Articles

The Power of Giving Up - Crosswalk’s iBelieve Truth
When there’s something your heart longs for and you believe God is calling you to pursue, persevering is one of the most important things we can do. But I’ve learned that being willing to give up on something that’s weighing us down has its place, too.


God Wants to Do Beyond What You Can Imagine - Crosswalk’s iBelieve Truth
Don’t get your hopes up. How often have we heard this advice from others? How often have we said it to ourselves? Tamping down hope is appealing because we know all too well from past experience how painful disappointed hopes can be. But deep down, I know that’s not how I want to live. 


When It Feels Like Your Best Days Are Behind You — iBelieve
I feared that my best days were behind me—relationally, socially, and even physically. Little did I know that my miracle was right around the corner.


Connecting With Invisible Mamas — iBelieve
A few simple guidelines that can go a long way toward extending comfort and care to our sisters who have lost a child to miscarriage.


How to Find Joy in Difficult Seasons — Begin Within: A Gratitude Series
Gratitude truly is a powerful force, and while it may not change our circumstances, it can certainly change how we experience our circumstances.


For the Days God Leads Us Into the Unknown: Boldly Stepping Into New Territory — Brave Women Series
For when you feel God calling you to take steps toward your dream, but realize that doing so will mean letting go of what feels safe and familiar.


Did Jesus Really Pray to Avoid the Cross? — iBelieve
For most of my life, I’ve been taught that Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane was a plea to be spared the torment of the cross. But in the course of my own study, I found multiple reasons to question the common interpretation of this prayer.


3 Times Jesus Said No to People-Pleasing — iBelieve
While we tend to equate saying yes with being “loving” and saying no with being “unloving,” in actuality, declining a request is not necessarily unloving. In fact, when it paves the way for obedience and enables us to accomplish our individual callings, it can be the most loving and godly thing we can do.


4 Ways to Move Forward with Purpose — iBelieve
If you’re not sure what your personal purpose is, taking stock of the unique traits and treasures God has given you can provide insight into how He might be calling you to shine His light to those around you. To help jump-start your self-exploration process, I share four free assessments with that I have found helpful.


How to Enjoy—Not Just Endure—Winter — iBelieve
If you long to enjoy winter rather than simply endure it, here are nine things that helped me make friends with winter that I think you’ll find helpful too.


Waiting for the Promise: 4 Perspectives on the Messiah — iBelieve
As the centuries stretched on and the prophets remained mute, Israel’s time of waiting for their Savior must have felt infinite. Yet, in His perfect time, God fulfilled His promise. Here’s how I imagine the arrival of the Messiah and the consummation of the ancient prophecies might have been experienced by four Israelites.


The True Meaning of Contentment — iBelieve
The belief that contentment is synonymous with a lack of desire for more seems to be a common idea. But I’ve wondered: Is accepting our present circumstances while simultaneously ridding ourselves of any desire for change or improvement actually biblical? After much thought and study on this topic, I’ve become convinced that the answer is no for three main reasons.


5 Ways to Fight Fear, Find Peace, and Move Forward in God’s Plan for Your Life — iBelieve
If you want to overcome fear and courageously move into all God has for you, here are five things that have helped me on my fear-fighting journey.


Beyond Quiet Time: 3 Ways to Connect with God Throughout Your Day — iBelieve
Do you want nothing more than to fulfill Jesus’ command to abide in Him and to experience His presence throughout your day? If so, here are three of my favorite ways to spend time with Him beyond my morning devotional time.


Feeling Like What You Have to Offer Isn’t Good Enough? — iBelieve
Do you struggle with analyzing your abilities and wondering if what you have to offer is good enough? If so, here are six more Scripture passages to encourage you.


Is God Calling You to Leave Your Job, But Money Is an Issue? — iBelieve
Do you feel God asking you to leave your job and step into something new, yet you’re worried about the financial implications? If so, here are five truths that encourage me when it comes to releasing money worries.


“4 Ways to Find Peace When You’re Afraid of Making the Wrong Decision” — iBelieve
If you’re wrestling with a decision and plagued by a fear of missing—or messing up—God’s will, here are four actions that can help you find peace.


“I Don’t Like My Job”: 5 Things to Do When Your Job Drains Your Joy — iBelieve
What do we do when we realize that, despite our best efforts to find fulfilling work, we don’t like our job? In this article, I share several actions I found helpful during my season of career distress.


What Does It Mean to Bear Fruit? 4 Types of Fruit Found in the Bible — iBelieve
We long to be like Jeremiah’s fruitful tree, but what exactly does it mean to bear fruit as a Christian? This article explains four types of fruit the Bible talks about.


“3 Simple Ways to Spring Clean Your Soul” — iBelieve
Just like the spaces of our homes, the wear and tear of life can cause our souls to become disorganized and even dirty. In this article, I share several ways we can find peace and joy through cleaning up our minds, emotions, and commitments.


“Exploring Who You Are: A Key to Fulfilling God’s Purpose for Your Life” — The Joyful Life Magazine
In this article, I share what it really means to live with purpose, plus six things you can do to develop a better understanding of who God created you to be.


“Distant or Delighted? Learning to See Jesus With a Smile” — The Joyful Life Magazine, Issue 12, Fall 2021 (print)
How God helped me learn to experience Him as the joyful, happy Father He is.


“7 Tips to Help You Achieve Goals Like a Pro” — The Joyful Life Magazine
It seems that no matter how good our intentions, even our most worthy goals are often met with resistance. Yet the fact remains: If God has set a goal in our hearts, it has value and is worth fighting for.


“5 Questions to Help You Decide if the Desires of Your Heart Are From God” — The Joyful Life Magazine
Our dreams and desires are often signals God uses to lead us into His purposes and callings for our lives, but not everything we want is from God. So how can we tell when a desire is truly from Him?


“Comparison Is the Thief of Joy: Is It Also Robbing You of Your Calling?” — The Joyful Life Magazine
God wants to partner with us to accomplish more than we can ask or imagine, but Satan knows that if he can get us to compare what we have to what others have, he can trick us into devaluing our own gifts—and he knows that if we don’t recognize the value of our gifts, we won’t use them.


“Surprised by the Impact of a Simple Song” — The Love Offering Blog Series
God often speaks to us in a “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12 NKJV), and His small voice sometimes asks us to do small things—things that are so small, we’re tempted to disregard them. But God knows that what seems insignificant to us can mean the world to someone else.


“3 Ways Mary Inspires Us To Say Yes To God” — Her View From Home
How Mary’s willingness to develop intimacy with God, believe His promise, and surrender to His plans inspires me to say no to fear and yes to God.


“Is the ‘Thing’ Burning in Your Heart from God?” — Hear Him Louder
Is there a dream growing inside you that you can no longer ignore? God leads us in many ways, including through the things that bring us joy, and He put that desire in you for a reason.


“Wondering What God Is Calling You To Do? How Your God-given Desires Can Be A Clue” — The Joyful Life Magazine
We’re often suspicious of our desires, but the Bible reveals that they are often one of the clues God uses to reveal what He’s calling us to do.


“Our Creator’s Birth” — The Joyful Life Magazine, Issue 9, Winter 2020 (print)
Celebrating the wonder and awe of Jesus, our Incarnate Creator.


“From Panicked To Peaceful: Nine Steps That Transformed My Mornings” — The Joyful Life Magazine
Each new day is an opportunity to walk in our God-given purpose. How we spend our mornings matters because our mornings set the stage for the remainder of the day.


“Hope For A Heart Thirsty For Love” — The Joyful Life Magazine
What an ancient story teaches us about finding the love we long for.


“Trapped By A Difficult Problem” — Devotable
No matter how impossible your situation seems, God can make a way where there seems to be no way.


“The Heavens Declare The Glory Of God—And So Do You” — The Joyful Life Magazine
God has woven song into all of creation—including into your very DNA!


“Dare To Dream Small” — (in)courage
God is really big. Does that mean our dreams or needs have to be really big to get His attention?


“Holding On To Hope In The Midst Of Disappointed Dreams” — The Joyful Life Magazine
Encouragement for when the future doesn’t look so bright and beautiful.


“Embracing Cozy, Snow Flake Upon Snow Flake” — Bella Grace, Issue 22 (print)
Learning to love the beautiful, cozy aspects of living in my hometown.


“It’s Okay To Cry: Cultivating Compassion For Our Sorrowing Hearts” — The Joyful Life Magazine, Issue 4, Fall 2019 (print)
Our culture often pressures us to push aside our tears, but the Bible teaches us a different way.


“You May Be Qualified, But Are You Called?” — The Joyful Life Magazine
If we are able to do something good, does that automatically mean we should?


“A Surpsise Visitor” — Creation Illustrated (print)
How God showed His care and attention to me through an encounter with a little critter.


“Planted By Water: Going Deeper In A Dry Season” — The Joyful Life Magazine
Learning to draw strength from God in hard seasons.


“Holding On To Hope In 2019” — Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
God hears our prayers—even those we’ve long stopped praying.


“Summer In Fairbanks Is A Slice Of Heaven” — Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Celebrating the joy and wonder of 24 hours of Alaska summer daylight—and what it reveals about what we have to look forward to in eternity. (If you’re not a News-Miner subscriber, you can read this article here.)


“Thawing Our Hearts, Brightening Our Arctic World” — Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Jesus as the light takes on a whole new meaning in the midst of dark, subarctic winters.


“Learning To Like Winter In The Interior”— Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
How I made peace with where I’m planted.


“Waiting For A Package” — Christian Devotions
Trusting God’s promises even when they seem slow in coming.

“The Only Opinion That Matters” — Christian Devotions
Letting go of other people’s opinions and trusting God for guidance.


"Fireweed: Finding Life In Loss." — Alaska Women Speak. Fall 2015. 25. (print)
Finding beauty in the midst of pain.

Contributing Author

Everyday Joy: Volume One

I contributed five devotions to this lovely devotional by The Joyful Life.

Everyday Joy: Volume Four

What a blessing to be a contributor to this fourth and final volume in The Joyful Life devotional series!

Academic/Other

The Madness of Mary Lincoln


Research Summary: Understanding and Assisting Couples Affected by an Eating Disorder (With Sue Renes)


Understanding and Assisting Couples Affected by an Eating Disorder (With Sue Renes, Allan Morotti, & Anthony Strange).