Making Waves

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

I've been a Christian since  I was seven years old. And for as long as I can remember, I was raised in church and taught everything I needed to know about what it meant to be a good girl and a true believer. Good girls were believers who were in church every Sunday, attended weekly bible studies, volunteered for extracurricular church activities and events, and didn’t listen to secular music, drink alcohol, or do drugs. We were also advised not to date (and typically weren’t allowed to date at all) but interestingly enough were taught to prepare for marriage by first pledging allegiance to purity and abstaining from sex until marriage (along with wearing those True Love Waits purity rings), which looking back, probably wasn’t a good idea since some of those teachings shamed many young women back then who weren’t abstaining, were sexually assaulted, or eventually decided not to abstain from sex at all.   Even more interesting was noticing that the young men I attended church wi...

For some kids, summertime is a time for lazy days, vacationing, and spending time with family and friends. It’s typically a time to unwind and reset before the beginning of a new school year starts again. But when I was a kid, summers for my brother and I were a bit   different .     While we did have family vacations, enjoyed regular pool days, and were ‘90s kids who preferred playing outdoors as opposed to staying inside watching TV or playing video games for hours on end (yes, there was once a time when kids playing outdoors was  normal  instead of staying indoors with technology all day), one summer day, my dad came home from work and called my brother and me into the living room. We weren’t sure what he wanted but as we gathered, he spoke and he said, “From now on before I come from work, I want you both to read your bibles, find a scripture that speaks to you, and write a paper about what you think the scripture means.” We were puzzled. I mean, come on, it...

Sometimes I can’t help but think about everything I need to take care of each day. It feels like there’s always   something  that needs to be done.   Something   that’s coming up.   Something   that requires my energy and attention. And   something  that will consume my time. The to-do lists will grow on and on, and when I think I’m done tackling my lists, there’s always something else.   So, God, I need you to teach me to be still.    Teach me to be still when life feels overwhelming. Show me how to take things on one thing at a time when I’m feeling worked up about handling an important task, responding to a pile of emails waiting in my inbox, managing my budget, and trying to get back to loved ones who are always calling or texting.    Teach me to be still when I can’t find the answers. Show me how to pause and ask for help when I need it instead of stressing out trying to figure out everything on my own. I know that if...

As we approach the start of a brand-new year, I can’t help but think about the process of setting new goals to accomplish. For some, the start of a new year is an opportunity to tackle new goals and resolutions that have been set. For others, a new year can feel like a time of uncertainty. And while I believe in setting deadlines to accomplish specific and measurable goals, marking calendars for set plans, and having different things in mind that you would like to accomplish in a year, the reality is that life is full of uncertainty.   Sometimes unexpected things happen that can change our lives in wonderful ways and sometimes in painful ones too. But no matter what happens this year, I hope you know that you’re going to figure it out (whatever “it” may happen to be or mean for you). As a Christian, I’m constantly learning (and in recent years) have accepted that God’s already ordered my steps. Even steps that I haven’t always enjoyed or understood. But regardless, I know that I’m ...

Sometimes it can be hard trusting God’s timing. Especially when you’ve been waiting for answers about things you’ve been praying about for a very long time, or even if and when you are unsure about what’s coming next. Regardless, living, praying, and moving through different requests and uncertainties can be challenging. No matter how much other people in your life may try to encourage you, and even during times when you’re trying to encourage yourself, the waiting can still be tough. I’ve found that taking the time to read and reflect on encouraging scriptures can be a great source of peace as you wait. When I dive into my bible, I’m reminded of God’s promises and His faithfulness no matter what season of life I’m in. I’m not sure what you may be waiting or praying for, but I hope that God comes through for you and that these scriptures help guide and provide you with peace too.   1. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to...

Living and moving through the uncertainties of life can feel uncomfortable sometimes. Whether you’re a person of faith or not, not knowing what’s going to happen next can stir feelings of stress, worry, anxiousness, anxiety, uneasiness, and discomfort. If I can be honest, lately, I’ve been wrestling with a combination of these things. I’ve recently entered an exciting yet busy season of teaching, new (and super-duper exciting) writing opportunities, training a new fur baby, and grad school – all of which I’m thankful for, however as I move forward, I’m also aware that the world is still moving through a global pandemic, along with people who refuse to wear masks and others who refuse to get vaccinated to stop the spread. Which is scary, especially when so many men, women, and children are getting sick and dying. It’s also been disappointing living in a culture of entitlement, seeing the celebration and rapid normalization of bogus behavior, and observing the condemnation of people who ...

One of my favorite worship songs is “Falling In Love With Jesus” by Kirk Whalum. I believe the song was originally written by Jonathan Butler, but its power and lyrics are undeniably anointed and a pleasure to listen to. Especially when I’m spending time with the Lord. What I love most about the song is the call to being in His presence – which is something that is a necessity for me daily. I can’t imagine doing life without Jesus, especially while living and moving through this world. He’s the one certainty in a life full of uncertainty. I know that I can pray, cry out, and talk openly with Him about everything I’m experiencing and going through. And so can you.  In this season and in seasons to come, I highly recommend setting aside quiet time to be in His presence. He loves you and cares about you, and the least you could do is actively make time to spend time with the one who loves you most. Luke 5:16 reads, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” He recognized ...

I’m currently the youngest adult member at my home church.     The former young adults who once attended eventually stopped coming altogether or ended up leaving due to relocations and different life changes like walking away from the church, a lack of interest, or getting married and having children. So I’ve been riding solo for a while.    When I realized this, a growing desire to connect with other like-minded believers in my age group began to nag at me. I didn’t have a lot of committed Christian friends nearby I could identify with, confide in, or relate to. For years, I’d been praying about where I could find community with a group of women I could connect with who were also Christians (but still knew how to have some fun every now and then) and who lived for the Lord (but also weren’t rigid, preachy, or obnoxious about their faith). In college I had a brief season with a group of young women who kind of fit what I was looking for, but many of them were in thei...

The more I grow in my faith, the more comfortable I’m getting with surrendering the steps and outcomes of my life over to God concerning   every  area of my life. If He’s not orchestrating or approving the moves, the relationships, or the blessings in my life, I don’t want them or need them. After all, it would be insane for me to move forward without His consent. When I’ve made decisions without checking in with Him, I have, however, invited unnecessary stress, setbacks, pain, and humiliating moments into my life that could’ve been avoided if I’d just checked in with Him first.   His answers to all of our requests are usually  yes, no,  or  not right now .   I honestly don’t like when I get a  no  or a  not right now  with different things I’ve prayed for, waited for, and felt ready for, but His ways are what’s best. Isaiah 55:8-9 reads, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As th...

When the topic of Christian couples living together before marriage came up on   The Godly Dating 101 Podcast , I was blown away. The conversation on the topic was very forward, insightful, and timely. And while I know this is a topic that can be uncomfortable to discuss, here’s the thing. I’m not here to judge anyone. I have unmarried non-Christian family members and friends who’ve lived (or are currently living) with their significant others. And I have unmarried Christian family members and friends who’ve lived (or are currently living) with their significant others too. To each their own. However, as for me and my house? The answer will always be   hell no   to living together before marriage. Even if there’s been a stunning proposal, a beautiful ring placed on my finger, and a standing engagement, the answer will still be   no .     I refuse to be a live-in girlfriend or fiancée. I’m also not going to date someone and wait several years for a proposal ...

Around this time last year, I struggled with my mental health and my relationship with the Lord. I can remember waking up and dreading starting most of my days. I was crying and praying a lot, and wrestling with some unbelief, anxiousness, and worry concerning my life, my career, and the future. I was also disappointed and frustrated with how things seemed to be going for me too.   I was working from home in a very stressful job I’d been trying to leave for over a year. One of the biggest reasons why I was planning my exit was because I was frequently harassed by one of my male co-workers at that same job. And the harassment continued as I worked from home. The things that were happening weren’t okay, and I wasn’t okay either. What was especially unsettling about that experience was how isolating it was and discovering how wicked and heartless some people can be. I even had the receipts to prove what was going on, and nothing was done about any of it. Several other colleagues and I...