In Romans 12:2, we are told, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is –his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  A huge part of living with a renewed mind is learning to identify lies we have believed about God, ourselves and our circumstances and to replace those lies with His truth.  As […]

My best friend Judy is amazing.  One of the things that I love about her is that she breathes encouragement.  Affirmation oozes out of her pores and you always leave her presence feeling loved.  She doesn’t even try at this. She’s a natural.  This is also the friend that knows the most of my junk.  She knows my weaknesses and my struggles.  She has seen me ugly cry more times than I can count.  She […]

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom. 12:2) Every person has a story.  Every one of us has encountered trials, challenges, joys and victories in our lives that have helped to shape who we are and how we operate in this present moment.  But who we are and how we operate is not always one and the same.  This year, God has pulled […]

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. (Ps. 23:6) As a Christian, when you hear the term surrender what do you think of?  For a lot of us, the term surrender  means giving something up, letting go, or sacrificing something.  By definition, surrender can take on that meaning.  There are certainly times God requires us to […]

I got in my car and drove off after a heated argument.  I had gotten myself into a situation that I couldn’t seem to get myself out of…worse, that I didn’t want to get out of.  Worry and fear ate at me day after day.  Despite my best efforts to change things, I was powerless to stop the toxic cycle I had gotten myself wrapped up in.  The only way to stop the pain was […]

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Rom. 8:37) In a previous post entitled Removing Every Obstacle, I briefly mentioned the importance of knowing who we are in Christ, so that we will be able to experience the abundant life that God has promised us.  Oh, yes.  This one is so important.  Recently, I have been reflecting on my own understanding of my identity in Christ.  For […]

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) In my post Removing Every Obstacle, I briefly mentioned that embracing uncertainty and being willing to take risks is a pivotal part of living the abundant life that God has planned for us.  This has definitely been true for me and is something I […]

In my last post A Declaration Against Fear, I introduced the subject of fear by using excerpts from my own journal to share some of the ways in which God has been speaking to me about fear in my own life.  This can be considered a continuation of that discussion.  Anyone ever deal with feelings of being tremendously overwhelmed?  Ever have those moments where you just sit down with your head in your hands bombarded […]

Now I can say to myself and to all, “Relax and rest, be confident and serene, for the Lord rewards those who simply trust in Him.” (Ps. 116:7) In my previous post Removing Every Obstacle, I wrote about the importance of actively working towards removing every hindrance in our life for the purpose of fully experiencing the abundant life Jesus has promised us.  Fear is one of the biggest hindrances on the list.  Over the […]

A thief has only one thing in mind –he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy.  But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect – life in its fullness until you overflow! (John 10:10) A couple posts back, I wrote on the subject of what intimacy with God looks like in seasons of blessing.  I wrote on what it looks like to fully enjoy the season we are in and […]