We all woke up to the same horrific headlines, ‘Israel at War After Hamas Attacks.’ We watched families taken hostage by terrorists, saw pictures of cities devastated by shrapnel, and learned that the number of civilians brutally murdered or injured was growing. This news brought tears to my eyes and made my stomach turn. How can people … Read more
Several years ago, I started paying attention to the testimonies of believers from around the world. As I read story after story, I’ve noticed that the way they engage with the Bible is often very different from how I engage: There are no highlighters, no coffee mugs, and no devotionals or notebooks. But many of … Read more
Have you ever been on a Zoom or FaceTime call and found yourself spending most of the conversation staring at the little square with your face? Unfortunately, my quiet time has looked similar to that video call many days. I’m spending time with Jesus but I’m more preoccupied with myself than with Him. I read … Read more
Have you ever talked to someone who genuinely enjoys God? When they talk about Jesus, their face breaks into a grin, their eyes radiate the joy of the Lord, and you leave the conversation longing for a relationship with Jesus like the one they experience. Most of us want to enjoy our relationship with God. … Read more
Why do I even keep trying? This thought entered my mind dozens of times over the past few months. Like when I hit snooze and had to skip reading my Bible to start work on time; when another day passed without memorizing scripture; and when I once again added “consistent quiet time” to my monthly … Read more
Dozens of options. I scrolled down the page wondering “how in the world am I supposed to choose one?” It was the first week of January and I was looking for a new Bible reading plan. I wanted something different from what I used for the past couple of years. And someone recommended I check … Read more
Darkness invites me to linger under the blankets and the alarm calls me to get up, make coffee, and open my Bible. My alarm eventually wins. Minutes later I find myself cradling a mug of caffeine in one hand and a Bible in my lap. Even though I don’t always love listening to my alarm, … Read more
“Pray on dear one, the power lies that way.” -Mary Slessor This quote has spurred on my prayer life many times since I copied it onto a bookmark and tucked it into my Bible. Prayer is hard. Many days I’ve wanted to give up praying for a request or I’ve felt too tired to focus … Read more
As a kid, my favorite part of church services was what we called “worship”—singing hymns and choruses with the body of Christ. So, when I was in high school, I eagerly accepted an invitation to join our church’s worship team. Up until that point, I always thought of worship as synonymous with singing. After all, … Read more
Honestly, having a regular quiet time is hard. It’s hard for a variety of reasons from busyness, to kids, to straight-up spiritual opposition. It’s normal for us to go through seasons when having a quiet time feels more difficult than others. In her book Quiet, Naomi Vacaro describes these different seasons. “If you’ve practiced the … Read more