Christ, Coffee, and Cornfields

  This is a post I wish I didn't have a need to write. Unfortunately, due to the fallen nature of being human, death is something we will all have to deal with in our lifetimes. This may be the death of a friend, family member, spouse, acquaintance, or even a well known celebrity or political figure. In some capacity, death will find its way into all of our lives and affect us in ways we never knew possible.   Yesterday, our community was reminded of the fragility of life when a teenage boy who was loved by everyone who knew him was killed in a car accident. It was a shock. As I write this, it's still a shock. It's pain. It's confusion. A sudden, tragic death is not something that we are meant to handle. The Lord does not want this for us at all! Death is not something that is of God. Neither is pain. Humans are created to love and to be happy, serving God in every way possible. How is death part of the picture??   As humans, we are broken. It's not somethin...

  I really get a kick out of looking at Facebook's relationship status options. There's the typical "single," "married," and "divorced," but then you also have "in a domestic partnership," "in an open relationship," and even an "it's complicated" option! Oh, the joys of having lots of choices. It seems like Facebook has all the bases covered....well, except for the one I'm looking for.   I want an "in a courtship" option.   Am I sounding medieval yet? Hold on, let me explain. In the fast paced world we are so fortunate to be living in (and we are, I love indoor plumbing and electricity!!), the process of finding a lifelong mate, AKA a spouse, has become quite the challenge. The way most people go about it is not the way God calls us to. Marriage is a sacrament , and therefore should be approached with the reverence and care that it deserves. It's not a decision to be taken lightly because this...

  Guess what?!? Another love post! Yay!!!!   Okay, so my boyfriend, whose name is Jordan, and I are both super into our faith and very into each other. It's so amazing. We are able to challenge each other to grow in our devotion to the Lord and to become the best versions of ourselves, all the while falling deeper in love with each other. I can't even begin to explain how much of a blessing that is. He and I have decided to create our relationship with Christ at the center, which is something every couple is called to do. Really, a marriage (starting with dating) is a threesome: God, the man, and the woman. That said, Jordan and I came up with the idea to do a sort of mini retreat. We called it "Alignment of Devotion."   This mini retreat is to make certain that we are following God's plan for us as a couple and keeping Him at the center of our relationship and of our lives as individuals. In addition to using our time for intensive prayer, we prayed for the...

  Y'all, get ready for this. I am about to tackle writing about one of my favorite topics: relationships!! I honestly can't put into words how much I love talking about the sacred bond between a man and a woman, how it comes into being, my personal love life, and just how God made dating and marriage to be. This post will likely be one of many, and I don't really know what that looks like yet. Anyway, buckle up!   I am a strong believer in most, if not all, of my convictions. Like, I'm one of those people who is either all in or all out. So, that quality makes itself very apparent in my love life because dating is a major step in a person's vocational journey, and you can't walk that path halfheartedly! Something that I believe really strongly about is dating with a purpose. This concept is generally seen as really strange because we live in a fast paced world that thrives on whatever the next thing is, never staying too long on one thing before bouncing...

  There is this song I really like called "If We Are the Body" by Casting Crowns. It asks what we're doing with our lives if we're the Body of Christ. Maybe it's because I'm going into the medical field that this resonates with me so strongly, but I do think that it brings up a good issue to think about, especially with what is going on lately. The song is really a battle cry, a call to action.    There are a lot of Bible verses that talk about Jesus' followers being His Body. 1st Corinthians Chapter 12 really speaks to this. It's important for us as Christians to be one cohesive unit in the world. One body, as it were. It is really quite beautiful to think about. We are all in this battle together. When one of us is suffering or acting in a way that is detrimental to us as a whole, we are all affected. For example, if I were to break my leg, it would have major effects on the rest of my body. My nerves would be going crazy because of the pain, ...

  I've been thinking about this topic for a very long time, and I really can't be silent any longer because it is my duty to speak the truth, no matter the personal cost.   The topic is public (community) bathrooms.   Okay, so that sounds weird, but that's really the only way I can start off talking about it. More specifically, I need to talk about the issue of creating rules and laws that basically allow for anyone, that's right, anyone , to use whichever bathroom they want, regardless of biological gender. Now, you won't hear it said that way from most people because that isn't politically correct. Here's the thing: transgenderism and gender identity issues are used by sickos as an excuse to commit atrocities. It gives them a cover, and now a way to skirt around the law! It would be comical if it weren't so horrifying.   I don't have an issue with individual gender neutral bathrooms. After all, they've existed for awhile (haven't you ...

As followers of Christ, one of the most difficult things we are called to do is to follow Him when the world is pulling us away from Him. As I have gotten older, Satan has been trying even harder to tear me away from my Savior and Lord. It is a constant struggle, one that I fail to overcome on my own. I am currently battling it out with the Devil, even as I write this. He has been trying his darndest to get me to fall. He has been trying to get me to sink to the level of the world, when I am striving for the standard that the Lord has for me and all who follow Him. This battle will not be won by me. It will be won-- no, it has ALREADY BEEN won-- by Jesus! I am so very weak, but in 2nd Corinthians 12:9, the Lord says that "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Isn't that a beautiful promise?! The best part is that when God tells us something, He means it. He will always follow through. God makes His path for us known in His timing...