If you’re anything like me, “being in the world but not of it”  has always been my greatest challenge.  While l’ve  made up my mind that certain places, people, and things are not conducive to my walk with Christ–this social media thing has really taken a toll on me, and I know I’m not alone on this one. When the era of social media sprung up, I had decided on the onset I wanted nothing to do with it. I was a baby in my faith and was still struggling with the old me. After I graduated with my masters…

Are you tired of going through the motions in your relationships? Here are 3 Types of Relationships That May Be Holding You Back From God’s Best…

How many of us are dealing with emotional sickness? A broken heart is the source of emotional sickness. It is the excess baggage we carry around that the eyes of others cannot see. Smiling on the outside, but inside we’re crying. Recently, I went to a women’s prayer meeting at my church and the topic was “help I’m broken hearted.” I thought it was an interesting topic. But as my pastor began to preach I quickly realized that this message was for me. She said something that spoke volumes to me “emotional sickness is when you’ve been hurt by the…

Since the days of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, it’s become increasingly common for articles, books and sermons to provide us with tips and instructions on “how to date well” and “what Christian dating should look like.” But rarely do we discuss the real life details of what actually goes on in these relationships. From an outside perspective, it’s easy to assume that it’s all sunshine and rainbows when two people rooted in Jesus become one. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. After years of dating the wrong guys, I’m finally with a man who shares my morals, values…

I don’t know how long you have been waiting for an answer to your prayer, but what I do know is this… God is good and He is so faithful!

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalms 55:22) What have you not given to God fully? What are you still holding on to? These are tough, convicting questions, but, necessary.   Whatever you haven’t fully surrendered to Him, can and will be a strong hold in your life. What is it for you? Anxiety, worry, finances, hurt, addictions, relationships, etc.?  Pray over it and release it to Him.  He’s got you! “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all…

Having children makes a mother feel so vulnerable. Of course you love your child, and while we can’t control everything, we can surely pray for everything. Here are my best prayers for moms. Lately I’ve been thinking about what my kids will face as they grow up and I’m determined, among the “urgency” of daily life, to pray for specific things in their future. Not just who they’ll marry or what they’ll be when they grow up (although these are great prayers) but for other less obvious things. Here are the things I think all moms should pray for their children.…

What if I told you the reason you are facing this situation, problem, or challenge right now? What if I told you it’s because the devil has a plan to get your focus off God and to get you to focus on your situation, problem, or challenge. He’s trying his best to deter you from God’s promises. The devil will hit us with problems after problem to overwhelm us with the situation to give up. One thing I’ve learned about the devil is he senses when we are close to victory. He will do his best to get us to doubt…

We often make plans when we want to do something. We’re told to do what we want to do, but what if that’s not what we’re suppose to do? The Bible addresses this in James 4: 13-15. We are advised not to boast about what we’re going to do. In verse 15, it says, Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” This verse especially applies to business or money matters. Recently, I started re-writing my business plan, and the first thing I did was write out a…

Don’t get stuck on yesterday’s troubles. Keep moving forward and refuse to live your life in reverse.

In the last year and a half I experienced one of the biggest blows life has ever dealt me. As a young woman I accepted Christ at 22 fresh out of college. I was this determined and ambitious individual with no God. To make a long story short after accepting Christ in 2010 I built a relationship with Him experiencing miracles after miracle until suddenly the beginning of 2015 hits and I lose my job. I ended up running into some financial hardship, drained my 401k, and lost everything I had worked for. I’ve worked in the financial industry for the…

My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12) When Will  “I’m not perfect, no one’s perfect”, stop being the excuse? I’m asking myself this question, and I’m not liking it one bit because this question is revealing to me things I really need to work on. Pray for me as I pray for you. When will the “I’m not perfect” phrase stop being my reason to purposely live out of the will…

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) I sat in the parking lot, thinking of the last time I was in this infusion center.  I smiled thinking of the woman I met that was undergoing chemotherapy. She was fighting her second battle.  Her hair was gone; she wore her bald proudly, beautifully.  Her personality was spunky, and we talked and laughed so much it made an hour seem like ten minutes. They say first impressions…

One of my favorite quotes is, “be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” These words are so powerful. Far too often I am too involved in my own world to pay attention to what others must be going through. My thoughts are consumed with nothing but myself. I worry what others think of me, what they say about me when I’m not around. But in all reality people do not think or talk about me nearly as much as I worry about them doing these things. And this is because everyone is fighting their own…

I’m unsure who should be credited with coining the phrase, “Haters Gonna Hate”,  But I hear people use it all the time: in the grocery store, at school, even at church! Everyone has critics in life.  But these “haters” have taken it to a whole new level.  They voluntarily and intentionally try to bring harm to another through their words or actions.  For some reason, these individuals have become desensitized to the feelings of others. These days, it’s too easy to hide behind a computer screen while wreaking havoc on even the least suspecting victims. Maybe you lost weight or even put on some weight recently and someone…

Recently, I was given the task to look for pictures of myself for an upcoming article I will be featured in. The editor asked for a picture of myself when I was younger or at a vulnerable point in my life, and a picture of when I accomplished something amazing. She said, “having some additional pictures gives readers some insight into your past and present.” I am a photo fanatic, so, of course, I knew I would not have a hard time fulfilling this request. Many times, I have looked through old pictures of myself, past vacations and holidays over the years; usually, I just…

The enemy always attacks the hardest when he knows God is about to do something powerful in your life! Here are 7 Signs You Are Under Spiritual Attack…

Here are 3 Ways To Take Control of Your Emotions During Difficult Times… Whenever you feel like giving up, remind yourself …

I’ve had the privilege of being mentored by a marriage and family therapist for the past fourteen years. Mentoring is a huge understatement and is probably only a euphemism he uses to soften the fact that I’ve actually been receiving free therapy all this time! Meeting with professionals like him would normally cost a truckload of money, so I’m very thankful he’s never sent me a bill. If he did, I’d probably owe him at least twenty thousand dollars—no joke. Through hundreds of our unofficial counseling sessions, I’ve gleaned at least five key aspects of dating that are relevant to…

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) Recently I was spending some quality time with my toddler son and decided to take a brisk walk and enjoy nature together. As I was walking with him, I thought about the pains that we go through as human beings on this side of life and it made me think of a boxing match. Usually when people think of boxing people like Muhammad…