By: Carley Fischer Mondays are the worst. Do you ever wake up in the morning feeling prepared for the week but when you start your day you quickly realize that there were a million things you forgot to do? All of a sudden your Monday becomes a MONDAY and crawling back into bed sounds awfully inviting. What are […]

By: Christi Grimm The wooden door creaked as she slowly opened it and peered inside.  A cool wind blew through her hair as she closed her eyes. The wind’s refreshing embrace welcomed her in and swept her through the foyer and into a long corridor of rooms. Slowly, she gazed down the hall wondering what lay […]

By: Kate Van Der Hoeven I sat in my car, heart beating fast, wishing I was almost anywhere else but in this church parking lot.  I was visiting my Hispanic boyfriend’s church for the first time, I hardly spoke any Spanish, and I was terrified! How was I ever going to fit in with this […]

By: Amy Hornbuckle  I didn’t have to do anything to receive the grace of God. I didn’t have to perform, perfect, or provide. In fact, my inability to perform well, be perfect, or provide for myself is what created my need for grace. I was deep in spiritual poverty (we all were) and out of unconditional love God sent His […]

By: Emily Miller As a little girl I had clear expectations of my grown-up self. I would be tall, weigh a mere hundred pounds, and somehow still be able to take on at least ten strong men in a fight. I would have long, glimmering hair and I would be a Jedi.  My expectations shifted as I […]

By: Kelly Arena And just like that…we are in a New Year! In January, we typically anticipate the year ahead of us, and make plans, set goals, and New Year resolutions. Knowing we will likely not even accomplish half of the list, we still sit down and make lists of all the “doings” that we hope to achieve.   But God did not make […]

By: Sarah Abreu “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:20  The purpose of the Lord will stand. Many are my plans, but if they do not fit with God’s purpose they will not stand. This scripture does not discourage me from […]

By: Kate Van der Hoeven  Christmas is over. The most anticipated holiday of the year is completed. In just a week we will be in a new decade! As you reflect on the past year, what do you see? Joy? Sorrow? Adventures? Quiet? Growth? Change? Are you ready for the new year and all that it […]

By: Christi Grimm Several years ago, I was introduced to the “Word of the Year” exercise.  I have been grateful for this as it has brought much focus and strategic goal planning for my upcoming year.  Choosing a Word of the Year is, for me, an exercise of asking God if there is a specific area He desires […]

By: Abby Watson Silence.  The world tells us to slow down during the holidays. Earthly sages write stress-free guides to Christmas-cookie decorating, gather their best “savor the small moments,” tips and tricks, or tell us to “simply practice being still.” If stillness were just a matter of self-will, a well-intentioned flick of the wrist, we wouldn’t […]