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2020: Week 4
Is anyone else surprised that January is almost over? Where did it go?! It’s been a lovely month, even with back-and-forth weather. I like to say that the only predictable thing about Alabama weather is that it’s unpredictable. Just a few updates as we round out this month. I don’t want to be afraid to wrestle with God. I’ve always loved children’s ministry and the challenge of explaining biblical truths to them. Now that I’m teaching middle schoolers, the questions they ask are deep. Even when I don’t have the answer or the answer is difficult to understand, I encourage the kids to keep asking questions. Keep seeking God’s truths.…
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2020: Week 3
I feel like time passes quicker when you’re tracking it and that tracking it makes you more productive. I’ve accomplished much more in 21 days than I would have if I weren’t intentionally recapping them. Hopefully, you’re making good progress, too. Here are some of the past week’s highlights. God knows the world in ways we never will, and that’s a good thing. I finished up Job this week. Those last few chapters are powerful, and they leave me in awe of God as Creator. He knows intimately every process, function, and cycle of each being or thing on Earth, and that’s amazing. That’s a God worthy of praise and…
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2020: Week 2
Hey, all! How has your week been? Meeting those goals? My week 2 was a strong one for the most part, but it was also challenging. I quickly realized my music theory skills are quite rusty; however, I did good on the quiz, so with some practice, I’m confident I can pick it back up. Here are some goal check-ins, as well as some revelations or moments of pause that I experienced throughout the week. I don’t get to dictate how someone else grieves or for how long. Job was struggling, and I think his friends were helping him most when they were sitting with him and letting him be.…
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2020: Week 1
We made it through the first week of 2020. What have you accomplished? I don’t usually set New Year’s resolutions; however, I do practice goal setting. I often set a few for the beginning of the year and update them as my priorities change. A couple of my goals started on Jan. 1. In 2020, I want to read the NIV translation of the Bible chronologically and deepen my music theory knowledge. To read the Bible through, I’m following Tara-Leigh Cobble’s The Bible Recap plan and listening to the short podcast episodes associated with each day’s reading. The episodes are super helpful for digging deeper into God’s Word. I chose the NIV…
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Because no child should sleep on the floor
It’s cold tonight. Fall weather turned into winter for a few days, and while I’m sitting here under an electric blanket, I know many people are cold, some in my area. They may not have reliable heating, warm bedding, adequate shelter, or even a bed at all. They may have children who sleep on the floor, too. Even with suffering, there is hope. There are people who want to love others by meeting needs of those in their communities. I watched that unfold recently through Two Or More’s fundraiser for beds, and I just want to thank everyone for their support. Two Or More is a nonprofit connecting people of…
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Gideon is more than an underdog story
Choosing a favorite food is difficult. I want some qualifiers. Are we talking about breakfast food or dinner? Mexican food or Mediterranean? Similarly, when asked about my favorite person from the Bible, I struggle to answer. Are we talking men or women? Old or New Testament? One with a major narrative or one with a side story? Too many options. While I can’t choose a favorite, Gideon is high on the list. If you grew up in church, you probably know some of the Bible stories well — too well. You’ve heard them so many times that they are now normal. Or maybe now it’s harder to study them because…
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#NationalBookLoversDay
I love National Book Lovers Day! So to celebrate, here are a few of my recent reads. Let me know yours so that I can add them to my list! When God Doesn’t Fix It: Lessons You Never Wanted to Learn, Truths You Can’t Live Without — by Laura Story If you’ve heard the song “Blessings” by Laura Story, you may like this book. Laura tells the story behind the song — one where God took the life she always wanted and turned it upside down. It’s about letting God write the story and trusting that His way is better. Quotables: “Our desire is for God to fix broken things. But…
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When God chases you
I’m enjoying reading more these days than I ever have before, which sounds odd because reading was my passion as a child and up until college. Once college hit, I didn’t have time to read anything I wanted to read. It all had to be for schoolwork. Right now, most of my reads are coming from the podcast “The Happy Hour” hosted by Jamie Ivey, which inspires and encourages women to live out their God stories. She is an excellent interviewer and asks her guests what are three things they’re loving and what are they reading. I’ve added books to my list that way, plus the books of authors who…
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#IDontLookBlind
I recently joined a couple of retinitis pigmentosa support groups on Facebook. People with RP are sharing their stories and experiences and encouraging us to embrace this part of our lives. Nobody plans to have a disorder, and it can be difficult to cope with for many reasons, but it helps to know that we’re not alone in this. Joining groups never really occurred to me because I believed — and still believe — that God can restore my vision, or at the very least stop it from progressing beyond what I experience now. It’s what I pray for often, what I know God is capable of doing, so I…
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‘Do you know what the best smell in the world is?’
When I taught preschoolers, I never knew what questions they would ask. Ms. Elizabeth, can I get married when I’m 10? That’s old, right? Ms. Elizabeth, what does Play-Doh taste like? Ms. Elizabeth, can I have a pet whale in my bathtub? Now, I teach fifth- and sixth-graders, and most of the time their questions are easier to answer. Most of the time, the questions connect to the lesson, too. Sometimes they will answer a question before I even ask it because they know where I’m going with my train of thought. I love it. Last year, though, I was asked a question that threw me for a loop. It…
