Content specific for growing in your Christian faith
"If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, … Continue reading Cultivating a life of love: A reflection on 1 Corinthians 13
Many people come to counseling during some sort of crisis. Of course, typically this is a personal crisis, leading the individual or couple into the counseling process. But we are all impacted by community and world crises as well - including the current coronavirus crisis. There are many things that can help us during a … Continue reading How do I pray during a crisis?
Valentine’s Day is approaching, and it is easy to hyper-focus onto romantic love at this time of year. Do we have it? Do we not? We celebrate with single girlfriends or romantic partners, or we hide at home avoiding the day. This is so much smaller than God’s view of love. Consider these verses from … Continue reading Finding love in 1 John
We live in a broken world. Horrible things happen on a regular basis, and I’m certain that some of those things have happened to you. Yet God calls us to forgive. Repeatedly in Scripture, God calls Christians to forgive others when they hurt us - even if they do not ask for forgiveness. Why? Simply … Continue reading Why does God want us to forgive others?
We do not typically introduce ourselves to new people by listing out our weaknesses. “Hi, I’m Jessica, I’m not a great musician.” That is not how I introduce myself. Instead, we focus on our strengths and talents. I introduce myself as a counselor, as my husband’s wife, or as fellow fill-in-the-blanker that matches the situation … Continue reading Why I treasure my weaknesses
Today is the day of turkey, gravy, and pie. Oh yeah - it’s also a day for giving thanks and sharing that thanksgiving with our loved ones. May I make a suggestion? Do this every day. Perhaps not the turkey and pie, but absolutely give thanks every day. This suggestion comes from many angles of … Continue reading Thanksgiving Is Good For Your Soul
This is a question that I hear often. And it is absolutely true that the gospel brings HOPE into the struggle with anxiety! The gospel is the good news that although we are all sinners, unable to make ourselves right with our God and Creator, God came to earth as a man (Jesus) in order … Continue reading How does the gospel help me with my anxiety?
Don't worry, I don't spend every day hunting around for colorful eggs. Nor do I eat ham, see my extended family for a long meal, show up at my church building, or wear a pastel dress every day. I don't do these things every day, because this is not really how we celebrate Easter. It … Continue reading I celebrate Easter every day
How often do you genuinely and repentantly confess your sins? Confession is a huge part of the Christian life, and it is critically important to a healthy life. It impacts our emotions, our mental health, our relationships, our pride, our accurate understanding of ourselves, and our spiritual life with Christ. But confession is hard. I … Continue reading The Need for Confession in our Lives
Whether you are single or married, in love or in heartbreak, celebrating “Valentine’s Day” or “Singles Awareness Day” on February 14th, we cannot miss the cultural experience of Valentine’s Day. Of course, this day does not appear in the pages of Scripture. But the experience of love and romance does. Throughout Scripture, the marital relationship … Continue reading A devotional on love