, something in my heart melted. This was my friend–my sister. I dropped my bag and…
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The God of Messy People
I felt like I was watching a reality TV show unfold right before my very eyes. I found myself glued to the window as a young woman was handcuffed and patted down right on my very street. I live near a busy road and have seen many police stops. But never in my life have I witnessed someone being arrested–until now. It was kind of addicting, watching this woman being hauled off to jail. I felt awful, but I couldn’t pry my eyes away. I have no idea what she’d done, and it really wasn’t any of my business. So why couldn’t I stop watching? Eventually I went on with the rest…
