We never know ahead of time if or when our efforts—our seeds—will bear fruit. Sometimes we see results right away, sometimes we never see tangible results (this side of Heaven), and sometimes results come but take longer than we expect…
Read MoreLast week I shared about how God has been giving me an extra strong reminder of the importance of relationship with Him. One of the reasons relationship with God is so vital is that it’s only through Him that we can find our true identity and purpose…
Read MoreIn recent weeks I’ve felt an extra strong impression from God about the importance of spending time with Him. One of the coolest things about this has been that, though I certainly have a role to play in setting aside time for God and developing our relationship, a big part of what He’s been revealing is how much He wants to spend time with me…
Read MoreI’m about to do something I’ve never done before. Tonight and all day tomorrow I will be teaching a four part series on purpose for my church’s ladies’ retreat.
I’ve been planning and preparing for this for months, and now the day has finally come! I am excited! And, although I feel pretty well prepared, I have to admit I feel a little nervous too…
Read MoreSarah explains what Christian meditation is, some reasons why we struggle with our thought life, and how meditating on God’s Word can help us grow in our relationship with God.
Read MoreI adore fall time. I love it so much, in fact, that I like to say in Heaven I’m going to have a house that is surrounded by a perpetually autumn landscape. Recently, I was joking with a friend about my future autumnal home, and this question arose: If fall, as wonderful as it is, is a season of loss and decay, could there actually be fall in Heaven?
Read MoreI stood at the baggage claim in the Sacramento airport, praying that my duffle would magically materialize. After flying all night, I was exhausted. I still had a two-hour drive ahead of me, and I wanted nothing more than to collect my luggage and get on with my journey. Finally, after watching the carousel rumble by for the 100th time, I accepted that my bag had not arrived…
Read MoreThough I do my best to start each morning off slowly and peacefully with some quiet prayer and Bible reading, once the day gets going things speed up. I often find myself swept into a steady stream of activity as I bustle from one project, conversation, or responsibility to the next. By mid-afternoon, I can start to feel tense, like a wind-up toy that’s had its spring turned a few too many times…
Read MoreHave you ever had someone ask you to fill a role or do a task, and because you were capable, you felt you should say yes? If you're like me, you want to be helpful and make the most of the opportunities God has given you. But how can you know if an opportunity is actually from God? Just because we can meet a need, does that mean we should?
Read MoreRecently, I had a song from a children’s film stuck in my head. It would pop into my mind at the most random times, and often I’d end up singing it out loud, to my husband’s chagrin. I was getting pretty tired of it, so, jokingly, I posted about it on social media and asked for advice on getting a song unstuck…
Read MoreSometimes when I’m confronted with challenges or hard decisions, I find my heart falling into a place of discouragement. Idling in the undercurrents of my mind are thoughts that go something like this: I need help, but there’s no one to help me. I need to figure this out, but I have no idea how…
Read MoreSoaring 35,000 feet above the ground, I gazed out of the tiny plastic window, enthralled with the view. Eager to capture the moment, I pulled out my new notebook—a squat, square, spiral bound tablet with a yellow cover…
Read MoreWith what appeared to be every ounce of his strength, the newborn reindeer calf pushed himself to a standing position. His spindly legs trembled and his entire fuzzy, brown body shook with the effort of remaining upright. Close behind, mama reindeer hovered protectively, keeping watch over her baby’s progress. The calf took one halting step forward—then tripped and tumbled to the ground...⠀
Read MoreI’ve been thinking about blood lately. No, I’ve haven’t been reading Dracula or watching horror films (which I NEVER do anyway—yuck!). But I have been reading The Power of Communion by Beni and Bill Johnson…
Read MoreThere have been many days when I’ve felt dwarfed by the enormity of my dreams and skeptical of my ability to accomplish my goals. When those days roll around I like to encourage myself with something Theodore Roosevelt once said…
Read MoreLast month, I wrote a post in which I said that most setbacks are temporary. But what do we do when they just seem to go on and on?
Read MoreTo connect to the internet at my house, I use an old-fashioned Ethernet cable. One perk of this arrangement is that when I have a project that requires high concentration, such as writing a blog post, I can unplug the cord. Without access to the internet and its myriad distractions…
Read MoreYesterday 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…
Read MoreMy 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…
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...
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Hi! I'm Carina, and I'm here to help you connect with God and discover and share your unique gifts.
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