What does it look like to have faith? How do we get the kind of faith Jesus mentions when He grabs that little child and coaches His disciples on the necessity of childlike faith? While we wrestle with our day-to-day issues, it can seem overwhelming to consider a faith that moves mountains. After all, we are normal people with normal lives and that sort of thing just seems a bit out of reach.

In Mark chapter five we find the story of the bleeding woman. Mark tells us she had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. It is heartbreaking that this woman didn’t just feel awful and weak from the unending trial, but she also was left to deal with the social consequence of an issue she never asked for. She was considered unclean by law, meaning that anything … Read More »

Every time I read the short little book of Jonah, I find myself caught up in the painful reality that I identify with him and his story. While I’ve yet to be swallowed by a whale or lose my mind over a wilting plant, I’ve often found myself struggling to understand the path God has set me on, and unfortunately, I’ve found myself running the opposite direction more times than I care to admit. Why would I run? Why would anyone run from the voice or the direction of a God who spans the ends of the earth? Someone who sees all and knows the end from the beginning? How do we logic through walking away from the call, the direction, the Word?

These are the questions I’ve been asking myself, seeking to understand the logic behind our desire for self—our … Read More »

It’s officially that time of year when people start to celebrate everything from pumpkin spice to turkey laden tables dressed with flannel and fine china. And every year around this time I start to consider the events leading to this point in the season. It’s amazing how packed a year can be with so much life change, surprise, heartbreak, and excitement all rolled up into 365 days. When you consider your recent year, I hope you have bright memories and joy that come to mind, but there are some seasons that can be more challenging to get through. When those come and hang out for longer than we would prefer, we often need something to get us through to the next season of life.

Jeremiah understood what heartbreak was. He saw his country, his people, everything he knew fall to … Read More »

I’ve been reading through the book of Isaiah as of late and have been caught by the power of the passages in a way I have never been before. One of the chapters that reached out and grabbed my attention was Isaiah 61, a chapter my Bible summarizes as “The Year of the Lord’s Favor.”

Before I go to the actual verses, I must admit that my perspective of the church and what we as Christians were responsible for began shifting by the time I was finished reading through verses 1-7. For the sake of keeping you invested, I won’t post the entire passage, just a couple of key verses, but I encourage you to look this chapter up and read it for yourself.

Isaiah 61:1, 3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to … Read More »

We’ve all been unlucky enough to grab a nearby pen in a hurry, only to realize that said pen has somehow managed to leak all over your hands, shirt, book, and somehow your face. That ugly stain remains, no matter how many times you work to scrub it off, staring at you and reminding you of the fact that the true power of the pen is kept carefully inside.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the … Read More »