"God used sinful, wretched, sick-hearted people, the lowly and lesser, people just Leah, Rachel, Jacob, and like us, to bring His son to the Earth, the ultimate atonement. I often laugh in amazement at the mysterious and backward ways that God works. The way that His ultimate plan and love for us is still seen to fruition and never foiled, although we make horrendous choic...

"When we throw our hands up, and we are wondering where our unanswered prayers went, we forget that God has given us glimpses of blessings during our trials, according to His plan. We will not have total relief from suffering on this side of heaven, but we will have beautiful glimpses of the Lord’s rest to give us hope in the desert place until the plan for our ultimate ...

"Jesus is just over there breaking down all of the social normalcies and conventions, and making room for everyone at His table. He’s just casually hanging out with a pharisee and a prostitute in the same room. No big deal. That’s actually what Jesus is getting at. We should be defying those social norms and, as Justin puts it, offering a space where change takes place...

"Thankfully, Jesus has entered into glory and He has no ordinary rules of time and space. Justin always describes the grace of Jesus like this: “…as the rain falls, and as the sun shines". The Grace of Jesus extends across the universe and is more deep and wide than we can fathom." ...

"I am so caught up in my busy life, and my busy heart, that it can be all that I see, and I treat it as my kingdom and desperately try to hold it up. It makes me laugh cynically when thinking of all of this, because we are all laboring in vain and working so hard to do it, all the while being completely oblivious to it. I am deeply thankful for the good news that God calls...

This week, our 2 year old wild child ran around the dining room table, and shrieked and sang as Zach and I tried really hard to sit at the dinner table and focus in on our advent devotional. Eventually we somewhat successfully got through it. This week we talked about Salvation. After reading about Saul, someone who severely misinterpreted salvation, and the woman at the w...

"I am so familiar with this type of laughter, and I identify deeply with it. The kind of laughter that hints at constant heartache, hysteria, and frustration, so much to a point that all you have left to do is laugh. Where were you all of this time, God? Why have you waited by as I have suffered?"...

Abram is an example to us as he boldly listened to God, as his self sufficiency was “scrubbed away” in the belief the Lord had refined in him that God is good and He is for us....

There are a ton of children in our church’s neighborhood who do not know what it is like to have their basic needs provided for, who do not know what it is like to have a functional and happy home, and are completely uncertain of their future, but I am certain that Jesus loves them and wants us to receive these children in His name, so that we can show them the ultimate ...

My confused and ignorant heart doesn’t win, because God’s plan is permanently set, unlike my wavering thoughts....

“How long this world will suffer, how long I will suffer… Do you hear my cries? Do you know the brokenness?”...

Much like the city of Pergamum, I followed the only way I had known, and in doing so I had no compass for my life......

I am a parent now of my nearly two year old daughter, and it has been challenging as of late to guide her and help her navigate new things. It is surprising sometimes when I have to set limits and boundaries for her, and she tests them and pushes them. Who would know that you could make a toddler so mad by asking her to eat her breakfast....

What was once unending, immediate, and bountifully provided, within a few bites of fruit was now cursed with enmity, great pain, and toil. Marriage was once to be harmonious and is now divisive, pain is brought forth at the births of our children, God is farther away from us and we dig through thistles for fruit. ...

I sit there and soak it up with a candle lit and music playing, because the orderliness of the house makes me feel in control and relaxed for the 5 minutes that it stays that way. Maybe heaven will smell like cleanliness and soap... ...

"Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul" -Mark Twain ...

Daniel knows what is coming in the future, and marches on. He doesn't flee or hide under a rock. Like Daniel, God leads us through this wilderness and we rise and fall, waiver and remain....