I’ll never forget the night I sat in a room full of people laughing at memes… alone. It was my best friend’s engagement party. Instead of clinking glasses, we were all hunched over our phones—posting stories about how “epic” the night was while barely speaking. When I got home, I scrolled through everyone’s photos of…
I’ll never forget the Sunday I snapped at my 6-year-old for spilling cereal during our “family Sabbath.” I’d spent hours planning the perfect day: homemade pancakes, Scripture journaling, a nature walk. But between my husband’s work texts buzzing nonstop and my obsession with Instagram-worthy moments, I was more stressed than on a Monday. That’s when…
Let me start with a confession: I used to roll my eyes at International Women’s Day. Growing up in a conservative church, I’d hear things like, “We don’t need a worldly holiday to honor women—we do that every Sunday!” But then God wrecked my pride through a conversation with my teenage daughter. Two years ago, she asked, “Mom,…
I. The Early Years: Prayer as Superficial Discipline For three decades, prayer has served as both a spiritual anchor and a recurring challenge in my Christian walk. During my formative years as a believer, I approached prayer with the mechanical precision of a novice musician practicing scales—repetitive motions devoid of emotional depth. My petitions often…
Ash Wednesday initiates the 40-day Lenten season, a period of fasting, repentance, and spiritual reflection for Christians. It precedes Holy Week and Easter Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ Resurrection. During Ash Wednesday services, clergy mark congregants’ foreheads with ashes in the shape of a cross, symbolizing human mortality (“dust to dust,” Genesis 3:19) and a call…
As I rock my youngest granddaughter to sleep, humming “Jesus Loves Me,” I’m struck by the weight of Deuteronomy 4:9: “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to…
I’ll never forget the Tuesday I tried to pray while my toddler finger-painted the dog. As I scrubbed green tempera off the couch, I sobbed to God: “I’m failing at this ‘quiet time’ thing. My faith is smaller than a mustard seed—it’s more like chia seed dust!” That’s when my 75-year-old mentor Phyllis texted: “Honey, stop trying…
Let me start with a humbling confession: Last year, I ghosted my own mother for three weeks. She’d criticized my parenting (again), and I snapped. But as I sat in my silent house, scrolling through old photos of her teaching me to ride a bike, God sucker-punched me with Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as…
Let me start with a raw confession: Last year, I spent three months crying in my parked car. Between a miscarriage, a layoff, and my dad’s dementia diagnosis, I felt like God had handed me a “hopeless starter pack.” I’d open my Bible and think, “Cool verses, but does ANY of this work in real life?”…
I’ll never forget the night I punched a hole in my church office wall. My youth ministry was collapsing, my wife’s chronic illness had drained our savings, and I’d just been told “real Christians don’t take antidepressants.” As drywall dust settled on my shoes, I screamed at God: “I’m supposed to ‘count it all joy’? This…