We pulled away from the party in a few moments of silence as the mid-2000s minivan hummed beneath our seats. The sun was beginning to set and an aura of peace was settling, just to be broken by an avalanche of words. “Marina, you were bragging way too much tonight and it embarrassed me. I … Continue reading From Void to Victory
A few weeks ago, I sat in a church pew in the middle of a grand sanctuary. The hardwood backing of my seat kept me alert while I wove in and out of listening to the pastor and listening to the thoughts in my head. Secretly I was pondering why some moments of my life … Continue reading Feelings vs. Faith: The Betrayal of Emotions
This summer my family decided to grow a bumper crop of sunflowers (why we decided on sunflowers instead of corn or green beans or something more logical, I have no clue). Dad carefully planted them in the garden, and they began to grow. Since my dad and brother aren’t exactly expert gardeners, it soon became … Continue reading Lessons from a Sunflower
“I did the same amount of work as he did, why didn’t I get the award?” “I’m as pretty as she is, why didn’t I get complimented? “I’m as talented as they are, why didn’t I get picked?” “I’ve served in this position for years, why have I never been recognized?” Our human nature instinctly … Continue reading Prohibiting the Pursuit of Prideful Praise
"We're going to do what??" You can only imagine my reaction when I heard my family of 6 had decided to rent a house with only one bathroom. After all, as a 13 year old girl, I needed my privacy, right? But despite my complaints, we moved in. During the year we spent there, there … Continue reading The Art of Contentment
Today, I will not be prideful. Instead, I will be taken over by the humility of Christ. Today, I will not let the past hurt of others to hinder me from loving Christ. Instead, I will pursue a passionate, personal, loving relationship with my Savior—the source of my satisfaction. He is what has been missing, … Continue reading My Victorious Surrender
The other night I was talking to my brother at dinner. I had been feeling down that day and was telling him how it is hard to wait for my future husband. He quickly responded by saying bluntly, “Actually, it’s not that hard. All you have to do is wait.” As abstract as this whole … Continue reading Pursuing Patience
I flung myself onto my bed, defeated. It was midnight. He said he would be here at 10. I had been excited to see him all day, but he had disappointed me…again. Why did I care about him so much when all he did was hurt and confuse me? He finally texted back with some … Continue reading Trust His Healing
We’ve all heard the phrase “Let go and let God.” While it may seem cliché, letting go is WAY more difficult than it may seem. Personally, letting go is a struggle for me because I am a perfectionist. I can’t let things go because I want everything to be perfect. But that isn’t reality. Things … Continue reading The Courage to Let Go
“Daughter, you need to stay away.” “Be patient, wait on my timing.” “I want you to learn, serve, and grow, beloved.” The Lord kept whispering these truths to my heart over and over again as the months passed by. The sad part is, I didn’t listen. I said and thought I was seeking His guidance … Continue reading Listen to What God is Speaking to Your Heart
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