Christian Living
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What if God Called You to Deep Soil Work?
I’ve been actively serving in my local church for more than twelve years. As a twenty-three-year-old, that means that I’ve been serving for half of my life. I’ve tried multiple things out, and I’ve learned some places I excel in (such as leading small groups and Bible studies) and others I’m very bad at (such as taking care of one-year-olds in the nursery). I’ve gotten to experience the great joys of serving others, such as seeing their faces light up when something finally “clicks”, or the joy that comes when they encounter God, or experience His presence during worship for the first time, or finally find a place to belong.…
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Lessons I’ve Learned About Cultivating Good Friendships
I argued with God in my mind, complaining about the lack of reciprocity in one particular friendship. I went on and on about how much I gave and how little I received. I even had specific arguments and occasions to bring up as proof of ill usage by my friend. Until God completely stopped me in my tracks. You’re acting like she owes you her friendship. That’s not the way it works, Anna. Friendship is a gift that is freely given and a blessing that is received. Needless to say, my internal argument with God trailed off. I was immediately out of steam and feeling pretty bad about my internal…
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Creative Ways to Spend Time With God
We can all agree that spending time with God should be a high priority. And yet, we often have a set image of what a devotional life is and what it looks like. In our minds, having quiet time with God looks like waking up early to sit somewhere, read the Bible, and pray without interruptions. This is one way a devotional time can look, but today I want to explore creative ways of spending time with God that carry meaning while being outside of the box. Writing Letters to God Think about this as becoming pen pals with God. One of my favorite ways to pray is to write…
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The Tension Between Abiding and Striving
There has been a surge in trends such as slow living, offline living, and analog hobbies. In a society rushing about to do more and hopefully, one day, become more, many people are pushing back against the grind and seeking to make space for meaningful living. This makes sense when one looks at the average amount of screen time per person per day (6 hours and 40 minutes according to Google). People want their lives back, and I believe this is a good thing. God designed us for slow living. Not unproductive, lazy lives, but fulfilling lives that aren’t intent on burning themselves out on an endless quest for meaning.…
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You Have What It Takes to Make Disciples
The end goal of evangelism is to make disciples. When evangelism only gets converts without discipling them, just part of the Great Commission is being fulfilled. Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Evangelism is essential for the expansion of God’s kingdom and the establishing of Heaven on Earth. But converts who don’t know how to be Jesus followers will be weak and ineffective Christians. This is where discipleship comes in. Many people believe that evangelism is the job of big personality evangelists, and discipleship is the job of men or women pastoring a local church.…
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Five Simple Ways to Spend Time With Jesus Throughout Your Busy Week
If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, you’ve heard about the importance of spending time with God and developing a devotional life. And yet, for many, this seems like a daunting task. I’ve met many people who struggle to start developing the habit of spending time with God because it seems like a huge, time consuming commitment. Spending time with God is a commitment, and it is important, but it also doesn’t have to be an overwhelming prospect. I believe that if we take small steps, we will make progress whereas if we try to make big leaps out of the blue we will only land flat…
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A Call to Encounter the Living God
In a world where many people are deconstructing, reconstructing, or dismantling their faith, I have found myself wondering what the essentials are and why we find ourselves adding embellishments to our relationship with God. I have seen countless people pursue religion from a hollow soul, doing outward works but never experiencing true, internal transformation. I have seen people lose themselves in “ministry”, pursuing the expansion of God’s kingdom. And yet, the true pursuit of God cannot lead to empty, dead tradition. The true pursuit of God (as seen throughout the Bible and history) changes us, transforms us inside and out, and pushes us forward towards becoming more like Christ. It…
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God Works Best in Chaos, and He Brings Beauty Out of It
In the beginning, God made something out of nothing. The world was dark, void, and chaotic. There was no shape or beauty to be found, and the atmosphere was desolate. But with one word, one breath, light sprang forth and everything the Spirit of God touched became alive. He brought the chaos into order and filled the void with Himself. The shapeless gained beauty, and suddenly, earth was bursting with life. It’s in the emptiness that God can work in us and fill us with His life, giving meaning to every crevice of our hearts. God did this to the world when He created it. He also did it with…
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How God Works In Spiritual Winters
I’ve always thought there was something magical about spring. It’s the season where snow melts, flowers blossom, and the world casts away its winter blanket to greet the warmer days. I live in a place where spring looks like the dry season and not the picture-perfect version I mentioned above. So this visual of fresh life and shedding of the cold has always had a unique appeal to me. I believe it holds this special appeal because of its sense of hope, resurrection, and overall newness. But here’s the thing. For spring to arrive, winter must first run its course. How many times does it occur like this in our…
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Grow Closer to God Through Wonder and the Redeemed Imagination
Why is it that the older we grow, the more we lose our sense of wonder? Time and again, I’ve asked myself why imagination is viewed as childlike and cynicism as a sign of maturity. But let’s not forget that wonder and imagination are the reason we have airplanes, the Eiffel Tower and Ratatouille (the movie, although the food looks great as well). Wonder is a quality that Jesus highly values. He even told His disciples that unless they became like children, they wouldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3). I believe He wasn’t saying disciples must be immature; rather, they should have the same trust, faith and open-mindedness…
