Five Notebooks and Planners I Can’t Live Without
Who on earth uses FIVE different planners? …That would be me. And honestly? I use every one of them! Each of these planners serves a different purpose in my life, but they all work together to help me prioritize the right things in the right seasons.
Ten Amazon Finds I Loved this Month
I realized while cooking dinner yesterday that I can hear the footsteps of the mailman from the road. I've memorized the slam of the USPS car door and - I'm ashamed to say - have waited with bated breath a time or two to grab the delivery Dan leaves at my door (we're...
A Quick Guide to Christian Terms
If you didn’t grow up in the church, adjusting to Christian culture can be a bit of a shock. Why are people throwing around terms like “washed in the blood” or being “born again”? While you can adapt quickly, as you grow in faith more terms will become part of the conversation. Even I – a seasoned believer with a religion degree! – encounter words and phrases I’ve never heard before.
How to Stop Depending on a Devotional
Let me preface this post by saying: This is not a devotional-bashing article. I personally use and love certain Christian devotional books, and regularly read books on theology and Christian life. These books fill a very important void in the world of books, BUT: they should not act as a replacement for the Bible itself. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what they do.
How to Know God is Speaking
How do you know when God is telling you to do something? What does the Spirit’s voice sound like? We aren’t Samuel and aren’t hearing an audible voice from heaven (and honestly? Not many people in the Bible even got to experience this!). The Lord still speaks to us through His Spirit – Jesus says this three times in John 16:13:
The Seven Best Books for Teaching the Bible to Toddlers
As a Bible teacher, the most important (and often overlooked) place I need to teach the bible is in my own home. While there are a lot of resources for teaching the bible to older children, there aren’t quite as many when your kids are young. Adeline just turned three and Geneva turns one in a month, so their understanding of the Bible is naturally quite limited.
How to Choose a Church
The church hurts people because it’s made up of hurting people. It’s made up of flawed, sinful, humans just like you! If you’ve ever in your life hurt someone, why are you surprised that someone in the church could also cause pain?
What Does it Mean to Be “Saved?”
it’s a simple but loaded question, and one I thought appropriate to begin this series with: What does it mean to be “saved”? If you grew up in the church, you’ve heard this term thrown around since you were two. If you didn’t grow up around Christian language, the terminology and implications can be confusing. But I also believe there are a whole lot of people who believe they are Christians and actually have no idea what salvation is. That’s why this conversation needs to be had!
Theology 101: What Happened at Creation and the Fall?
A few weeks ago on Uniquely Woman, we started a new series: Theology 101. This is a great listen for those of you who want an overview of some of the biblical concepts that make up Christianity!
My Top Seven Reads of the Summer
Summertime has seen the same stack of books on my coffee table. I’ve been working through them over the course of these last three months, usually a chapter or two a day from one or two. I like to mix up my reading list. Last summer I read a record number of novels (I don’t read much fiction) and I really need to get a few more fiction reads on my plate before year’s end! Most of these are Christian nonfiction. Without further ado, here are this summer’s picks!
God’s Not Looking for Debt-Free Virgins
“Men Prefer Debt Free Virgins (Without Tattoos)” surfaced a few days ago and since it’s already taking over the internet, I thought it timely to share my experience as a case study in debt-free virginhood. Before I met and married my husband, I was a debt-free virgin (without tattoos, which seems to be an important point, though I have yet to see its connection). Not only that, I met other criteria the article would applaud:
Are Our Christian “Quiet Times” Actually Biblical?
Did you know that the Bible doesn't talk about having a quiet time? So where does this phrase come from? Is this practice foundational to Christianity? In this solo episode, I'm digging into the history of the "quiet time." I explore what the morning watch was and how...
Soulmates, the Pence Rule, and Brothers in Christ
This episode started, as many others do, with a Voxer conversation about soulmates. Do we have soulmates or are we free to marry any available believer? How are we supposed to relate to the opposite sex?We then journey into some related topics - all connecting back to...
I Like Him. Now What?
At some point or another we have felt the thrill of admiring that particular guy, whether he turns out to be our husband or just a temporary interest. But we’re in conflict: we may like him, but what do we DO about it?
How to Avoid the Bible Journaling Mentality
Whenever I’m on Instagram, I feel like there’s someone who is posting about their “Bible journaling.” I see lots of florals in the margins, song lyrics written in sharpie over entire pages of Scripture, and artwork rendering the text beneath illegible. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not against Bible journaling. But there’s a certain type of Bible journaling that does not approach Scripture with the kind of honor and respect that it deserves.
Pray Specifically, Wait Patiently, Reap Abundantly
The moment my phone vibrated with the text alert, it was as if the suspension was blown out of my world. Months of praying, hoping, wishing, and waiting were suddenly brought to a halt at once. The news was in, and it was good.
I sat at my desk as tears welled up in my eyes. I cried too, Mr. M’s text said. God is so gracious.
After the initial shock, surprise, and emotion I immediately wanted to tell everyone within a fifteen foot radius of myself. Since that included my phone I would have liked to send a mass text trumpeting the information, but we decided to stay quiet till more details come to light. So I just sat, thinking back on the last seven months.
Why Don’t I Have a Boyfriend?
Brought to the end of my timeframe and expectations, I had no choice but to look up. And once I looked up to the Lord, He encouraged me to look in… to evaluate if I was the kind of girl who even deserved to have a boyfriend.
Confronting Sin in Marriage: Why and How
Can a wife correct her husband? Some would be surprised at this question, but it's legitimately asked in many conservative Christian circles. Proverbs 17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another." This does not stop in marriage. This week on...
25+ Resources for Christians Learning About Race Relations
I grew up in the northern Midwest United States, about two hours south of Canada. Because I was northern, raised in a Christian home, and believe “all men are created equal”, I firmly believed racial prejudice did not exist in my life or even in my geographical area. I associated racism with the South and the sixties. This view – unconscious though it was – went unchecked because my hometown is almost entirely white.
Everything I Loved in April
It's telling that I'm posting April's favorites list in May. May 1st was the launch of my new biblical time management course - Driven Women - so every effort at getting a post published came to naught! Better late than never, right? I have so much to share from...
Teach Me to Number My Days: How to Stay Productive without Hating Your Life
I have a unique approach to productivity; one I don’t think we see often in this culture.
I believe rest is essential to a productive life.
How to Keep God First in Overwhelming Busyness
I’m writing this past 10 PM… at least an hour past my old-lady bed time! This week has been busier than the previous two combined. I can’t remember when Josh and I had so much going on!
My Secret to Achieving My Goals Every Single Year
I am SO excited to share this glimpse of my goal planning process. For three years now I’ve used Lara Casey’s Powersheets, a goal planning workbook designed to help people of ALL personalities determine God’s priorities for their lives. Through a detailed preparation process, you determine your goals for the year, then break those goals down into monthly, weekly, and daily tasks.
Why Pray if God is Sovereign?
If God knows all, why should we pray? What a question! I won’t pretend I have the answer to every angle of this topic. Many of us have wondered this to ourselves in the dark of the night, when God seems silent, or when prayers go unanswered. What is the point of prayer? How does it work? If God discerns when and how He will answer, what role does my prayer play, if any?