The sticky island breeze rolled through the window as I caught a glimpse of the young girl circling the room. She had paced it at least a dozen times by now, the worship music following her. I closed my eyes in reflection just to be startled by a tap—it was the girl. She cupped a … Continue reading A Message in Clay
God answers prayers. This is a truth we can probably all agree on. We know that the God of the universe hears and responds to everything from a whispered desire to an outcry of devastation. What we don’t always realize is that sometimes, God’s response is no. It was this very “no” that left me … Continue reading When God Says “No”
Smooth plastic casing slipped through her hand just in time to tap the hollow heart underneath the picture. Another like. But of course that post didn’t need it. 104 was already enough. Her gut sank at the sight because her last picture had only gotten 71 whole hearts. Likes. “Why don’t I have the money … Continue reading The Hidden Plea of Empty Hearts
The Christmas lights twinkled around the room as I plopped down on the futon across from my friend. Her quivering face told the unfolding story—her best friend was moving away. My mind flashed back to the night before, wrapping arms around another friend whose sobs begged for nothing more than to have a whole heart … Continue reading Christmas—Celebrating the Season of Change
The curvy back roads of Western Kentucky make for a great view of fall. Crisp leaves on tall trees begin to curl and color and fall, leaving leaf crumbs under tires and leather boots. On a particular Sunday afternoon drive, my eyes were drawn to a cluster of trees whose leaves bore only a smear … Continue reading On the Verge of Change
The smooth breeze flew through my hair as I hiked to my afternoon class. The beauty of the day passed through my thoughts. So did thoughts along the lines of, “Why am I walking to class when I could be taking a cozy afternoon nap?” But I pushed these thoughts aside and trudged ahead. Something … Continue reading So Long, Impressions
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
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