Tag: Spiritual Growth
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When You Feel Like God Doesn’t Hear Your Prayers
TLDR: God hears your prayers when they come from a humble, teachable heart. Not when you say the perfect words. Daniel 10:12 shows that God responds to those who seek understanding and surrender. There’s a quiet fear many believers carry but rarely speak aloud: “I don’t think God hears me.” Have you heard someone say… Read more
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How Do You Know God Is Calling You to Write?
TLDR: God’s calling often begins as a quiet, persistent tug — a desire that doesn’t go away, even when you try to set it aside. But the fuller answer is deeper, gentler, and far more personal. Calling Often Begins as a Holy Restlessness Calling rarely arrives as a trumpet blast. More often, it begins as… Read more
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Rejoice — and Joice Again: A Small Greek Word Study That Turned Delightfully Silly
Some mornings you stumble into Scripture and end up learning something deep. Other mornings you stumble into Scripture and end up laughing at yourself. And, every once in a while, you get both at the same time. That was me this week with Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, rejoice!”… Read more
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When the Same Scripture Hits Different: What 13 Months of Growth Revealed
A little over 13 months ago, I journaled — and “arted” — John 16:20–24 for the first time. I was drawing from a place of fresh grief. My mother had died just three weeks earlier, and I was still relearning how to function as a competent human. I had also just decided to give this… Read more
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The Heart of Christian Writing: Wisdom, Obedience, and Freedom
There are a few verses at the end of the Book of Ecclesiastes that feels like it’s speaking directly to every person called to Christian writing who has ever stared at a blank page, wrestled with a manuscript, or wondered whether their words matter. It’s a benediction, a warning, and a commissioning all at once:… Read more
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When the Vapor Clears: Learning to Live From What Lasts
“We spend way too much time worrying about things that are fleeting — vapor — that in the grand scheme of eternity mean nothing.” Christine Caine Read that statement again. It’s true, isn’t it? Someone says something that hurts your feelings? Vapor. You don’t get the job or promotion you wanted? Vapor. It rains during… Read more
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Formed by Praise: The Slow Work of Becoming Steady in God
“I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11, NIV This is not just a statement of emotion. It’s a formed response. The kind of declaration that only grows in a heart God has been shaping over time. And it’s an important affirmation because the sons of Korah repeat it at the… Read more
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When Words Mean More Than We Intended
Some mornings begin with quiet reflection, but others begin with conversations that stay with you long after the day gets moving. My daughter and I found ourselves talking about the power of words — how they can land softly or sharply, how they can heal or harm, and how often the impact has less to… Read more
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Trust, Salmon Patties, and the Mystery of Manna
Last night I made salmon patties for dinner. Nothing fancy — just a simple, tasty meal. But when I set the plate on the table, both my girls paused. They leaned in, suspicious and curious, and asked the same question Israel once asked in the wilderness when they first saw manna from heaven: “What is… Read more
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What Job’s Friends Teach Us About Speaking the Truth
Some truths are technically correct but emotionally destructive. Scripture gives us a vivid example of this through the words of Job’s friends as presented in the book that’s named after him. Their dialogue reminds us that wisdom isn’t just about what we say, but when and how we say it. Job’s Friends: The Danger of… Read more