My heart thudded against my chest. My breaths were fast and shallow. I felt like I was gasping for air. I would hold myself, I would try to self-soothe. I cried a lot. I felt constantly alone. I dreaded going to bed because I would lie there, gripped by the fear, feeling my life force … Continue reading What Does God Say About My Anxiety?
Dear youth group leader, There are many wonderful qualities about you. First, your volition to spend time around teenagers. Teenagers are a difficult group to minister to. Some adults think teenagers are self-absorbed and unwilling to learn. You see something different. You see that teenagers are part of the church too, and you seek to … Continue reading A Letter to the Youth Group Leaders
For this post, I had the privilege of talking with several friends of mine as well as a few adults about the importance of Christian community. Some names have been changed. One of the things I miss the most out of all the things we’ve lost by sheltering in place during this pandemic is my … Continue reading Why Christian Community is Important
Some Christians find themselves discontent with a one-size-fits-all way to worship and know God. We’re prescribed the same practices as everyone else: every Christian must wake up and read the Bible early in the morning or have some sort of devotional time. While this is not a bad practice, some Christians may find that this … Continue reading Finding Your Pathway to Fulfilling Worship (Book Review of Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas)
I love to journal. I am passionate about all kinds of writing and keeping a journal is just one of the ways I do that. Every time I fill up one journal, I go through my collection of journals, and pick my next one based on what season of life I am going through. This … Continue reading Trusting God with my “Normal” Life
Prayer was hard for me because I never knew what to say. I was a shy girl who lived in fear of saying the wrong thing, even to God. Every time I tried to pray, it felt wrong for some reason. I wasn't sure if I was doing it right. The first thing that opened … Continue reading 5 Big Questions about Prayer
My youth leader gave everyone an index card. "Write a question," he said. "It could be a question about God, a random question, or even a silly one. These cards are anonymous." There were many questions I had that I was too shy to ask, so I was grateful to be able to ask them … Continue reading Is It Okay to Have Questions?
Bible Sunday in our church is what we call the day when third graders, kids who have mastered reading, are called to the stage to receive their very own Bible. It is a sweet occasion, fidgeting kids and parents taking pictures to remember the day. After every third grader has been called, we pray for … Continue reading Your Guide to the Bible
Different denominations of Christians have slightly different ideas and different practices, but one thing we have in common is church. Romans 12:5 says “So we are many persons. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to the other parts.” (NIV) Does that mean going to church makes you … Continue reading Church 101
I was born into a Christian family and grew up going to church. Some of my earliest memories are from church: Sunday school, worship, and then the sermons. The sermons were difficult for me. They were long, they meant a lot of sitting and furthermore I couldn’t understand any of it. I understood the basic … Continue reading My Testimony-In-Progress
