It's Going To Be Okay
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Yesterday morning, I was feeling worried about some things in my life. I opened my Bible and found myself reading in Luke where Jesus says, “Never worry about any of your needs…
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What God Showed Me when I was Feeling Weary, Dry, and Weak
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My soul was thirsty, dry, and weak. I felt like I’d been put through a wringer and every last molecule of moisture had been wicked away.
For years I struggled with a chronic condition, and for years I ached for a breakthrough. After yet another disappointment, I was weary from the effort, the wondering, and the waiting…
How God's Been Surprising Me Lately (Including One of the Weirdest Things I've Ever Found in My Yard!)
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Surprise! This word has rolling around in my heart and mind lately. I’ve been thinking about how God is God of surprises.
He surprised Pharaoh’s daughter with an infant in a basket made of papyrus.
He surprised Moses with a burning bush.
He surprised Samuel with a still small voice in the quiet of night...
Read MoreYou Don’t Have to be a Household Name to Impact Lives for Eternity. Just Look at Tryphena and Tryphosa.
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Tryphena. Tryphosa. Persis. The names sound like something you’d find on the back of a bottle of amino acid supplements. But, actually, they’re the names of women who served the ancient Christian church…
Read MoreThe Truth About Your Setback
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As I shared last week, Fairbanks got a lot of snow in April. After having our warmest March on record (which resulted in the snow being almost completely gone by the end of March), it was a bit of a letdown to have such adverse weather in April. But, by the time I wrote my last post, which was less than a week after our last big snowfall, almost all the snow had (re)melted…
Read MoreFinding Joy on Disappointing Days
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In Alaska, snow in April isn’t that uncommon. But it’s never welcome. By the end of our long, cold, dark winter, we’re practically ravenous for dirt and sunshine.
So when I woke up to six inches of snow last Tuesday, I wasn’t exactly celebrating…
Read MoreHow Jesus Really Feels When You're Upset
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I somehow have this subconscious perception of God as stoic, serious, and stern. Thankfully, God has done a lot over the years to change this perception, but sometimes I still find that when I’m in emotional pain or am struggling with a problem, I feel guilty. Deep down, I think I should be stronger and I fear God is displeased with me…
Read MoreGod Celebrates the Day You were Born!
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I just turned 34 on Sunday, which is cool, but also weird. How am I almost (I’m not claiming mid-thirties until I’m 35! So almost!) in my mid 30s? I guess getting older probably never stops feeling weird.
Anyway, a couple months ago I shared about how God once told me that He loves the day I was born. It touches my heart so deeply to know that not only did my family rejoice when I was born, but God Himself was celebrating…
Read MoreI Searched for Years to Find Beauty Products that Won’t Hurt My Health. Here’s the Best of what I’ve Found So Far.
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I’ve been on a long quest to feel good and function at my best, not just so I can enjoy everyday life, but so I can have the strength and energy I need to accomplish all God has called me to do.
In my health journey, I’ve learned about environmental toxins and the harmful effects they can have on our bodies. Sadly, many of these toxins can be found in personal care products…
Read MoreWhat to do When You're Not Sure Where God is Leading You
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Last spring, I visited a friend in California. I live in Alaska, so it took a couple plane rides and a few hours of driving to get to her. Before I arrived, I asked for her address and directions to her house. With my course clearly mapped out, I was able to find her house without a problem.
But what if, when I asked how to get her house, my friend had simply said, “It’s in California”?
Read MoreSelf-Care at Its Simplest: How a Breath of Fresh Air Can Help You Feel Better and Fuel Your Purpose
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Our cold winter has finally come to an end, and, with temperatures here in Fairbanks inching into the 50s, I’ve been opening the windows and drinking coffee out on the deck (🎉 yay!).
Last night, I took a short stroll down the driveway after dinner, just to get some fresh air. It was so refreshing! As I made my way back inside, I marveled at how something as simple as fresh air can make you feel so good…
Read MoreJesus Saved Me From a Life of Self-Hate
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A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I used to write mean things about myself in my journal. This week, I decided to get really real and share a few actual quotes.
So (deep breath), here’s a peek at what my 15-year-old self was saying:
“Why am I like this…?”
Read MoreWhen You Don't Like How You Look: 7 Ways to Learn to Love Your Body
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As a child, Amy Carmichael was bitterly disappointed by her brown eyes. She so longed for blue eyes that she prayed repeatedly that God would change her eyes from brown to blue. To her dismay, He didn’t.
But, years later, Amy developed a newfound appreciation for how God created her when she became a missionary to India. There, Amy worked to rescue young girls who were enslaved as temple prostitutes…
Read MoreHow Disliking Your Appearance Paralyzes Your Progress and Disempowers Your Purpose
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I used to write mean things about myself in my journal. Mostly, it had to do with dislike for my appearance. I look like Carina, and, deep down, I believed that wasn’t okay. I thought I should look like the models splashed across magazine covers and the movies stars on TV. It wasn’t hard to see all the ways I didn’t measure up, and, somehow, I thought that body bashing would magically transform me into what I wished I could be…
Read MoreGod Is Sending You Love Notes. Have You Been Noticing?
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Not long ago, I was driving down the road on a bright winter day when movement on the shoulder ahead caught my eye. At first I thought it might be a fox. I slowed down to take a look and quickly realized that the animal was too big to be a fox. Was it a dog…? As it trotted across the road, my heart jumped. I saw, to my shock, that it was a lynx!
I’m sure my eyes were bulging like a startled pug’s. I’ve never seen a wild lynx, and I had long been asking God to let me see one of these stealthy forest cats…
Read MoreWhen You Know God Loves You, But You Don't Feel It
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I grew up knowing about God’s love. My pastors preached about it at church, my teachers taught about it at school, and I read about it in my Bible. But I haven’t always felt it.
In my late teens and early twenties, I struggled with the disconnect between my knowledge of God’s love and my experience of it. I started talking to God about how I felt (or rather didn’t feel) and I began praying to feel His love more…
Read MoreIt's Cold Outside! Warm Your Heart With These Verses About God's Love for You
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Happy February, ladies! I don’t know about you, but I love the month of love! At a time when we’re still being battered by winter’s icy paw, Valentine’s brings so many cozy, good feelings. I love the warm pinks and reds, the luxurious chocolates, the cheerful flowers…
I love that the days are growing longer, and after months of weak winter sun, I can actually feel a bit of heat shining through my windows…
Read MoreDo You Want to Learn to Draw? Sing? Play the Guitar? Here are 7 Ways to Grow Your Skills in Any Artistic Endeavor
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Every once in a while I get asked what steps I’ve taken to grow as a writer. After the most recent query, I realized that the things I’ve done to nurture my skills as a writer are applicable to many types of artistic endeavors: drawing, singing, playing the piano, woodworking, pottery, photography, calligraphy, sewing…You name it, these steps can probably help you hone your skills…
Read MoreIn the Beginning: 3 Principles From the First Year Ever to Set the Stage for Your Best Year Yet
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Despite being the dead of winter, January is one of my favorite months. The year lies before me as wide open as the creamy pages of my new calendar. My imagination is free to run wild. The air is full of newness, excitement, and possibilities.
I think one reason new beginnings are so exciting is that they almost always carry an element of creation…
Read MoreHolding on to Hope when Your New Year is Dogged by Disappointment
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I hope your New Year is off to a great start!
I feel like I’ve been in a post-Christmas whirlwind, but I think I’m finding my way back to a more normal rhythm. :)
This week, instead of my normal blog post, I’m sharing an article I wrote that was published in my local newspaper…
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