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Did You Know God Is Crazy About You?
While I was in training to lead small groups a couple of weeks ago, our teacher asked us: “How do you feel when someone is intentional with you?” Many from the class shared how they felt seen, valued, known, loved, cared for, and like they truly mattered. As the week went by, this concept stuck with me. It seems like intentionality is one of the keys to connection and developing deeper, more meaningful relationships. The word intentional means done on purpose or with a specific goal in mind. It comes from the Latin word intentio, which means a stretching toward or turning one’s attention to. The word’s meaning originally described…
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Book Recommendation: The Q by Beth Brower
“Many of the trees in Rhysdon’s parks were beginning to leaf out into a lacy cloud of green so cheery that even Quincy—who was accustomed to thinking about walking only as a means to an end or as a means to calm herself down before someone else came to an end—looked about and came close to granting the walk some kind of virtue in itself.” – Beth Brower, The Q It’s been a while since I have read a book with such beautiful language and poignant characters, but Beth Brower (author of the Emma M. Lion series) has done it again in The Q. This book is set in the…
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Wanted: Chivalrous Heroes Who Know Right From Wrong
It is no secret that many authors in the general market have taken a shine to writing heroes who are morally gray and make questionable life choices. It seems that for a book to sell, a man has to be dark, brooding, have murky morals, and generally resemble a growling beast more than a gentleman. And let’s face it, this trend has been around for decades, as seen in works by Byron and the Brontes. This begs the question: what happened to chivalrous heroes who would stand up for what was right? I recently read a great Substack article by Elena B. Sato titled “Let the boys be good.” She…
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A Tale of Two Plows
Happy September! We’ve arrived at the time of year that brings the sound of kids going back to school, the smell of pumpkin spice lattes, and a chill riding the wind. This month wraps itself in burnt orange and rain, reminiscent of endings and new beginnings. In a way, it feels like turning the page in a book to a new chapter. As seasons change, literally and figuratively, I’ve found myself thinking more and more about faithfulness. There is a certain verse in the Bible that haunts me: “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom…
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I Grew Up In Ministry and Here’s How I Turned Out
On hard lessons and big blessings that came from growing up as a pastor’s kid I’ve recently seen many young people entering Bible school with a burning desire to serve God and love the Church. And I’ve asked myself: what madness has possessed them? To which I can only answer: the same madness that has possessed me. It took a hold of me early in life, since I practically lived in church where my dad pastored. It grew when I discovered a love for teaching the Bible. It practically took over when God confirmed my calling at the age of fourteen during a leaders’ conference. And so I did what…
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What If We Included the Holy Spirit More in Our Stories?
Growing up, there was a popular series I became obsessed with: Left Behind. You’ve probably heard of it. Google describes it as a collection of apocalyptic novels centered on Christian eschatology, particularly premillennialist dispensationalism. (That’s a bunch of jargon for end times fiction with the belief that Jesus will come back to earth to reign for a literal thousand years after a literal seven year tribulation occurring after the rapture.) I absolutely loved this series. So much so that I read all 13 books of the main series, and then a few years later proceeded to read all 40 young adult novellas. Then I got older. My relationship with God…
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What If God Isn’t Safe?
In The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, there is a part where the Pevensies meet the Beavers. They are speaking about Aslan, and this conversation has always stood out to me: “Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion,” said Susan. “That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” “Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King,…
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How Do You See Yourself Through Heaven’s Eyes?
In The Prince of Egypt, there’s this big musical number titled “Through Heaven’s Eyes”. The entire point of the song is that unless we are looking at our lives through God’s eyes (or Heaven’s eyes), we won’t be able to find the greater purpose that our lives hold in the tapestry of God’s plans. This led me to ask myself: What would my self-worth be like if I actually saw my life through God’s eyes? These past few weeks, I’ve been reflecting on my friendships, especially the way I view my friendships. As I talked with my mom and processed some frustrations, I realized that most of my disappointments have…
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Character Arcs and What They Teach Us About Spiritual Growth
One of the key elements in storytelling is building strong character arcs. Character arcs are the way a character changes throughout a story, whether for good or bad. They are what keep us turning the pages and reading, making us cheer for the main character, hoping they will achieve their quest and reach their goal. They are also what make us cheer against the villain. As I’ve learned more about character arcs, I’ve realized that I’m very drawn to them because they reflect the way that we learn and grow as believers and children of God. Character arcs in fiction are, many times, a parallel of our own personal growth…
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Five Summer Reads For Home or Vacation
With summer in full swing, I have seen many people online recommend their favorite “summer reads.” Summer reads are essentially fun, enjoyable books that capture the sunshine and fun feels of the summer season. Whatever your summer looks like (whether it’s a vacation, a staycation, or simply your usual routine) here are my top five recommendations to capture the feeling of summer. I have included various genres so that you can find something you enjoy, something you can recommend, and hopefully a new favorite. Heidi by Johanna Spyri Heidi is a beloved classic which has been adapted many different times and in many different ways (my favorite being the anime).…
