In a world where there is an almost greedy grappling for external validation and feedback, I find myself sometimes wondering how to center my identity in Christ alone and not in what others think of me.  The acceptance of others can often be dependent upon what they might receive from that relationship while the acceptance of God is unconditional.  The approval of others changes from day to day and cannot be a strong foundation for security in my value and purpose.  The one thing I truly long for is to someday hear from the only true Judge, "well done, good and faithful servant."  This collection of truths from the gospel of John serves to remind me that I find my acceptance, my approval, validation and affirmation from Jesus alone and my identity is firm in the Word of God.   John 1:12 I am a child of God - Oh to think that He would adopt me into His family.  That He would call me His own dear child, that I would be considered His inheritance, that ...

Since my kids were young, they have attended Arrowhead Bible Camp each summer.  I remember dropping them off on Sunday afternoon and waiting 5 whole days to hear about their week on Friday morning.  They looked a little dirtier, a few scratches here and there, mosquito bites and maybe some sunburn.  In the elementary years, camp was fun and a safe place to make new friends who shared faith in Christ.  In high school, they each participated in a 2 week discipleship camp, which Katie now helps lead.  Those two weeks were fundamental for my kids as they learned theology, spiritual disciplines and their role in ministry.  And now, this summer all 3 of them had a chance to serve at camp and I can see how valuable it is for them to experience this type of ministry and service. Just last week, I finally the chance to spend a week at camp for the first time, as the speaker.  What a great experience!  About 80 students gathered in the chapel each day to he...

Recently, my husband and I have found ourselves digging deeper into theology, spending our free time watching sermons, listening to reformed pastors, researching everything from cultural shifts to biblical holiness.  It started with questions about why we hear stories of people leaving their faith, decontructing faith and why people live duplicitous lives of hypocrisy.  Why does it seem hard to find people who are pursuing holiness and how is the political environment of 2022 impacting the church.  We've dug into information from David Jeremiah's Where Do We Go From Here ,   to messages from Noelle Mering on Progressive Ideology, Amar Tsarfati on the end times, to the American Gospel documentaries.    All of this research has spurred us on to deep conversations about the church, the world, and our future.  The Bible stands in deep contrast to the ideologies and philosophies of our world today. I'm not saying anything surprising when I admit I thi...

 My home is at the crest of a hill overlooking woods on one side and a field to the east, which means that I often get to view the most beautiful sunsets in the early mornings.  When the sun is just crossing the horizon and the sky turns golden, I am reminded why mornings are my favorite time of day.  The warm hues signify the end of a dark night and beginning of a new and fresh day.  Luke 1:78 refers to Jesus as the "sunrise from on high," which aptly describes Christ's purpose in entering our world as a child.  He came to be the light in a dark world, bringing hope, mercy and righteousness which humanity was desperate for.   This reference to Jesus as the sunrise from on high reminds me of the beginning of time when light was first created.  In Genesis 1:3, God declared that there would be light and instantaneously the light came into existence.  Light is simultaneous with God's presence, His holiness and His truth.  He spoke and the l...

 When you think about prayer, you might wonder if it is just a mental exercise or does it really have any power?  What is the purpose of prayer when ultimately God is providentially in control anyways?  Does God really hear our prayers or is does he care to hear about the little things like being late for work or finding our lost keys?  The apostle Paul penned a few prayers that can guide us in our own prayer life and they hint at many of the questions we may have regarding prayer.  Why do we pray?  How should we pray?  What should we be praying for? Ephesians 1:15-21  15  For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,   16  I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.   17  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit [ f ]  of wisdom and revelation , so that...

 I've been reading the book of Exodus lately and thinking about Moses as an example for leadership, but probably not in all the ways we might expect.  There's no question that Moses was one of the most influential leaders in all of history as he took a scraggly group of slaves and over the course of 40 years transformed them into a cohesive nation.  They lacked purpose, direction and unity when they started out on their own.  God chose Moses to lead them from slavery into the promised land - what was it that made Moses such an uncommon leader? First of all, Moses would not have made it through the screening processes we have for approving leaders in this century.  Remember, he killed an Egyptian, enacted martial law, became the judge, jury and executioner when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave.  He ran away and hid for 40 years in the desert before he returned to Egypt again (he probably never thought he was going back).   In addition to a...

I have to be honest, there have been many mornings since I became an administrator that I felt like I was headed right into a battle as soon as I stepped in the front door of the school.  Having read an angry parent email, I knew I had to respond to it immediately and I had to get my mind in the right place when it felt like I was under attack.  Other days I felt the tension as I was preparing to meet with a teacher and have a hard conversation I knew would be met with resistance.  Many mornings, I steeled myself for the students whose behaviors were out of control, emptying classrooms, running away or hurting others but didn't seem respond to any of the interventions I had already tried.   It makes me think of an old Twila Paris song called "The Warrior is a Child," where she describes the strong fighter as someone who goes home at the end of the battle and rests at the feet of Jesus, weary of the battle.   I think it's interesting that Brene Brown ta...