SEARCH RESULTS

Hi from the Greek islands! For over a week now, I’ve been traveling with a church group through Greece and Turkey, retracing the steps of Paul and spreading the light of Christ along the way. Today, I’m taking a moment to pause from tours and sightseeing and share my reflections from this trip. This first post couldn’t be more fitting as it speaks to the importance of global connectivity among believers. I often question what purpose this blog serves. I know my readership isn’t massive, but I always tell myself if this blog helps just one person grow closer to God or discover God, then it’s worth it. I was reminded of the purpose of this blog in Turkey, where I was connected with a tour guide who converted to Christianity after marrying into a Christian family. Our guide explained, that given Turkey is a Muslim country, he’s experienced a degree of persecution for his choice to convert and he is unable to attend church or foster Christian community where he lives because there are no churches within proximity. The government controls what is allowed to be built and the government has not approved for a Christian church to be built in Kusadasi. To attend church and be among other believers, our guide must travel over 300 miles, which makes regular church attendance and in-person community impossible. His story reveals the reality of so many in countries where the national belief is not Christianity. They are not lost. They are disconnected. So, how do we foster global connectivity among believers as organizations and as individuals? Utilize the technology you have to stream your church services Share your testimony and Biblical reflections on social media Create a Facebook group for believers Start a blog like this one Do not fear a language barrier. The truth is, most people know English and if they do not, technology allows for translation. Your words matter, and you never know who they may reach. There are certain realities that never really affect us until they do. We hear of the devasting persecution of Christians, specifically in other countries. We know that freedom of religion is a blessing. But we don’t really understand how big of a blessing it is until we see what it looks like on the other side. Knowing is not the same as understanding. Even now, I don’t pretend to understand the struggles that believers in non-believing countries face. But I do have more perspective and empathy than I did a week ago. I hope you do too. Let this post be a reminder to count your blessings if you live in a country with religious freedom. Let this post be a call to utilize the freedom and technology you have to connect with other believers and help them connect to Christ. And if you are a believer searching for a community, I hope you feel like you’ve found one. You are part of the global Christian family. Resource: https://youtube.com/@wogm?si=n-AMIg56dgwgCqmS

Hi friends! Today, I should be in Italy, sailing on a boat along the Amalfi Coast, swimming in the Mediterrean Sea. Instead, I am sitting in my sunroom after being forced to cancel the first part of my three-week European trip. No, today's post is not about the sorrow of missing the Amalfi Coast. But it is worth noting, I wouldn't be writing this post if my trip had gone according to plan. So, maybe this post and the one coming next was the plan? Maybe there's someone out there who really needs these words, and if so, I pray they find you. I've been carrying a lot lately. Honestly, I feel like I haven't had a moment to breathe this entire year, which is now nearly halfway over. Since the end of 2025, it's been one thing after the other. Some tragic. Some heavy. Some happy and amazing. But still...there has not been time to rest. In anticipation of this trip, I devoted myself to completing my first Christian non-fiction book before the end of May. In anticipation of an upcoming surgery, I've been pushing myself harder and harder in the gym--not only trying to reach my goal, but to make the most of the time I have to exercise, knowing it'll be months post-op before I'm back to my strong self. I've been pushing myself spiritually too with intentional Bible study, serving more at church, and even auditioning for the choir in the middle of grief. When tragedy struck, I had too many things on the calendar to slow down and process. The thing is, when one dominion falls, there's always another that follows. Grief is a dominion effect. It has a way of re-opening old wounds, reminding you of the things you lack, the things you wish had gone differently, and the people you miss. Grief can be overwhelming if not all-consuming. And yet, one of the more painful kinds of grief that often goes unnoticed is numbness. I've been keeping myself busy, not in avoidance, but because I've had to. But deep down, I've known, there's a lot beneath the surface I need to process. Yet, when a quiet moment would come, I struggled to put my feelings into words. I struggled to cry. A few tears would slip, but it was not the breaking and releasing I needed. Everything was still buried. Everything was still heavy. And I wonder if it was because I was so intent on remaining grateful despite heartache? It's as if I saw gratefulness and thankfulness as the only way to remain close and connected to God, and I feared that actually giving in to my emotions would mean losing my closeness to God. Instead, it was the suppression of emotions that actually made me feel disconnected. Going into my trip, I was still carrying baggage, and I don't mean the two overpacked suitcases and backpack weighing on my shoulders. My baggage made me eager to escape, even though I knew I'd be returning home to the same problems. But God had other plans. A flight delay. A missed connection. Finally, a cancelled flight. Through it all, God gave me one more chance to break through the numbness and begin the process of unloading. Most of all, He gave me the chance I needed to reconnect with Him. Numbness doesn't just translate to our earthly relationships. It can also affect our spiritual relationship with God. For weeks, I knew God could comfort me when no one else could. I knew reading His word, crying out to Him, and conversating through prayer would make me feel better. But I didn't have the energy. I didn't have the capacity to seek Him. While I knew He was still with me and within me, I felt disconnected. And in the disconnection, my sorrow, my overwhelm, my stress was ampilifed and resentment and anger resurfaced. I was no longer numb. I was broken, and fearful of returning to the same place I'd spent years. I was fearful of blaming God for the things in my life that didn't go according to my plan. I was fearful of pulling away from God and taking back the reigns of control regarding the things I'd already surrendered. I was fearful of committing intentional sin, despite knowing it would only be a coping mechanism. I was fearful of returning to Egypt. Fear of uncertainty and resentment towards God held me in bondage for so long, it hurts me when these old fears and feelings resurface, because it makes me feel like I haven't changed. It makes me feel like I'm still vulnerable to returning to my old ways and mindset. And the truth is, I am. We all are. But sorrow, fear, guilt, none of those emotions are ungodly or proof of failure. Paul confirms this in 2 Corinthians. "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication!" 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 Godly sorrow produces repentance, a diligence to remain obedient, anger towards sin or depleted desire to sin, a fear of wrongdoing, and a zealous desire to remain faithful and obedient despite sorrow. These feelings or fruits that sorrow can produce in us is vindication for our grief. Sorrow is a chance to prove our faithfulness in the face of what threatens our faith. Whether we sorrow over a mistake we've made, a sin we feel tempted to commit, or an unexpected tragedy, our sorrow can draw us closer to God if we let it. How we sorrow can be proof of our sanctification and further our sanctification process. Sorrow is not proof of God's absence or removal of divine favor. It's a part of the Christian life even the most faithful Christians endured, including Paul. Even Paul experienced travel trouble, and arrived at destinations with no rest only to face external conflict and internal fear. Had I actually been able to board a plane on Saturday, that probably would've been me in Italy. Maybe now, I can arrive at my next destination more rested and more at peace. But if not, I should not take delays or conflict as proof of failure or stepping outside of God's will, and neither should you. Sometimes it's just a part of the journey. My final message to you is simple. Sorrow is a part of life, but it does not have to define your life. No matter how long it takes, keep taking tiny steps toward God until you feel at peace again. As for me, I have to take the same advice. Right now, I feel okay. I got two good night's rest. I'm intentionally slowing down. And that has helped. But am I fully healed? Am I fully immune to sorrow or regret or fear or anger and resentment? No. Maybe the truth is, I never will be. Sanctification is a life-long process. Healing towards holiness is a life-long process. While we can have peace here on earth, the kind of ever-lasting peace I long for only exists in Heaven. And that is why we are called to keep the faith. Faith is not a trophy or medal we collect once, put on a shelf, and never have to fear losing. Our faith is constantly tested, and something we must actively grow and protect. As I embark on this next leg of my journey, or at least try to, I pray for safe travels and continued reconnection with God. God is the source of all comfort, peace, joy, hope, and love. I pray that when I return home I'm not returning to the same baggage. Rather, I pray I return free from the heaviness that has weighed me down for months. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Hi Word family! It's been a while since I've had a Biblical takeaway to share. Partly, because life has been crazy and I've been falling behind on my Bible study. And partly because I'm trying to avoid repetition. I'm currently studying Paul's letters and there are many repeated themes. But sometimes things are repeated for a reason. We can never receive too many reminders when it comes to Christian conduct. Life constantly tests us, stresses us. And in the middle of the frustration, we may slip. We may lose our temper. We may lack empathy. We may move selfishly. We may struggle to uplift those around us and love as Christ calls us to love. Today's post is a reminder to do just that. Throughout 1 Corinthians, Paul is addressing a group of believers who have given in to pride, self-righteousness, classism, idol worship, and sexual sin. To keep it brief, they had issues. Maybe that's why they got two letters? Paul seeks to remind the Corinthians of the truth of the gospel and to realign their hearts with Christ-like love. The two key principles Paul preaches is speech that edifies or uplifts and helps others mature in their faith, and a love that influences every action and squashes every quarrel. "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy...he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church." 1 Corinthians 14:1,3-4 "Let all things be done for edification." 1 Corinthians 14:26 At a time when God's people were more concerned with how many languages they could speak, and how elaborate of a performance of worship they could put on, Paul reminds them that none of their speech means anything if the person next to them cannot understand it. Understanding may be interpreted as literal understanding or spiritual understanding. Corinth was a merchant city where many spoke different languages. If one person spoke Greek and the other Italian, there would be a literal communication barrier and what was said could not draw the other closer to Christ. Likewise, if someone spoke in a way that sounded elegant but was not mentally or spiritually understood by their fellows, it did not edify. Perhaps this is another reason why Jesus spoke using parables. Parables use everyday events and familiar experiences to illustrate deeper meaning. Parables are more easily understood by the masses. Paul spends much time speaking about the need for interpreters, but the essential message that we can take with us today is... We are to use our speech to uplift fellow believers in their walk with Christ, and to draw unbelievers to Christ. It seems simple enough, but how would our speech change if we filtered everything through this qualifiation? What words would we hold back? What words would we say instead? What conversations would we seek out instead of avoiding? Would we be willing to put our pride aside to speak in a way the person next to us could comprehend? The wisdom to know what to say and the self-control to know what not to say comes only from the Holy Spirit, which is why Paul's first command is to pursue love. "Let all that you do be done with love." 1 Corinthians 16:14 I like to think of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Love for God is love and He is His Holy Spirit. When we operate with a heart posture that loves like Christ, we are slower to anger, and quicker to forgive. We show restraint in favor of unity. And we are humble enough to seek God's wisdom over perpetuating our own. When we seek God's wisdom, a new level of understanding is available to us and those with whom we speak. Our words are not our own. They are divine. They are prophesy. And they do edify. Through love of one another, and edification of one another, we come together as the singular body of Christ--a body of believers that is diverse and unified all at once. "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many." 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 As I end this post, I have to say, I am so thankful for the Christian community I am blessed to be a part of. I lived many years without a community, many years feeling like I'd never fit in with other believers, many years fearing judgment from my fellow Christians. But my community uplifts me when I'm low. Their sheer presence brings me joy and happiness. When I read verses like 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, I smile, because I feel that in my church. There is unity. There is diversity. We are one body of different people all serving different kingdom functions, and it's beautiful to witness. Having this perspective enlightens me as to why Paul was so concerned about division in the early churches. A unified church is a strong church, in which every member is uplifted, edified, and loved. Those members are effective in leading others to Christ. A divided church is a weak church that threatens the steadfastness, faithfulness, and hope of even those with the strongest faith. A divided church is an ineffective church. Wherever you are in the world, I hope you find your church home--your congregation of believers that helps you grow closer to Christ. And know that you are a part of the larger body of Christ. We are one in Spirit. You are not alone.