Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV) The snake was probably three or four feet long and coming right towards us. We were out for a leisurely family walk on the trails by the lake. The sun felt warm on our backs as we climbed the tree-lined hills and watched our son speed ahead of us on his bike. Local bird songs composed the perfect hiking playlist. The closer the snake…

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 27:4 (NIV) I don’t know why I even go to these women’s events anyway. I wipe my hands on my jeans, check my hair in the mirror of the minivan parked in front of me and take a final gulp of fresh air before walking into the sanctuary. Avoiding eye contact as I pass moms huddled in little groups sharing their latest news, make a beeline for the bathroom, pretending it is for normal reasons. From the safety of the stall, I pull out my phone and text my friend. “Kari, r u here? In…

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possesion, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) Are you in a funk or a bad mood? Perhaps you’re feeling sad, lonely, or rejected. I’ve been there too. Whatever the negative emotion your soul seems to be sitting in at the moment, I’d guess you want to move past it and get back to a joyful existence. I have found the best way for me to battle the blues is by listening to worship music. I saved a playlist on my…

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 (AMP) The living room is cluttered with Fisher Price toys and baby paraphernalia. Closets are busting at the hinges. Cabinets barely close. This house feels too small for all our stuff, and that’s just the physical chaos. The kids constantly run circles around the floor plan and, turn up the TV volume to compete with their own voices. I can’t find peace anywhere. Can you relate? So what do you do about it? Well, we bought a bigger house. We move into our dream home, with four bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a…

“So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.”  Genesis 35:2 The shoes were old and full of holes, an embarrassment to be honest.  It was not as if we could not afford new shoes. However, he could not give up this particular pair of shoes.  They were comfortable.  They had taken him to many places and been a comfort to his hurting soles for a long time. He continued to wear these shoes past a reasonable amount of time a person would think appropriate. Funny really, the old…

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7 NIV Have you ever been challenged to accept a position in life you did not feel qualified for?  How do you meet the challenges of working outside of your comfort zone? What do you think David saw as his calling in life?  To be a shepherd?  To be a writer?  Or to be a King? It is as I weave my story within the…

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to do that “one thing”? Do you have a longing in your soul to step out and dare to be brave in your unique calling? One way to uncover that “one thing” is to ask yourself this question: If money and time were not an obstacle, what would you do with your life? What passion would you follow? What dream would you dare to dream? “The root of the word…

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12 This month of love has just flown by, I hope you have enjoyed spending the month of February looking at the different types of love we find woven into the story of us, as told by the Master Himself. Today we finish up with looking at Agape love – perfect love. “Agape love,” says Anders Nygren, “Is unmotivated in the sense that it is not contingent on any value or worth in the object of love. It is spontaneous and heedless, for it does not determine beforehand whether love will be effective or appropriate in any…