Peter (as in Peter, James and John) used to really bug me. I mean, where does he get off denying Jesus three TIMES? I know that if someone came up to me and asked if I knew Jesus, I would respond with an emphatic, "Heck, yes!" and then probably proceed with a lengthy, obnoxious dissertation about Him. But I began to see more of myself in Peter one day when a friend suggested we can deny Jesus with our actions, too. Huh? I started thinking about the ways I daily deny knowing Him: gossiping, judging others, being unforgiving, being quick to anger, and putting myself first. Ouch! That ... Read the Post
It's Just Not Your Turn Yet
It was like she was speaking right to me. We were sitting in a church at a Daybreak conference for women, listening to Angela Thomas say, “It’s just not your turn yet.” My friend turned and gave me a knowing look. She knew I desperately needed to hear those words because I had been spending my time obsessing over this one thing I’ve wanted for years. The one thing I’ve been asking God for every day, and He still wasn’t giving me. I found myself growing bitter and angry, unable to trust God’s plan for my life. I was starting to feel like He was punishing me. Why did it seem like everyone ... Read the Post
Potty Training
When my son, Jack, first started to make the big transition from diapers to underwear at night, he would frequently wake me up with a 5 a.m. emergency. Dazed and annoyed, I would either (depending on the emergency) rush him to the bathroom or start the familiar process of changing his sheets and his pants. Then I would jump back in my bed and shut my eyes tightly, determined to get the sleep I desperately needed. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has a hard time falling back asleep, and I found myself with the rather unfamiliar predicament of quiet time alone. At first I was ... Read the Post
Spiritual Scrapbook
Every year on my son’s birthday, I dress him up in one of my husband’s old work shirts and take his picture. I slip the picture into a special album, along with a note about the things he’s accomplished that year. I can then flip through the album to see how much he’s grown. (Yes, it is a cool idea, and I totally stole it from Oprah.) I could stare at those pictures for hours! I love the way he wears the shirt a little better each year. And I wonder if God sees us that way. Does He take a spiritual snapshot of me each year on my birthday and compare it to a picture of Jesus? Do I look more ... Read the Post
13 Going on 30
When I was first approached to teach junior high Sunday school at my church, I thought, “Yes! The Lord is finally going to use me for something big.” I remembered being in youth groups growing up. I loved all the bonding, games, trips, and spiritual highs. I thought, “How perfect for me! Those kids are going to love me. I am young and cool. I even watch MTV sometimes. We are all going to bond, and I am going to get to share my love for Christ with them. It’s going to be great to give them advice and act as a role model.” Well, my experience with the junior high kids did not turn out that ... Read the Post