"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
I love my children. I have no doubt that you love yours as well. It is simply human nature to love these little people, and to want the very best things in life for them. But most of us already know that loving our child and wanting the best for them is not the end … Continue reading How can I be a good parent?
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 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
We all know the “correct” answer here. Isaiah 55 answers this question directly: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” So why do I live as if my plans are better than the Lord’s plans? As we looked at in … Continue reading Are my plans really better than the Lord’s plans?
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
Have you ever wondered if you have depression? Perhaps you’re positive of it, and have been struggling for a long time. Depression is a very common mental illness in today’s world, with great treatments available. For folks who have never experienced depression, it can be difficult to imagine the pain – physical, emotional, and mental … Continue reading A glimpse into the pain of depression, from Psalm 142
Our thoughts are incredibly powerful. They direct how we feel. They lead what we say. They influence what we do. Unfortunately, our thoughts are not always true. As we learn to recognize, evaluate, and change our thought life, this has a big influence on problems like anxiety, fear, suicidality, anger, or depression. And it helps … Continue reading Practical strategies to “take every thought captive to Christ”
I am confident that you want to celebrate next New Years - January 2020 - with memories of happiness, peace, comfort, and an overall fun 2019. Of course you do. We all do! I certainly want to enjoy a wonderful 2019. But how do we ensure that happens? How do we set goals, create rhythms, … Continue reading Are you ready for a spectacular 2019?