Mozzarella sticks are amazing. Those deep-fried string cheese things with gooey insides and crusty outsides are the best appetizers around! One afternoon, I was hungry and I noticed we had a bag of mozzarella sticks in the freezer. Ignoring the warning from my health class about eating a balanced diet, I had eight mozzarella sticks … Continue reading What Mozzarella Sticks Taught Me About Freedom
What do you do when you feel tempted to do something you know is wrong? Imagine there’s a bunch of cupcakes in the kitchen for your sister’s birthday and they look tasty. You want to lick a little bit of frosting off the top of one of them but you know that would ruin them. … Continue reading Battling Temptation: Don’t Fight—Run!
Do you ever get tired of resting? I do. When I try to rest all I can think of is everything else that needs to be done. But as someone who has a chronic illness, my body forces me to rest a lot. After years spent bed-bound and nonfunctional, I just wanted to go do … Continue reading Resting Well Takes More Than Sleep
What is my purpose? I know - scary question right? The standard answer most Christians say would be to pray about it and ask God for guidance. I wholeheartedly agree with that. I also agree with what the Bible says about our purpose: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all … Continue reading What Will You Do With Your Life?
Crying in front of a group of people is an unforgettable experience. The first few weeks into my freshman year of high school were painful, which made me anxious and isolated. One weekend girls’ retreat, I finally broke down crying. The girls prayed for me, but even as they did, there was a little voice … Continue reading Why Reaching Out Matters
Ever read something powerful, but afterwards struggled to apply it to your own life until you took a second glance? That happened to me when I was reading Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff. Love Does is an extraordinary book. It’s full of real stories from Bob … Continue reading Love Like a Glove
As a young person, I love 1 Timothy 4:12. The first part says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young…" Which is nice, the Bible is actually telling me that young people are good. Lots of times, young people are looked down on for being rude, clueless, or generally problematic. But … Continue reading Don’t Shortchange 1 Timothy 4:12
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?
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)
