Going through a hard thing challenges my faith. It’s hard for me to see the other side. It’s hard for me to hear the Lord speaking when I’m in the midst of hardship. But this past month the Lord spoke loud. I had dreams, and people spoke things into my life I needed to hear.
The main idea was “the beauty of faith is that it is blind.”
We cannot see the Lord with our own eyes, but that does not mean He is not there. We cannot see His plan for our lives, but that does not mean there isn’t one. We cannot see the point of the hardship, but there is goodness on the other end.
I encourage and pray this over you, have blind faith. We don’t need to see and know everything. We just have to trust in our good God that He’s got this.
He is worthy, worthy of all honor, worship, and praise. Even in the blindness, He is worthy. What Jesus has done for you is alone worthy. What Jesus will do for you is worthy.
If you are going through something tough right now, know that it will end. And there is goodness on the other side. Only God can carry you through. It takes faith, and the beauty of it is that it is blind.
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”
Isaiah 43:18-21
How often do we find ourselves stuck in our past failures? We beat ourselves up and sit in the past refusing to move forward and becoming discouraged. When we hold onto the past, we are unable to see the beautiful new work God wants to do.
I have found that the enemy uses my failures against me. I become so discouraged because of how I messed up that I can’t move past it. Then I find myself much like the Israelites sitting in that wilderness of the past feeling like I can do nothing right and doubting God’s work in me. I can’t see that He wants to create something beautiful like a refreshing river in the desert.
When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
God is creating something new, something beautifully new. Sitting in the wilderness of past failures hinders the development of God’s beautiful new creation in us. God tells us to “remember not the former things”. He is “doing a new thing”. It’s a hard lesson, and one I still struggle with mastering, but letting go of the past leads to allowing God to do a new and beautiful work in us.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to really understand how important it is to have a real, personal relationship with Jesus. It’s more than just going to church or knowing Bible verses—it’s about choosing to walk with Him every single day. For the longest time, I struggled to read the Bible all the way through, but recently I took a step in the right direction by signing up for some online Bible classes. Not only have they helped me learn more, but they’ve deepened my faith too.
One thing that keeps standing out to me is this: having a relationship with Jesus isn’t a one-and-done thing. It’s something that grows every day. To really live as a Christian, I need to believe Jesus is exactly who He says He is and trust that He’s already done what He promised.
Life definitely has its ups and downs, and staying strong in faith can be hard sometimes. But I’m learning that Jesus wants to be part of every part of my life—even in the small stuff, like helping me find a lost shoe or reminding me to show more kindness when I really don’t feel like it.
I’m also reminded of John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” That hits deep because loving Jesus means living in a way that reflects that love—and honestly, that’s not always easy in a world full of distractions and noise. But I’m so thankful for God’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy. He knows we’re not perfect, but He still welcomes us with open arms and offers us a new start.
A verse that’s really been speaking to my heart lately is 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
That’s so powerful to me. It reminds me that I’m not the same person I used to be. Jesus is constantly working in me and making me new.
What amazes me most is how my relationship with Him keeps growing. My faith isn’t stronger because life got easier—it’s stronger because I’m leaning on Him more. The more I seek Him, the more I see Him at work in my everyday life. And honestly, that changes everything.
The mom brain is real, and the lack of time to spend “one-on-one” with the Lord definitely fluctuates through seasons.
My current season looks like chasing a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old around while balancing church duties and running my business. At times, I feel like I struggle to have enough intimate time with Jesus. I try waking up earlier to have quiet time… and somehow, my kids wake up earlier too! The struggle is real — lol!
But the Father’s love is even realer (yes, I invented a new word).
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
— Matthew 11:28–30
He is gentle and humble in heart.
He longs for our affection — even in the chaos.
He invites us to take up His yoke, because it is easy.
I once heard an illustration that said, “Don’t try to keep God first.” At first, I was shocked. But then the speaker went on to say, “Keep God in every aspect of your life — in the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Let go of the guilt. As a mama, your relationship with Jesus is going to look different in this season — and He knew that before you ever began to experience it. So put the guilt away, and let Him meet you right where you are.
This season won’t last forever.
“He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.”
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Forgiveness can be such a tricky thing, especially when we feel justified in our offenses. We have somehow equated justification as a valid reason to hold onto something God expressly told us not to hold onto. He told us to forgive as He forgave us. And if there is anyone who has walked this earth and had justification to hold onto sins committed against them, it’s Jesus, but he doesn’t. And while He does require us to repent, which means to turn from our sin, He never once said we had to ask Him for forgiveness. He forgave us long before we were ever sorry, and He forgives us even when we’re not. The command He gave us was to forgive as He forgave. I recently sat with my daughter crying in a youth camp service, and when I asked her if everything was ok, she told me God was dealing with her heart to forgive someone specific that had hurt her deeply, and she said, “It’s so hard, because they’re not even sorry. They don’ t care that they hurt me.” And, she’s right…It IS hard. She was concerned that if she verbalized forgiveness that she wouldn’t mean it, and therefore nothing would be “released.” I reminded her that Jesus told us to forgive them 70×7, not because they would sin against us that many times, but because it could take that many times of forgiving them for our hearts to be healed. Forgiveness can come in layers, and every time our minds or hearts are meditating on those moments, we have to forgive them again.
Earlier this month, my father passed away, and it dredged up pain I thought I had healed from decades ago. I can tell you the exact moment unforgiveness and bitterness against my dad left me. I know where I was and what I was doing, and it wasn’t in a church or at an altar. It was in the back room of our home that I was turning into an office to surprise my husband with for his birthday. I wasn’t even having a worshipful moment when it happened, but I felt it physically leave my body, so I know someone was praying for me. I was content to hold onto that hatred, but Jesus removed it in that moment. I called my dad who I had not spoken to in over a year at that point and reconciled. Did that change my dad’s behavior? Not at all. He was still the same person, but because God had done a work in me, I was very different. Did my forgiving him mean I removed healthy boundaries to keep me and my family safe? No, but it did mean that I handled myself very differently than before. See, forgiveness doesn’t change the other person, it changes us which is why Jesus commanded us to forgive. He’s calling us higher.
All is well that ends well, right? Apparently not. When my dad passed, as the oldest child, I was tasked with planning his funeral and taking care of the things he left behind. While in West Virginia tending to those things, I stumbled across evidence of his abuse towards my brother and me. I immediately had to walk outside the house to catch my breath, and I had to recognize the moment for what it was…another area that still needed healing in my own heart. Being triggered by anything should be a red flag for us concerning our own hearts and not billboards for sins committed against us. It’s God’s grace that reveals the broken things in our hearts and gently coaxes us to steward the healing He so lavishly offers. In that moment when I had every right to just walk away and let everything rot to the ground, because, “How dare he keep a memento of abuse. What kind of sicko does that,” Jesus so lovingly asked me, “When you join me in Heaven, will this moment matter? When you are on this side of eternity will any of that matter?” I had to be honest…No, it won’t. And I had to forgive again. Not because my dad asked for it or even deserved it, but because when I hold up all of my pain and my offense to the light of eternity, I don’t see those things anymore. I only see Jesus. I want Him more than I want to hold onto any of it, and I will gladly let those things fall to the ground.
And anytime my heart reveals another unhealed wound? I’ll forgive again. Not because they are worthy, but because HE is worthy.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Church camp has always meant so much to me. My sophomore year of high school was when I first realized I wasn’t really living my life fully for Christ. I came home on that classic “camp high,” feeling like my faith had changed in a big way.
Fast forward to my senior year — the theme was Total Surrender. By the end of the week, I was honestly shocked by how many things I still hadn’t fully given over to God. Now, a year later, I’m still learning what it means to actually live in total surrender. That theme came at such a perfect time in my life. I was stepping into a brand-new season and had no idea what to expect.
I think a lot of us can relate to this idea. We’re usually okay handing God certain parts of our lives, but we hold on tight to other parts — thinking we can handle them better ourselves. I know I’ve definitely struggled with that. It’s crazy to think how hesitant I can be to trust God, even though He’s already done so many amazing things in my life that I never could have imagined.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.”
On the last full day of camp my senior year, the speaker invited us into a time of prayer and said to do whatever felt right — go up to the altar or stay in your seat. I noticed a middle school girl next to me was crying and looked unsure of what to do. I asked her if she wanted me to go up with her, and she said yes.
Once we got to the front, I prayed over her and then gave her a moment alone. I stayed kneeling there with my eyes closed. After the song ended, I looked up to check on her — but she was gone. Suddenly, I realized I was alone at the front and decided to take that moment for myself.
Before camp, I had been offered the chance to be the youth ministry intern for the upcoming year. I had been really struggling with whether or not to say yes. So right then, I prayed: “Lord, this anxiety and anxiousness I feel — it’s yours. I hand it to you. Please give me discernment.”
Almost immediately, I felt this huge wave of peace wash over me. At that moment, I knew God was calling me to take the internship. As I got up and walked back to my seat, I felt so light, like I was floating. I remember thinking, Why didn’t I surrender this sooner?
When we stop trying to lean on our own understanding and actually trust God fully, we realize that life is so much better in His hands. Total surrender isn’t easy, but it’s always worth it.
When I first asked to write I wanted to talk about what the Lord has done in my marriage just a month into it, but I felt the Lord lead me to write about something else. As hard as it is to do, especially with everything that goes on nowadays, Jesus calls us to love and pray for our enemies.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”
Matthew 5:43-44
I can promise you I am not good at that. As much as I hate to admit it I’m the type of person to hold a grudge. In my line of work, there are a ton of different people, with a ton of different backgrounds and beliefs on how things should be done. This pretty much guarantees that at some point in the day, someone will annoy me. Now when that time comes it’s always my choice to forgive them and turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39), or to treat them as an enemy. There are countless examples in the Bible of what acting this out, or the result of it looks like. The best example by far is in Luke 23. Jesus after being battered by the Romans, and mocked by the Jews hung there on the cross. He didn’t curse those people but instead said “Father forgive them, for they know not what they have done.” After everything Jesus went through, he still cared for their salvation. Still wanted the Lord to forgive their sins against him.
It isn’t easy loving the people who harm you, but everyone is a Child of God whether they acknowledge it or not. Our God is the type to leave the 99 to save the 1. We need to remember that the love we show to our enemies can have a massive effect or influence on their walk with the lord. Pray over your enemies, show them the love of God through your actions as Jesus calls us to do.
I’m fortunate enough to live in a time that reality tv is at its peak.
I’m not talking about “The Kardashians” or “Love is Blind”. I’m thinking of a show that took place in West Monroe, Louisiana, featuring men with long facial hair that love ducks.
This show is incredibly different because it first aired in a time that TV wanted to display anything but a Christ-like nature, and they did just the opposite.
The head of the family that starred in this show is Phil Robertson. Phil was unapologetically alive for Christ and learning about Phil was inspiring but also convicting.
After Phil gave his life to Christ, he felt so called to share the good news. He would feel convicted by seeing a stranger in a parking lot because he didn’t know where they stood with Jesus. He even tried to share Jesus with people who stole from him.
I’m not sharing this to brag about how cool Phil Robertson is, but there is something we can all take from him. We have the same opportunities he did, and we can take them.
In Matthew 28:19 Jesus says to the disciples , “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Christians, we all come from different walks of life, but we are united in one purpose, to seek out the kingdom of God and lead others there too.
My prayer is that I and whoever reads this will notice and take advantage of their opportunity to spread the good news, that eternal life is found through faith alone in Jesus Christ for all who accept Him.
With the 4th of July approaching I know we are all preparing to celebrate the United States as an independent nation. This was a time when soldiers made significant sacrifices to secure our freedom, and still today many men and women give their lives to protect our freedoms. Soldiers have a dedication to their country prioritizing it above their own lives. They have a sense of duty,selfless service, responsibility to values, honor, bravery, courage, perseverance, suffering, and etc. The life of a soldier can actually be compared to the life a christian should live.
As christians we are in the army of Christ. We are to live our lives in obedience and discipline to the Father, our commanding officer. We have to continually seek and follow His guidance. He leads us by faith and through prayer and reading His word on a daily basis. We must prioritize our committment to set aside time to hear from God. This will empower us to face whatever battles may come our way. It also will give us the wisdom we need to make decisions and to lead others to Jesus.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8
As soldiers for Christ we have a duty to selfless service and a responsibility to spread the gospel. We are to put others and their well-being before our own. Our lives should be full of humility and love for others. We should live following the example of Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit, never for personal gain or recognition. This can be giving our time to serve in our church, community, or even workplace without expecting recognition. We have to have pure hearts that truly desire to please God without it being an obligation. We may feel unappreciated at times but we can rest assured that we are pleasing the Father!
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15
As soldiers for Christ we will experience times of suffering which leads to perseverance. We have to stay focused on our goal which is to live fully for God. Our suffering will always have a purpose usually in the sense that we experience growth that will deepen our faith. It also gives us the ability to be a help for our fellow brothers and sisters when they suffer. This can take a lot of bravery and courage just as it does a soldier in a battle. As christians we have to fight battles daily. Satan is constantly standing against us to try and defeat us. He knows what triggers us. He knows how to cause us to doubt. BUT God is greater than the enemy, He gives us the strength to fight the devil and our fleshly desires. We just have to stay focused and always look to the Lord.
“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:3
As christians in God’s army we get to serve the highest commanding officer of all!! He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!! We know He has already won the battle. Jesus Christ has defeated death through His sacrifice on the cross, and His resurrection. We will face many battles in this life but God has given us His word as a weapon against the enemy. When we read the word of God, pray, seek His will, and keep our faith, we win the battle!!!
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
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